Abstract

In the May/June 2013 edition, the author provided a year-to-date list of published patents and application patents that disclose technology associated with the development of largely bio-based (plant-derived) consumer products. In this article, the author presents additional 2013 patents. Patents are chosen that highlight bio-based technology platforms that will lead, in the authors opinion, to materials useful in the development of household and personal care products. The author will provide examples that include novel household and personal care formulation and packaging patents; and will make succinct comments for each patent rather than reproduce the entire abstract. This section is useful for household and personal care product formulators and makers of packaging materials for identifying new bio-based technology platforms and potential chemical and plastic raw material suppliers. Note that not all new technology platforms are revealed via patents alone and that the reader is encouraged to perform a literature search to uncover additional bio-based technologies.
Patent data is provided via the European Patent Office database (http://worldwide.espacenet.com). Note that in this database, US application patents numbers have 10 digits. The United States Patent Office application patent numbers are 11 digits. To convert, simply add a “0” after the fourth digit. For example, 2013085285 in the EPO database would become 20130085285 in the USPTO database.
In this article, the patent examples will be listed according to category such as biosurfactants, bio-based solvents, and biopolymers/plastics; and specified by title, applicant names and patent number as they appear in the EPO database.

TERPENES & AROMA CHEMICALS
Terpenes and terpenoids are made typically via extraction of plant matter and/or petrochemical synthesis. They find applications as aroma chemicals in the fragrance industry, as cleaning solvents and as chemical intermediates. In Vertichem’s patent, vanillin, an aroma chemical, is cited as an example of the selective synthesis of bio-based aryl aldehydes. The author noted in the May 2013 edition, that farnesene is a terpene of growing commercial importance and Elevance Renewable Sciences has cited the use of metathesis to create novel functional fluids and polymer compositions. Lanzatech cites the use of microorganisms to synthesise terpenes, farnesene included. Tergum describes the use of cucurbitacins and glucoside derivatives thereof in the formulation of medicated shampoo.
METHOD FOR SELECTIVE PRODUCTION OF BIOBASED CHEMICALS AND BIOFUELS FROM PLANT LIGNIN Applicant: VERTICHEM CORP [CA] Publication info: WO2013173332 (A1)
TERPENE DERIVED COMPOUNDS Applicant: ELEVANCE RENEWABLE SCIENCES [US] Publication info: WO2013130372 (A1)
Recombinant microorganisms and uses therefor Applic ...