Cargill Dow Awarded Grant For Bio-based Chemicals R And D

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has awarded more than $2 million to Cargill Dow, Minnetonka,
Minn., for continued research and development of the companys fermentation process for utilizing
annually renewable resources.The DOE administers two financial assistance programs in support of
President Bill Clintons executive order to triple U.S. use of biobased products and bioenergy by
2010. Cargill Dow will share equally with the DOE the $4.6 million budget for the projects.The
projects center on developing process technology for the fermentation of corn fiber and corn stover
to lactic acid and a number of other products. The results will help support the continued
advancement of Cargill Dows NatureWorks PLA, which is derived entirely from annually renewable
resources, as well as help develop other biobased products. Ultimately, Cargill Dows
fermentation-based manufacturing technology will be able to be used anywhere in the world, using
native agricultural by-products.NatureWorks PLA has applications in both fibers and packaging
markets (See K/A News, ATI, this issue). In packaging, potential end-uses include high-value films,
rigid thermoformed food and beverage containers, and coated papers and boards. New, emerging
applications such as injection-, stretch- and blow-molded bottles are also being explored.

November 2000

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