Opportunities for Biobased Specialty Chemicals

The global chemical industry relies heavily on fossil resources, contributing around 2% of global CO₂ emissions, with even higher rates in major production countries like Germany. This article explores the growing potential of bio-based specialty chemicals, which meet increasing sustainability demands from consumers and may reduce costs associated with carbon-intensive production methods. Bio-based chemicals offer two main directions: replacing traditional petrochemical products or developing new bio-based products with unique properties. Shifting to bio-based materials promises a lower carbon footprint and potentially lower production costs due to simpler processes and milder reaction conditions. However, bio-based materials must match or exceed the performance of traditional chemicals to be viable alternatives.

The use of bio-based chemicals is expanding, particularly in consumer goods like cleaning and personal care products and materials like PLA, PBS, and PHA. Bio-based surfactants, antioxidants, and enzymes are already widely used, and bio-based polymers like biopolyethylene and bionylon are emerging as alternatives to petrochemicals. The article emphasizes that bio-based products show particular promise in areas that directly impact health and the environment, such as personal care and lubricants. To harness this potential, companies are advised to actively assess bio-based alternatives and explore new applications that meet both sustainability and performance standards.

Here’s the link to the full article:

https://www.chemanager-online.com/en/news/opportunities-biobased-specialty-chemicals