Hydroquinone (HQ) is an essential raw material for the high value thermoplastic polymer PEEK, which is used in engineering and medical applications. HQ is currently produced from finite fossil fuel resources, which poses potential sustainability issues. HQ is also used in a multitude of other applications in the chemical industry.

 Challenge

Victrex is a large advanced materials company specialising in polyaryletherketone (PAEK)-based polymers (the family of polymers which includes PEEK).  Victrex consumes over 1,500 tonnes of HQ per annum in the production of PEEK (and this is forecast to continue to grow significantly).

The company is exploring alternative, more sustainable routes for the production of HQ, ideally from renewable or waste feedstocks, to contribute to their goal of carbon neutrality by 2030. A bio-based platform for HQ production from waste feedstocks is potentially attractive owing to mild processing conditions, low-cost feedstocks and opportunity to valorise waste.

Solution

IBioIC funded a joint project between Victrex and Joanna Sadler and Stephen Wallace from the University of Edinburgh to explore options.

Victrex contributed market insight and helped define the project goals and technical expertise related to working with HQ.

Joanna Sadler and Stephen Wallace searched for enzymes that could convert glucose to HQ in an industrially relevant process. The DNA for the enzymes was added to E. coli separately and then together and the conversion of glucose to HQ in E. coli was monitored and yield-assessed at each step. E. coli’s tolerance to HQ was also assessed. Lignin, chitin and cellulose were assessed as potential feedstocks for the process. Connections were made to these supply chains via IBioIC’s network, and samples were sought for testing.

The academic team designed experiments and developed a route to produce HQ from glucose. This route was validated at small scale.

The team also identified a local, Scottish supply chain of raw material from which the chemicals could be produced at scale.

Outcome

Proof of concept was achieved for a biotech route to HQ production and a potential supply chain was identified.

This work is potentially hugely impactful to Victrex, the chemical industry in general - where hydroquinone is widely used as an antioxidant/reducing agent, and the wider biotechnology community through removing reliance on fossil fuels and enabling transition towards a more sustainable, circular bioeconomy.

The partners have been awarded an IBioIC PhD studentship to continue this work.