Cellulosic Biofuels and Products
National policy has targeted up to 30 percent of the U.S. domestic transportation fuel supply to be replaced by renewable fuels. Ethanol made from corn starch can contribute significantly toward this goal, but it is not enough to reach the target. Non-food, cellulosic, plant materials constitute an abundant renewable resource. The efficient conversion of these cellulosic materials into fermentable sugars offers a potential route to meet renewable fuel targets in a sustainable manner.

A significant challenge in efficient biomass conversion is the pretreatment step, which breaks down the recalcitrant biomass, making it susceptible to enzyme hydrolysis followed by efficient fermentation.

MBI has the exclusive license from Michigan State University (MSU) for the ammonia fiber expansion (AFEX) pretreatment technology, a pretreatment method that is effective for a variety of biomass feedstocks, including corn stover, corn fiber, switchgrass, wheat straw and bagasse. AFEX is compatible with high solids enzyme and fermentation processing, produces minimal waste streams, and operates under relatively mild conditions compared to other pretreatment methods. MBI is actively optimizing, de-risking and scaling up continuous AFEX pretreatment. The engineering design for a first-generation AFEX reactor is complete, and development of a second-generation prototype at the 3 ton-per-day scale is in progress.

MBI is collaborating with Michigan State University and MSU inventor, Professor Bruce Dale on this continuous AFEX processing technology. We are also teamed with Professor Larry Leistritz at North Dakota State University and Professor Larry Drzal at Michigan State University to develop value added products from cellulose fibers, and with Dr. Kurt Rosentrater of North Central Agricultural Research Laboratory and South Dakota State University to develop value added products from biorefinery by-products.

MBI is also forging a strategic partnership with MSU to pursue the integrated development of cellulosics processing from "field to fuel." The processing steps include biomass crop selection and cultivation, biomass supply chain logistics, pretreatment, enzyme treatment, fermentation, product recovery and residue utilization.

MBI is actively seeking commercial partnerships for the AFEX platform for cellulosic biofuels and bioproducts.

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Succinic Acid
Succinic acid has been widely recognized as a versatile intermediate for the production of solvents, chemicals, and materials that can displace current petrochemical feedstocks.

(Adapted from U.S. Department of Energy Top Ten Chemicals from Biomass Report)

MBI is a technology leader in fermentation-based succinic acid. MBI has systematically de-risked the production process by making improvements to the microbial strain, fermentation, and recovery steps. MBI isolated and patented a novel bacterium, Actinobacillus succinogenes, and has re-engineered its metabolism to increase productivity, improve yield, and reduce by-products. The fermentation process has been optimized to allow for direct integration into existing bio-refineries. Effective recovery processes have been developed to address diverse end-user criteria.

MBI is actively seeking commercial partnerships for its biobased succinic acid platform.

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Bio-Butanol
Butanol is a next generation biofuel with several advantageous features relative to ethanol. Butanol can be used at any ratio in existing gasoline engines and added to diesel fuel to reduce viscosity. It has a higher energy density per gallon, is compatible with current supply pipeline infrastructure, and can be made from lignocellulosic feedstocks.

MBI has developed a patented microbial fermentation process for butanol which incorporates a) a novel non-sporulating Clostridium strain with favorable productivity and b) a unique semi-continuous fermentation scheme that has been operated stably for extended periods.

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2-Dimensional Polymers
MBI International has patented polymer technology that is highly adaptable and uniquely suited to impart new activities to polymers and plastics, such as conductivity and antimicrobial activity. The synthetic methodology regularly spaces side groups, such as amines, thiols, alcohols or olefins, along a polyamide-amine backbone. By selection of the appropriate functionality in the side group, a variety of activities can be built into polymer or attached to the polymer using the side group.

One formulation developed uses a long chain alkyl amine as the side group creating a "comb" polymer that has both hydrophobic and hydrophilic sites. This type of polymer has been referred to as a two-dimensional (2D), or amphiphilic polymers and can act as a polymeric surfactant or compatibilizing agent for dissimilar types of materials.

MBI is seeking partners to develop commercial applications using this polymer technology.

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