The use of inorganic catalysts is well described as a method to produce valuable chemicals in the petroleum industry; however, widespread adoption of these techniques for corn-based feed streams has not occurred. The reason for this lack of acceptance is due to the varied nature of a biobased feed stream. This feed stream produces a product that contains multiple compounds. This mixture of compounds in the product stream causes a separation challenge. The difficulty separating these chemicals is compounded by the fact that they have very similar properties. It is therefore cost prohibitive to use traditional techniques to purify these compounds. This hurdle has resulted in very little research being directed towards inorganic catalysis of corn-based feed streams. These concerns have led researchers at Michigan State University in conjunction with the National Corn Growers Association to investigate a separation process known as reactive distillation.

Polyols are an important group of industrial compounds. Two examples of these chemicals are ethylene glycol, used as anti-freeze, and propylene glycol, used in plastics manufacturing. These compounds are produced from non-renewable petroleum. The fiber utilization project under development by the National Corn Growers Association and the polyols catalyst development project will allow these compounds to be made from corn.

Between 70 and 80 billion pounds of plastics are produced each year in the United States, mostly from "hydrocarbon" or petroleum-based feedstocks. We have the ability to produce much of that using renewable, carbohydrate-based feedstocks, such as corn in the form of polylactic acid. To do so would represent a significant market for U.S. corn and a significant benefit to U.S. consumers in reducing U.S. dependence on foreign oil and the environmental impact of using petroleum-feedstocks in plastics production.

Dr. Michael Meagher at the University of Nebraska - Lincoln, along with his research team, has developed a pervaporation membrane which will separate butanol from a continuous fermentation system.

Traditionally, the major products of the corn refining industry were produced by fermentation and enzymatic (biocatalyst) conversion. This program will develop the use of inorganic catalysts for the conversion of sugars to new classes of chemicals such as polyols. The target products are propylene glycol, ethylene glycol and glycerol.