Background: Linear alpha olefins (LAOs) are valuable commodity chemicals traditionally derived from petroleum. They are versatile building blocks for making a range of chemical products like polyethylene synthetic oils plasticizers detergents and oilfield fluids. Relying on fossil fuel to manufacture LAOs is problematic. Not only are the standard methods unsustainable but they also do not allow for the formation of LAOs with odd carbon numbers and they result in a distribution of LAOs with different chain lengths. A new approach using renewable sources is spurring great interest but so far has required costly catalysts. Technology Description: UW–Madison researchers have developed a method for producing LAOs cheaply from biomass. In the process an inexpensive solid acid catalyst is used in a reaction that converts the carboxylic acids and lactones present in the feedstock. The catalyst features Lewis acid catalytic sites and no precious metal components. Applications: 1) LAO production
1) Cheaper heterogeneous catalyst 2) One-step process 3) Produces a stream of highly pure LAOs 4) Utilizes biomass 5) Carbon chain length can be specified. 6) Allows both even and odd carbon numbers