Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for purifying diols obtained by fermentation, in particular to increase their recovery during distillation operations.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for the production and separation of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) comprising the steps of: (1) dehydrating at least one saccharide selected from the group consisting of monosaccharides having 6 carbon atoms and disaccharides, oligosaccharides and polysaccharides formed from units having 6 carbon atoms or mixtures thereof, in the presence of water and of at least one quaternary ammonium salt, at a temperature between 80-130° C., obtaining a reaction mixture comprising the quaternary ammonium salt, HMF and any unreacted saccharide; and (2) subjecting the said reaction mixture to at least one membrane separation operation selected in the group consisting of nanofiltration, reverse osmosis, electrodialysis and their combinations, obtaining an aqueous permeate comprising HMF and a retentate comprising quaternary ammonium salt, wherein both the dehydration of step (1) and the separation operations of step (2) are carried out in the absence of organic solvents.

Abstract: This invention relates to a biodegradable film which is particularly suitable for the manufacture of packaging and is also characterised by high level mechanical properties.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for the separation of 1,3 and 1,4-butanediol from a mixture thereof.

Abstract: A highly transparent film comprising a diacid and diol polyester and a lactic acid polyester fluidised using a nitrogen component as a fluidising additive selected from: a nitrogen compound of formula (I) or a linear amine NH—R4-R5, and optionally a cross-linking agent and/or a chain extender.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a biodegradable compostable polymer composition comprising at least one diacid-diol polyester and at least one marker, and a method for tracking biodegradable compostable polymer compositions. Said marker comprises one or more photoactive elements incorporated into a microporous inorganic material via an ion exchange reaction.

Abstract: This invention relates to the use of microgranules comprising destructurized starch in a complexed form as abrasive and/or structuring agents in cosmetic, dermatological, detergent and cleansing formulations.

Abstract: This invention relates to a new polyester which is particularly suitable for use in the manufacture of mass-produced articles characterised by excellent mechanical properties. in particular high tensile strength and tensile modulus, associated with a high barrier property against oxygen and carbon dioxide.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a process for the synthesis of 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA) comprising the steps of: (1) oxidising an aqueous solution of 5 hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) in the presence of molecular oxygen, of a heterogeneous catalyst comprising ruthenium and of a strong base at a temperature above 100° C., obtaining a reaction product in aqueous solution comprising a salt of FDCA acid; (2) separating said heterogeneous catalyst from said reaction product in aqueous solution, and (3) re-using said heterogeneous catalyst in the oxidation reaction in step (1).

Abstract: The present invention relates to a film comprising at least one biodegradable layer (i) having an elastic modulus of more than 450 MPa, consisting of a mixture of polyhydroxyalkanoate constituting the continuous phase and aliphatic and/or aliphatic-aromatic polyester constituting the discontinuous phase, and at least one coating layer (ii) preferably capable of having barrier effects against gases and liquids. The surface of said layer (i) will have a root mean square roughness Sq of more than 10 nm and less than 45 nm, measured by atomic force microscopy (AFM). The film is particularly suitable for use in food packaging.

Abstract: This invention relates to a new polyester which is particularly suitable for use in the manufacture of mass-produced articles characterised by excellent mechanical properties, in particular high tensile strength and tensile modulus, associated with a high barrier property against oxygen and carbon dioxide.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a film comprising at least one biodegradable layer (i) having an elastic modulus of more than 450 MPa, consisting of a mixture of polyhydroxyalkanoate constituting the continuous phase and aliphatic and/or aliphatic-aromatic polyester constituting the discontinuous phase, and at least one coating layer (ii) preferably capable of having barrier effects against gases and liquids. The surface of said layer (i) will have a root mean square roughness Sq of more than 10 nm and less than 45 nm, measured by atomic force microscopy (AFM). The film is particularly suitable for use in food packaging.

Abstract: Multilayer films which are highly biodegradable in a marine environment and highly disintegratable in domestic composting comprising an aliphatic polyester, an aliphatic-aromatic polyester, one or more lactic acid polyesters and optionally an inorganic filler, a cross-linking agent and/or a chain extender.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for the production of 1,4-butanediol comprising the preparation of a fermentation broth comprising 1,4-butanediol from renewable sources and water, separation of a liquid fraction comprising said 1,4-butanediol and water from one or more solid fractions, said liquid fraction comprising 2-pyrrolidone in an amount higher than 80 ppm, one or more passages of the resulting liquid fraction through a bed comprising one or more cation-exchange resins thereby providing an output pH of said liquid fraction from 4 to 2, one or more passages of the resulting liquid fraction through a bed comprising one or more anion-exchange resins thereby providing an output pH of said liquid fraction from 8 to 11, and the distillation of the liquid fraction thereby provided so as to obtain a composition having a concentration of said 1,4-butanediol higher than 99.0% by weight and comprising 2-pyrrolidone in an amount lower than 6 ppm.

Abstract: Mixed aliphatic-aromatic polyesters having suitable thermal properties and terminal acidity characterised by having a dicarboxylic component comprising at least three saturated aliphatic C4-C24 dicarboxylic acids, their C1-C24 alkyl esters, their salts and their mixtures, azelaic acid and succinic acid always being present.

Abstract: Aliphatic-aromatic polyesters with a controlled amount of mixed residual cyclic oligomers having certain ratios between cyclic oligomers containing at least two types of dicarboxylic aliphatic units having a molecular mass below 1000 and cyclic oligomers containing only one type of dicarboxylic aliphatic unit having a molecular mass below 1000, and process for their preparation.

Abstract: This invention relates to a multilayer biodegradable film which is particularly suitable for the manufacture of packaging and is also characterised by appreciable optical transparency properties in addition to high level mechanical properties.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for separating 1,3- and 1,4-butanediol from a mixture thereof and a composition of 1,3-butanediol that, through this process, simultaneously achieves a high recovery of 1,4-BDO and an increase in the purity of 1,3-BG.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for the production of 1,4-butanediol comprising the preparation of a fermentation broth comprising 1,4-butanediol from renewable sources and water, separation of a liquid fraction comprising said 1,4-butanediol and water from one or more solid fractions, said liquid fraction comprising 2-pyrrolidone in an amount higher than 80 ppm, one or more passages of the resulting liquid fraction through a bed comprising one or more cation-exchange resins thereby providing an output pH of said liquid fraction from 4 to 2, one or more passages of the resulting liquid fraction through a bed comprising one or more anion-exchange resins thereby providing an output pH of said liquid fraction from 8 to 11, and the distillation of the liquid fraction thereby provided so as to obtain a composition having a concentration of said 1,4-butanediol higher than 99.0% by weight and comprising 2-pyrrolidone in an amount lower than 6 ppm.

Abstract: A multilayer film comprising two layers, A and B, having a A/B/A arrangement, wherein layers A and B differ from each other. Layer A comprises an aliphatic and/or aliphatic-aromatic biodegradable polyester or a polyvinyl alcohol or copolymers thereof and does not contain starch. Layer B comprises 30-95% by weight of at least an aliphatic-aromatic polyester (AAPE), 0.1-50% by weight of at least a polymer of natural origin, and 1-40% by weight of at least a polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA). The multilayer biodegradable film which is particularly suitable for the manufacture of packaging and has appreciable optical transparency properties in addition to high level mechanical properties.