This $650,000 Phase II Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant awarded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Institute of Food and Agriculture (CFDA 10.212) to Kse, Inc. (dba KSE Inc.), a self-certified small disadvantaged business, aims to evaluate, optimize, and demonstrate novel technology to selectively convert lignocellulose waste streams into the value-added chemical 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA) at pilot-scale. The project involves improving processes for converting pentose sugars to furfural, optimizing continuous oxidation to produce furoic acid from furfural, evaluating catalyst combinations to maximize FDCA yield, implementing closed-loop catalyst regeneration, and developing economic models. Additionally, the project will assess pretreatment and enzymatic breakdown technologies for lignocellulosic feedstocks to support FDCA manufacturing. The overarching goal is to develop sustainable and cost-effective methods for producing FDCA, a potential replacement for petroleum-based acids used in textiles, polyesters, and plastics, utilizing renewable resources and waste streams.
Mod # | Description | Reason For Modification | Federal Obligation (Click to sort descending) | Date (Click to sort ascending) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Not listed | $650.0k | 8/9/23 |