UH Para-Xylene Technology

The University of Houston has ownership of proprietary technology in the form of a family of patents and “know-how” (internal company reports, laboratory notebooks, etc.). The technology, recently donated to UH by the DuPont Company, involves an alternative approach to produce para-xylene (PX), a petroleum-derived raw material needed in the manufacture of polyester (PET). PET is a major polymer that is the major constituent of synthetic textile fibers for apparel, thin films for packaging, and containers for beverages. The worldwide consumption of PET is over 20 billion pounds per year. About 99% of PX produced is used for PET production, making PX a commodity-scale chemical. In addition, it has a forecast annual growth rate of between 5 to 10%, comparing favorably to the 2-4% average growth rate in the overall chemical process industry. Therefore, it is expected that a large number of new PX production facilities will be installed in the coming decades to satisfy this growth.

The University of Houston Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering is seeking partners who are interested in further development and eventual commercialization of the technology. This partnership could involve funding of research and development in UH laboratories, co-development at UH and partner facilities, or development at partner facilities. Details of the licensing arrangements will depend upon the development plan.

Interested parties should contact Professor Mike Harold (713-743-4304; mharold@uh.edu), Professor and Chairman of the Chemical Engineering Department.