In collaboration with Jiangsu Sopo Co. and China Wuhuan Engineering, the technology is based on molecular sieve membrane dehydration technology and leads to 99,6 % pure ethanol. China’s acetic acid production capacity is more than ten million tons per year, but a weak value chain for downstream products such as acetate, vinyl acetate, terephthalic acid, acetic anhydride led to the concept for hydrogenation of acetic acid to ethanol.
CAS news release, May 12, 2016