DuPont™ Sorona® polymer and DuPont™ Hytrel® thermoplastic elastomer made with renewable resources:

• Are produced with a key ingredient - Bio-PDO™, which is derived from corn sugar using a patented and proprietary fermentation process; Bio-PDO™ is a replacement for petrochemical based 1,3-propanediol (PDO) and/or 1,4-butanediol (BDO).
• DuPont™ Hytrel® made with renewable resources will be produced using a new DuPont polyol, made with Bio-PDO™.
• Offer performance and processing characteristics as good as or better than those of current products made wholly from petrochemicals.
• Join a DuPont Engineering Polymers portfolio that includes 12 families of engineering thermoplastics, the industry’s broadest offering.

Products based on DuPont™ Sorona® polymer

Performance and processing of 15- and 30-percent glass reinforced products:

• Performance properties (chemical, electrical, mechanical) are similar to those of PBT. 
• Good strength and stiffness, improved surface appearance and gloss, good dimensional stability.
• Good injection molding performance.
• Step-change improvement in properties and performance compared with existing renewably sourced materials.

Applications: A wide range of injection molded components for automotive, electrical, electronics and various other industrial and consumer products.

Chemical composition:

• Poly(trimethylene terephthalate). Also called PTT or 3GT™.

Renewable Resource Content:

• 37 percent by weight

Production:

• Location: DuPont plant at Kinston, N.C. Production expansion in 2007.
• Process: Polymerization of Bio-PDO™ with either petroleum-derived terephthalic acid (TPA) or dimethyl terephthalate (DMT).

Availability:

• Commercial quantities available by mid-2007.

Hytrel® thermoplastic elastomer made with Renewable Resources

Performance and processing:

• High-performance thermoplastic elastomer with property and performance improvements in temperature range and elastic recovery, when compared to petrochemical-based Hytrel®.

Chemical composition:

• Polyether-ester thermoplastic elastomer with a polyester hard segment and a bio-based polyether soft segment.

Applications:

• Extensive opportunities – including extruded hose and tubing for automotive and other industrial uses, blow molded boots for automotive constant-velocity joints, injection-molded parts such as air bag doors and energy dampers.

Renewable Resource Content

• The renewable content ranges from 40 to 60 percent by weight, depending on grade. Softer grades use more of the new polyol, harder grades less.

Production:

• Process: Polymerization of petroleum-derived PBT polyester hard segments with DuPont polyol made with Bio-PDO™.

Availability:

• Commercial quantities available by late 2007.

Polymer Intermediates Made With Renewable Resources

Bio-PDO™

Composition: 1,3-propanediol (PDO) made from renewable resources (corn sugar)

Benefits vs. petrochemical PDO:

• Made from a renewable resource, corn sugar
• Estimated energy savings of 40 percent over petroleum based PDO - the equivalent of about 10 million gallons of gasoline per year, based on annual production volumes of 100 million pounds of Bio-PDO™.

Production:

• Location: Loudon, Tennessee is the site of the DuPont Tate & Lyle Bio-Products plant that will produce 100 million pounds of Bio-PDO™ (over 45,000 metric tons) per year. The plant is scheduled to come online in 4th quarter 2006.
• Process: Proprietary fermentation and purification process based on corn sugar.

DuPont polyol

Benefits vs. petrochemical polyol:

• Made from Bio-PDO™
• Lower viscosity versus other similar polyols
• Low energy consumption to produce
• Biodegradable

Applications: Can be used to produce a wide range of polymers and modified polymers, including polyether esters, polyether amides, polyurethanes, copolymers, polymer blends, cast elastomers and coatings.

About DuPont:

• A world leader in the development and manufacturing of high performance materials that provide environmentally sustainable solutions through the use of bio-based manufacturing processes and renewable, farm-grown feedstocks, rather than petroleum.
• A science company. Founded in 1802, DuPont puts science to work by creating sustainable solutions essential to a better, safer, healthier life for people everywhere. Operating in more than 70 countries, DuPont offers a wide range of innovative products and services for markets including agriculture, nutrition, electronics, communications, safety and protection, home and construction, transportation and apparel.

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The DuPont Oval Logo, DuPont™, Sorona®, 3GT™ and Hytrel® are registered trademarks or trademarks of DuPont or its affiliates.

Bio-PDO™ is a trademark of DuPont-Tate & Lyle BioProducts, LLC

6/19/06

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