It has been reported that adipic acid is an important chemical raw material for the production of nylon, which is commonly used to make clothing, carpets, and other daily necessities. Currently, commercially used adipic acid is extracted from petroleum through a nitric acid oxidation process, which generates a large amount of nitrous oxide, a major contributor to global warming.
In contrast to petroleum-derived adipic acid, the adipic acid extracted from fruit pits is produced through the conversion of mucic acid. The sugars in fruit pits can be oxidized to generate mucic acid through a reaction with high-pressure hydrogen and strong acids, but this method is costly and unsafe.
Therefore, the research team from Singapore's Bioengineering and the Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (IBN) has developed a simpler method that allows the dehydration and hydrogenation of mucic acid to be completed in a single pot.
The project leader, Zhang Yugen, stated that this approach can achieve nearly 100% conversion rate, is more environmentally friendly and stable, and is also more cost-effective.
The research team is conducting further tests with the hope of promoting this method for large-scale commercial production.
