Dr. Thore Rohwerder: Acrylic Glass from Sugar

Dr. Thore Rohwerder, University of Duisburg-Essen, has discovered an enzyme that can help convert a branched-chain petrochemical-based C4 body into a linear one. Built into a sugar metabolism, this enzyme can generate a precursor to MMA (methyl methacrylate—monomer for acrylic glass). With this new environmentally safer and more efficient biosynthesis, the vision of manufacturing acrylic glass from sugar could become a reality.

The idea is to use a biotechnological process to generate a precursor for methyl methacrylate or MMA from natural raw materials such as sugar, alcohol or fatty acids. Up to now, this precursor—2 -hydroxyisobutyrate (2-HIB)—could be produced only in a purely chemical process based on petrochemical raw materials. The chemical industry worldwide is looking for bioprocesses that will enable it to use renewable raw materials as the basis for MMA synthesis in the future.

In collaboration with Dr. Roland H. Müller (Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, Leipzig), Dr. Thore Rohwerder has discovered, in a bacterial strain, an enzyme that serves as the basis for the biosynthesis of 2-HIB. With the help of this enzyme, a biotechnological production process can be developed that can synthesize 2-HIB for use as a precursor for MMA. This would make it feasible, for the first time, to produce acrylic glass in a biotechnological process on the commercial scale—and, compared to the purely chemical process, under milder conditions and with minimal environmental impact (waste, water).

Conceivably, up to ten percent of the current MMA demand could be met through biotechnological processes over the medium to long term. Because the world market currently ranges between 3 million metric tons or €4 billion, sales of €150 million are possible in approximately ten years, and €400 million thereafter. It takes about four years to design a suitable bacterial system and a functioning laboratory process. The objective is to have a pilot plant for the manufacture of several metric tons up and running in five years.

The new process will not eliminate the existing acrylic glass product; rather, it will allow acrylic glass to be manufactured not only from fossil but from renewable raw materials in the future. For industry, this means increased flexibility, since it can fall back on sugar or alcohol or similar raw materials for production. Compared to the current chemical manufacturing process, the biotechnological process is safer for the environment, uses little energy, and generates minimal waste.