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Biomaterials

Wacker makes vinyl acetate from cellulose

by Alex Scott
April 2, 2018 | A version of this story appeared in Volume 96, Issue 14

A photo of cans of paint.
Credit: Shutterstock
Vinyl acetate-based polymers are used in many applications, including paint.

Wacker Chemie has developed a process for making vinyl acetate, a key ingredient in its polymer dispersions, from cellulosic materials. Wacker first converts cellulose into ethanol in a fermentation step featuring engineered bacteria. It then dehydrates the ethanol into ethylene, a key building block for vinyl acetate. The firm is now contemplating commercialization. “We have not decided when we will have bigger-scale production, but we are looking at this seriously,” says Theo Mayer, innovation director for Wacker Polymers.

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