L & aring; kril technologies responds to topic area 8.8, biofuels and biobased products under the research priority for new processes for manufacture of industrial products, chemicals, or biofuels

Lakril Technologies Corporation received a $179,500 Phase I project grant awarded September 1, 2025, by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) under the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program (CFDA 10.212). The project, concluding April 30, 2026, supports research and development of the company's lactic-to-acrylic conversion technology, which produces bio-based acrylic acid and acrylates as sustainable alternatives to petrochemical-based products. The grant funds three primary research activities: evaluating how pyruvate impurities affect adsorbent media and process conditions on adsorption equilibria and thermodynamics; conducting adsorption kinetic studies using packed columns for promising adsorbents; and determining the effects of feed pretreatment and purification on acrylate selectivity and long-term catalyst lifetime. The research centers on optimizing a FAU zeolite-based catalyst modified by engineered bases to improve catalyst performance and advance commercialization pathways.

This Phase I award addresses Topic Area 8.8 (Biofuels and Biobased Products) within NIFA's research priority for new processes in industrial chemical and biofuel manufacturing. The technology delivers significant environmental and economic benefits, reducing CO2 emissions by over 85% compared to conventional petrochemical acrylics while achieving cost parity. The project supports job creation in rural agricultural communities and targets a substantial market—the $11 billion, 7 million metric ton annual acrylics value chain used in coatings, adhesives, paints, and superabsorbent polymer industries.

Our lactic-to-acrylic technology helps decarbonize industrial chemicals by providing a drop-in BIO-based acrylic acid and acrylates at cost parity to today's petrochemical acrylics while providing > 85% reduction in CO2 emissions (energy efficiency / renewable energy). We also address agriculturally-related manufacturing, since our process technology will be constructed and provide high-quality, well-paying stem jobs in rural locations near farm fields, similar to ethanol plants.producing sustainable acrylic acid and acrylates brings significant health and welfare benefits through increased sustainability to the $11 billion, 7 million metric ton per annum acrylics value chain used throughout the coatings, adhesives, paints, and superabsorbent polymer industries while increasing economic competitiveness in global markets through new industrial uses for the US' largest crop. The L & aring; kril catalyst is FAU zeolite based modified by engineered bases. To further catalyst life and commercialization, we seek to 1) evaluate the effects and composition of pyruvate impurities on adsorbent media, and process conditions on adsorption equilibria and thermodynamics, 2) perform adsorption kinetic studies using packed columns for promising adsorbents, and 3) determine the effect of feed pretreatment and purification on selectivity to acrylics and long-term catalyst lifetime.