Bio-based 1,3-propanediol is favored by the market, and the domestic production process needs further exploration

The production process of 1,3-propanediol (1,3-PDO) can be divided into chemical synthesis method and biological method. The chemical synthesis method is further divided into acrolein hydrohydration hydrogenation method, ethylene oxide carbonylation method, etc. In recent years, as environmental protection supervision has become increasingly strict, the production capacity of bio-based 1,3-propanediol has been rapidly released, and the scale of the bio-based 1,3-propanediol industry has continued to expand. Bio-based 1,3-propanediol has the same chemical composition as petroleum-based 1,3-propanediol, but bio-based 1,3-propanediol has a wide range of raw materials and is renewable. It has the advantages of light environmental pollution and less by-products.

With the advantages of low cost, green, environmental protection and high conversion rate, biological methods are favored by more and more production companies, such as DuPont, LLC, French Metabolic Explorer company, etc. DuPont is the world’s first company to realize the industrial production of bio-based 1,3-propanediol. In 2000, it built the world’s first industrial device for the production of 1,3-propanediol using corn starch sugar genetically engineered bacterial fermentation. Later, as research continued to deepen, DuPont The company also synthesizes 1,3-propanediol polyether based on bio-based 1,3-propanediol.

According to the “2021-2025 China Bio-based 1,3-Propanediol Products Market Analysis Feasibility Research Report” released by the research center , compared to petroleum-based 1,3-propanediol, bio-based 1,3-propanediol reduces dependence on petroleum, helps energy conversion, and ensures national energy security. At the same time, bio-based 1,3-propanediol has fewer by-products and is bio- The 1,3-propanediol production process reduces carbon dioxide and greenhouse gas emissions by nearly 60%, which is more conducive to carbon neutrality.

1,3-propanediol is a colorless, odorless, salty, hygroscopic, viscous liquid. As an important chemical raw material, 1,3-propanediol can be used to produce plasticizers, surfactants, and unsaturated polyesters. , emulsifiers and other products, are widely used in food, pharmaceutical intermediates, automobiles, daily chemicals and other fields. 1,3-propanediol is the key raw material of the new polyester fiber PTT (polytrimethylene terephthalate). From 2015 to 2020, benefiting from the continuous development of the downstream market, the market demand for 1,3-propanediol continued to be released, and the demand growth rate exceeded 11%.

After years of development and accumulation, the scale of my country’s bio-based 1,3-propanediol industry has also continued to expand. At this stage, the country has nearly 23,000 tons of bio-based 1,3-propanediol production capacity. Related production companies include Jiangsu Dongfang Shenghong Co., Ltd. Zhangjiagang Meijingrong Chemical Industry, etc. As the country attaches greater importance to the biomanufacturing industry, the bio-based 1,3-propanediol market has great potential for development.

Industry analysts said that in recent years, against the background of increasingly stringent environmental protection regulations, bio-based 1,3-propanediol has been favored by the market . At present, 1,3-propanediol in my country is mainly produced by glycerol fermentation. Due to low glycerol conversion rate and low strain efficiency, the cost of domestic 1,3-propanediol remains high. Compared with DuPont bio-based 1,3-propanediol, the cost is It has no advantages in terms of quality and scale. In the future, my country’s bio-based 1,3-propanediol production technology still needs to be further explored.