Production of trioxane

Prof. Hans Hasse at the University of Kaiserslautern in a collaborative project with FSU has evaluated and published a new concept for trioxane production from methanol. The paper (1) was the basis for an external cost price estimation for trioxane production from methanol. It was calculated that trioxane can economically be derived from renewable H2 and CO2 via methanol.

A report on the production of renewable methanol from renewable H2 and CO2, as well as from other potential feedstocks, is publicly available from Irena and Methanol Institute (2).

(1) www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0255270121003949

(2) www.irena.org/-/media/Files/IRENA/Agency/Publication/2021/Jan/IRENA_Innovation_Renewable_Methanol_2021.pdf

Properties of trioxane

Trioxane has favourable characteristics that makes it a very suitable feedstock for straightforward, sustainable fermentation of a range of organic products:

• It has the same oxidation/reduction level as sugars, whereas methane and methanol are more reduced while formic acid is too oxidized.
• Trioxane is a stable solid that dissolves very well in water.
• Its density is about 1.2 kg/l, melting point is 64⁰C.
• It is not toxic to microbes.