The project builds on Covestro’s existing biobased process, which uses a tailored microorganism to convert industrial sugars derived from plant-based biomass into an intermediate through fermentation. Chemical catalysis then converts the intermediate into aniline containing 100% plant-based carbon.

Bio4PURConti will seek to replace the current fed-batch production method with continuous fermentation. Rather than adding raw materials and harvesting the product in stages, the proposed process would operate continuously using plant-based sugars, including feedstocks derived from hardwood biomass.

The consortium plans to scale the process from the laboratory to a 1.5-cubic-meter semi-industrial demonstration at Bio Base Europe Pilot Plant in Ghent, Belgium, and Covestro’s operations in Leverkusen, Germany.

The process will incorporate cell recycling, real-time analytics and downstream processing. Project goals include increasing space-time yields and reducing the product carbon footprint of aniline.

The resulting biobased aniline is intended to function as a drop-in replacement that meets existing MDI specifications without requiring changes to downstream polyurethane production.

“Demonstrating continuous fermentation at semi-industrial scale for a high-volume raw material like aniline will set a new benchmark for what biotech processes can achieve in the chemical industry,” said Markus Dugal, head of process technology at Covestro.

Covestro is coordinating a consortium of 10 industrial and academic organizations across seven countries. The project has a total budget of €8.4 million, including €7 million in European Union funding through the Circular Bio-based Europe Joint Undertaking.