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Diesel from vegetable oils
FOCUS Broad US patent issued to Dyadic International Dyadic International Inc, a global biotechnology company focused on the discovery, development, manufacture, and sale of enzymes and other proteins for the bioenergy, bio-based chemical, biopharmaceutical and industrial enzyme industries, announced that it has been issued US Patent No 8,268,585 entitled, ‘Transformation System in the Field of Filamentous Fungal Hosts’ by the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). The inventions embodied by this patent describe methods of developing, programming and growing improved strains of the fungal microorganisms which make up Dyadic’s C1 platform technology. PR Newswire, 24 Sep 2012, (Website: http://www.prnewswire.com)
Butamax Advanced Biofuels LLC expands intellectual property portfolio with innovative biofuel patent Butamax Advanced Biofuels LLC, announced that the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has granted Butamax Patent Number 8,273,558 (‘558 patent). The innovative ‘558 patent technology provides a path to commercial production volumes of biobutanol for the global biofuel and other markets. Butamax has specifically designed its microorganism to be costeffective for all markets, but particularly for biofuel blending. While unmodified yeast may produce trace amounts of isobutanol via a different pathway than Butamax’s inventions, these unmodified yeasts express only certain enzymes in smaller compartments of the cell. This limits the availability of these enzymes to convert sugar to biobutanol in significant quantities and at high rates. Butamax developed modified genes that express key enzymes in the larger ‘cytosol’ area of the cell. This innovation, which is protected by the ‘558 patent, allows for increased expression of these enzymes resulting in a significant increase in the volume and rate of isobutanol produced. This technology is critical for the commercial scale production needed to enable the global biofuels market. The ‘558 patent, which was filed from a 2005 priority application, also protects blending the isobutanol produced
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through the modified yeast cells with fossil fuels. Butamax constructed the first purpose-built bio-isobutanol demonstration plant located in Hull, UK. Optimisation of Butamax technology continues at this plant, prior to retrofit of a commercial plant and market entry in 2014. With this very deliberate approach to technology development and demonstration based on the tried and tested experience of BP and DuPont, Butamax continues to innovate in the areas of biocatalyst, engineering design, product recovery, and end-use applications to deliver maximum value to customers, partners and investors, and drive the biofuel industry forward. Butamax offers unique and comprehensive biofuel experience and the grant of the ‘558 patent further demonstrates the strength of its fuels expertise. Butamax Advanced Biofuels LLC, a jv between BP and DuPont, was formed to develop and commercialise biobutanol as a next generation renewable biofuel for the transport market. BioSpace, 25 Sep 2012, (Website: http://www.biospace.com/)
Production of manganite nanocatalysts for removal of airpolluting volatile organic compounds Iranian researchers from Tabriz and Mazandaran Universities made a breakthrough in eliminating volatile organic compounds that pollute the air by producing manganite nanocatalysts with spinel structure. Original Source: Nanotechnology Now, 16 Sep 2012, (Website: http://www.nanotech-now.com/) © 7thWave Inc 2012
PATENTS Oligomerisation via halogenation Low molecular weight hydrocarbons are converted to higher molecular weight hydrocarbons by bromination, followed by treatment with a ‘cataloreactant’ such as a zeolite exchanged with an alkaline earth cation. The cataloreactant is regenerated by heating in air or oxygen. US 8,278,493, GRT Inc, Santa Barbara, CA, USA, 2 Oct 2012
Improved ammoximation catalyst The ammoximation of ketones, using H2O2 and NH3, to give oximes, is usually catalysed by titanium silicalite. An alternative catalyst, which is cheaper and easier to make, is niobia having specific physical characteristics. US 8,278,487, DSM IP Assets BV, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, 2 Oct 2012
Improved aromatization catalyst Various zeotypes have been used as catalysts for the conversion of lower aliphatic hydrocarbons to aromatics. This new catalyst is a zeotype loaded with molybdenum and copper and after-treated with an amino-silane. US 8,278,237, Meidensha Corp, Tokyo, Japan, 2 Oct 2012
Diesel from vegetable oils Hydrotreatment of vegetable oils to produce diesel fuels is improved by the addition of sulfur compounds. Less hydrogen is needed, and the properties of the products are improved. Known hydrotreating catalysts are used. US 8,278,492, Neste Oil Oyj, Espoo, Finland, 2 Oct 2012
Structurally-enhanced cracking catalysts This patent starts with a useful account of current FCC technology, describing the problems to be solved in designing FCC catalysts. It then describes the current preferred product which comprises a relatively inert core and an active shell containing the zeolite. US 8,2778,235, BASF Corp, Florham Park, NJ, USA, 2 Oct 2012
Biobutanol, continued In Jul 2012 I described the 108-page patent from Butamax detailing its basic process for making isobutanol. This is its successor, 81 pages giving more of the biochemistry and the genetics. US 8,273,558 Butamax Advanced Fuels LLC, Wilmington, DE, USA, 25 Sep 2012
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Butamax Advanced Biofuels LLC expands intellectual property portfolio with innovative biofuel patent Butamax Advanced Biofuels LLC, announced that the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has granted Butamax Patent Number 8,273,558 (‘558 patent). The innovative ‘558 patent technology provides a path to commercial production volumes of biobutanol for the global biofuel and other markets. Butamax has specifically designed its microorganism to be costeffective for all markets, but particularly for biofuel blending. While unmodified yeast may produce trace amounts of isobutanol via a different pathway than Butamax’s inventions, these unmodified yeasts express only certain enzymes in smaller compartments of the cell. This limits the availability of these enzymes to convert sugar to biobutanol in significant quantities and at high rates. Butamax developed modified genes that express key enzymes in the larger ‘cytosol’ area of the cell. This innovation, which is protected by the ‘558 patent, allows for increased expression of these enzymes resulting in a significant increase in the volume and rate of isobutanol produced. This technology is critical for the commercial scale production needed to enable the global biofuels market. The ‘558 patent, which was filed from a 2005 priority application, also protects blending the isobutanol produced
NOVEMBER 2012
ON
C ATA LY S T S
through the modified yeast cells with fossil fuels. Butamax constructed the first purpose-built bio-isobutanol demonstration plant located in Hull, UK. Optimisation of Butamax technology continues at this plant, prior to retrofit of a commercial plant and market entry in 2014. With this very deliberate approach to technology development and demonstration based on the tried and tested experience of BP and DuPont, Butamax continues to innovate in the areas of biocatalyst, engineering design, product recovery, and end-use applications to deliver maximum value to customers, partners and investors, and drive the biofuel industry forward. Butamax offers unique and comprehensive biofuel experience and the grant of the ‘558 patent further demonstrates the strength of its fuels expertise. Butamax Advanced Biofuels LLC, a jv between BP and DuPont, was formed to develop and commercialise biobutanol as a next generation renewable biofuel for the transport market. BioSpace, 25 Sep 2012, (Website: http://www.biospace.com/)
Production of manganite nanocatalysts for removal of airpolluting volatile organic compounds Iranian researchers from Tabriz and Mazandaran Universities made a breakthrough in eliminating volatile organic compounds that pollute the air by producing manganite nanocatalysts with spinel structure. Original Source: Nanotechnology Now, 16 Sep 2012, (Website: http://www.nanotech-now.com/) © 7thWave Inc 2012
PATENTS Oligomerisation via halogenation Low molecular weight hydrocarbons are converted to higher molecular weight hydrocarbons by bromination, followed by treatment with a ‘cataloreactant’ such as a zeolite exchanged with an alkaline earth cation. The cataloreactant is regenerated by heating in air or oxygen. US 8,278,493, GRT Inc, Santa Barbara, CA, USA, 2 Oct 2012
Improved ammoximation catalyst The ammoximation of ketones, using H2O2 and NH3, to give oximes, is usually catalysed by titanium silicalite. An alternative catalyst, which is cheaper and easier to make, is niobia having specific physical characteristics. US 8,278,487, DSM IP Assets BV, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, 2 Oct 2012
Improved aromatization catalyst Various zeotypes have been used as catalysts for the conversion of lower aliphatic hydrocarbons to aromatics. This new catalyst is a zeotype loaded with molybdenum and copper and after-treated with an amino-silane. US 8,278,237, Meidensha Corp, Tokyo, Japan, 2 Oct 2012
Diesel from vegetable oils Hydrotreatment of vegetable oils to produce diesel fuels is improved by the addition of sulfur compounds. Less hydrogen is needed, and the properties of the products are improved. Known hydrotreating catalysts are used. US 8,278,492, Neste Oil Oyj, Espoo, Finland, 2 Oct 2012
Structurally-enhanced cracking catalysts This patent starts with a useful account of current FCC technology, describing the problems to be solved in designing FCC catalysts. It then describes the current preferred product which comprises a relatively inert core and an active shell containing the zeolite. US 8,2778,235, BASF Corp, Florham Park, NJ, USA, 2 Oct 2012
Biobutanol, continued In Jul 2012 I described the 108-page patent from Butamax detailing its basic process for making isobutanol. This is its successor, 81 pages giving more of the biochemistry and the genetics. US 8,273,558 Butamax Advanced Fuels LLC, Wilmington, DE, USA, 25 Sep 2012
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