Origin Materials has developed the Origin Platform, which replaces oil as the foundational feedstock for the material economy. Woody biomass is Origin’s feedstock, which comes from agricultural waste, wood waste, and even old cardboard. The Origin platform converts C-6 cellulose into four isolated building-block chemicals in one chemo-catalytic step with almost zero carbon loss. Their catalyst is recovered and doesn’t rely on expensive sugars or fermentation. Most of the output is the versatile furan CMF (chloromethyl furfural), HTC (hydrothermal carbon), an equally versatile resin, and oils and extractives that can create levulinic acid and furfural. Origin’s customers have agreed to purchase recyclable, 100% plant-based PET, which is made possible by converting Origin CMF into para-xylene, as well as performance-advantaged chemicals and materials such as FDCA and PEF. HTC is being developed for applications in several markets, including carbon black for tires, agriculture, and activated carbon.
EPA Green Chemistry Challenge: 2022 Specific Environmental Benefit—Climate Change
Professor Mark Mascal and his lab at the University of California Davis.
