Title: Electrochemical Conversion of Biologically Produced Muconic Acid: Key Considerations for Scale-Up and Corresponding Technoeconomic Analysis

Abstract

We present muconic acid, an unsaturated diacid that can be produced from cellulosic sugars and lignin monomers by fermentation, emerges as a promising intermediate for the sustainable manufacture of commodity polyamides and polyesters including Nylon-6,6 and polyethylene terephthalate (PET). Current conversion schemes consist in the biological production of cis,cis-muconic acid using metabolically engineered yeasts and bacteria, and the subsequent diversification to adipic acid, terephthalic acid, and their derivatives using chemical catalysts. In some instances, conventional precious metal catalysts can be advantageously replaced by base metal electrocatalysts. Here, we show the economic relevance of utilizing a hybrid biological–electrochemical conversion scheme to convert glucose to trans-3-hexenedioic acid (t3HDA), a monomer used for the synthesis of bioadvantaged Nylon-6,6. Potential roadblocks to biological and electrochemical integration in a single reactor, including electrocatalyst deactivation due to biogenic impurities and low faradaic efficiency inherent to side reactions in complex media, have been studied and addressed. In this study, t3HDA was produced with 94% yield and 100% faradaic efficiency. With consideration of the high t3HDA yield and faradaic efficiency, a technoeconomic analysis was developed on the basis of the current yield and titer achieved for muconic acid, the figures of merit defined for industrial electrochemical processes, andmore » the separation of the desired product from the medium. On the basis of this analysis, t3HDA could be produced for approximately $2.00 kg^–1. The low cost for t3HDA is a primary factor of the electrochemical route being able to cascade biological catalysis and electrocatalysis in one pot without separation of the muconic acid intermediate from the fermentation broth.« less

Authors:

Matthiesen, John E. ^[1]; Suástegui, Miguel ^[2]; Wu, Yutong ^[2]; Viswanathan, Mothi ^[3]; Qu, Yang ^[4]; Cao, Mingfeng ^[2]; Rodriguez-Quiroz, Natalia ^[2]; Okerlund, Adam ^[5]; Kraus, George ^[4]; Raman, D. Raj ^[3]; Shao, Zengyi ^[1]; Tessonnier, Jean-Philippe ^[1]

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+ Show Author Affiliations

1. Iowa State Univ., Ames, IA (United States). Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering; NSF Engineering Research Center for Biorenewable Chemicals (CBiRC), Ames, IA (United States); Ames Lab., Ames, IA (United States)
2. Iowa State Univ., Ames, IA (United States). Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering; NSF Engineering Research Center for Biorenewable Chemicals (CBiRC), Ames, IA (United States)
3. NSF Engineering Research Center for Biorenewable Chemicals (CBiRC), Ames, IA (United States); Iowa State Univ., Ames, IA (United States). Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering
4. Iowa State Univ., Ames, IA (United States). Department of Chemistry; NSF Engineering Research Center for Biorenewable Chemicals (CBiRC), Ames, IA (United States)
5. NSF Engineering Research Center for Biorenewable Chemicals (CBiRC), Ames, IA (United States)

Publication Date:

Wed Oct 05 00:00:00 EDT 2016

Research Org.:

Ames Laboratory (AMES), Ames, IA (United States)

Sponsoring Org.:

USDOE

OSTI Identifier:

1355400

Report Number(s):

IS-J-9181
Journal ID: ISSN 2168-0485

Grant/Contract Number:  

AC02-07CH11358; 1101284; EEC-0813570; CBET-1512126

Resource Type:

Accepted Manuscript

Journal Name:

ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering

Additional Journal Information:

Journal Volume: 4; Journal Issue: 12; Journal ID: ISSN 2168-0485

Publisher:

American Chemical Society (ACS)

Country of Publication:

United States

Language:

English

Subject:

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES; 37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY; 3-Hexenedioic acid; Biorenewable chemicals; Cascade catalysis; Electrocatalysis; Electrochemical hydrogenation; Hydromuconic acid; Muconic acid; Nylon