Låkril Achieves Milestone with First Continuous Pilot Plant for Bio-Acrylic Acid

Låkril Technologies has announced the successful commissioning and operation of its first continuous pilot plant, marking a pivotal moment in the commercialization of bio-based acrylics. This development represents a significant leap from batch-level laboratory testing to continuous processing, a necessary requirement for industrial-scale chemical manufacturing.

Scaling Sustainable Chemistry

The Chicago-based startup, known for its breakthrough work in catalytic conversion, has demonstrated the stability and efficiency of its proprietary bifunctional catalyst in a continuous flow environment. Historically, the dehydration of lactic acid to acrylic acid has been hindered by low yields and rapid catalyst deactivation. Låkril’s pilot facility proves that their technology overcomes these barriers, achieving high selectivity and sustained catalyst performance over extended operational periods.

By utilizing lactic acid—a feedstock widely available from corn and sugar fermentation—Låkril offers a renewable pathway to acrylic acid, a chemical building block predominantly derived from refined petroleum (propylene) today.

A Drop-In Solution for the Acrylic Market

The global acrylic acid market is a critical component of the chemical industry, underpinning the production of superabsorbent polymers (SAPs) used in diapers, as well as paints, coatings, and adhesives. Låkril’s bio-acrylic acid is chemically identical to its fossil-based counterpart, serving as a “drop-in” replacement that requires no retooling for downstream manufacturers.

The successful pilot run validates the process economics required to compete with petrochemical incumbents. With the continuous plant now operational, Låkril is poised to provide larger sample quantities to strategic partners for application testing, moving closer to full-scale commercial deployment. This technology promises to significantly reduce the carbon footprint of everyday consumer goods by decoupling the acrylic supply chain from volatile fossil fuel markets.

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