Current Uses of Synthetic Biology
Bio-succinic acid can be used in many applications, such as plasticizers, coatings, polymers, esters, and polyester polyols. As an example, Myriant has developed Myrifilm® solvent, which can be used to manufacture coatings with superior functional performance. Myrifilm® also brings additional benefits to the coatings formulator, as it contains no volatile organic compounds (VOC), is free of hazardous air pollutants (HAPS), and is odor-free.
In 2009, Myriant received a $50 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy to build the nation’s first bio-succinic acid commercial production facility in Lake Providence, La. The plant is scheduled to start-up in the first quarter of 2013 and its 30 million pound per year production capacity is already sold to customers around the world.
