Michelin, IFPEN, and Axens have announced significant advancements in the BioButterfly project, supported by ADEME, Région Nouvelle Aquitaine and Bordeaux Metropole, which aims to produce bio-based butadiene from bioethanol. 

Following the startup of the first industrial-scale demonstrator in July 2023, the project has achieved several milestones, reinforcing the viability of this innovative technology.

The BioButterfly project has tested on the demo-plant both bioethanol and advanced bioethanol (second generation ethanol) as feedstocks for producing bio-based butadiene, guaranteeing a 100 per cent bio-sourced origin. 

The performance of both sources has been confirmed, demonstrating the flexibility and adaptability of the process to utilise diverse bioethanol inputs.

In a significant development, the butadiene produced at the demonstration plant has been used to synthesise butadiene rubber (BR) and styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR) in a polymerisation unit. 

The process was successful, marking a step in validating the application of bio-based butadiene in the production of synthetic rubbers.

The butadiene produced has been confirmed to meet stringent polymer grade specifications, ensuring its suitability for high-quality. 

This achievement underscores the potential of bio-based butadiene as a sustainable alternative to its fossil-based counterpart production with a more favourable carbon footprint.

The R&D phase of the BioButterfly project is on track to become the most advanced technology on the market, developed via a demonstration plant to de-risk the scale-up and bring operational feedback to the future plant owners. 

The partners are focused on achieving technology homologation by mid-2026, paving the way for the commercialisation of this process. -OGN/TradeArabia News Service