Products to Make the World More Natural
Polyester. Gevo has developed fully renewable carbon-based para-xylene, a key ingredient to convert petro-based polyester for fibers and bottles to 100-percent renewable content. The technology is proven to work, and this market will matter in the future, once low-carbon chemical products and materials are valued like low carbon fuels.
We see opportunities to use our proprietary technology to make natural flavors, fragrances, and ingredients for consumer and personal care products, all with the same reduced carbon intensity that lets us maximize the value of what we know how to do.
We are leading the charge to substitute petro-based chemicals with natural, renewable carbon based copycats for such chemical as industrial solvents.
Isobutylene is a branched-chain alkene with the molecular formula C4H8. Our isobutylene is expected to have a net-zero carbon intensity.
The following organic compounds can be derived from isobutylene.
- MMA (methyl methacrylate) is an ester of methacrylic acid and isobutylene. It is commonly used in the production of polymers, coatings, and adhesives.
- MTBE (methyl tert-butyl ether) is an ether compound that is synthesized by the reaction of isobutylene with methanol. MTBE is primarily used as a fuel additive in gasoline to improve its combustion efficiency and to reduce air pollution.
- ETBE (ethyl tert-butyl ether) is also an ether compound that is produced by the reaction of isobutylene with ethanol. ETBE is used as a biofuel additive to increase the oxygen content in gasoline and to reduce harmful emissions.
Overall, isobutylene serves as a key building block for the synthesis of these important industrial compounds.
- Polyisobutylene (PIB) is a synthetic rubber that is made by the polymerization of isobutylene. PIB has excellent resistance to heat, oxidation, and chemicals, which makes it useful in a wide range of applications such as adhesives, sealants, lubricants, and fuel additives.
- High purity iC4 (isobutylene) is a refined form of isobutylene that is used as a feedstock for the production of various chemicals, such as MMA, MTBE, and ETBE, which we discussed earlier. High purity iC4 is obtained by a series of purification processes such as distillation, extraction, and drying to remove impurities and achieve a high degree of purity. This high-purity form of isobutylene is important because it ensures the quality and consistency of the end products that are made from it.