Last Updated on Thursday, 17 November 2011 22:03
Furfural ("FF") is the precursor for furfuryl alcohol ("FA"), tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol (THFA), furoic acid, furfurylamine, methylfuran and furan. From furan, tetrahydrofuran (THF) is derived, which is the precursor for polytetramethylene ether glycol (PTMEG).
Furfuryl Alcohol (FA)
FA is manufactured by the hydrogenation (catalytic reduction) of furfural. It can be used as a solvent, but it's more often used as an ingredient in the manufacture of various chemical products such as:
• Furan resins, especially foundry resin, which is used as binder of the sand core (NB: This is the major consumer of FF).
• Adhesives.
• Wetting agents.
• Anti-corrosion coating.
• Solvents.
• Thinner.
• Organic raw material.
• Tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol (see THFA below).
FA's polymerization characteristics have opened up opportunities in the wood treatment/modification industry: when treated with FA, the characteristics of 'softwoods' are altered so as to make the woods more valuable. One of the characteristics of treated/modified wood is its resistance to infestations (a genuine alternative to replace CCA - copper chromium arsenic - treaded wood!). Another one is its increased hardness in comparison with untreated wood (a genuine alternative to replace tropical hardwood). The first two commercial technologies/processes for the "furfylation" of wood have been introduced and their market acceptance is growing (and with it the demand for FA). This presents an excellent opportunity in that the tropical hard wood and CCA treated wood substitution markets are multi-billion dollar businesses.
>> Specifications << >> Buy Furfuryl Alcohol <<
THFA
THFA is a green (EPA approved) solvent and a chemical intermediate for the pharmaceutical and chemical specialities sector (e.g. agricultural, cleaning, coating and paint stripper formulations).
Fuel Additive - Market Potential
A few of the market developments are gaining momentum!
When informed of the apparent successful testing of THFA as a fuel (diesel) additive, which allows the mixing of Ethanol into diesel for a cleaner fuel, one of our associates translated this potential as follows:
- The total world consumption of diesel fuel is 200 billion gallons per annum
- Europe: was 50 billion
- At 10% ethanol and 5% market share, the total European ethanol demand would be 250 million gallons.
- 80,000 metric tons per year of THFA required, based on:
- At 10% in the ethanol and ~7 lbs/gallon furfural
>> Specifications <<
THF (.. also in the context of BDO)
PTMEG is the largest user for THF: About 80% of THF is converted to PTMEG (see below). The balance is used as a solvent in polyvinyl chloride (PVC) cements, pharmaceuticals and coatings. Global consumption is in the order of ±500,000 tpa. Regrettably for the furfural industry, the bulk of the global THF production is derived from 1,4-Butane Diol (1,4 BDO), i.e ±45% of global BDO production (approximately 1 million tpa) is converted to THF. BDO is derived from downstream products of crude oil.
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PTMEG to Spandex
PTMEG is used in the production of thermoplastics like polyurethane elastomers, Spandex (also know as Elastane or Lycra®); a synthetic fiber stronger and more durable than rubber, known for its exceptional elasticity, (high-performance) copolyester-ether elastomers and polyamides. Global output of Spandex is in the order of 500,000 tpa and for years the annual growth rate has been between 2% and 5.5%.
There used to be a plant in the USA and, since 2007, there are two THF (to PTMEG) plants in China, which use furfural as their feedstock. There are no technological reasons why furfural-based PTMEG should not gain a larger market share in a world that is looking at reducing its carbon footprint!
