Also called "platform chemicals", they are chemicals that form the base form more complex products. For instance, they constitute the monomers (see definition of monomer) that react together to build a chain, called polymer. Examples of chemical building blocks include lactic acid and succinic acid. The polymer of lactic acid is called polylactic acid or PLA.

US DOE, 2004, Top Value Added Chemicals from Biomass. Volume I - Results of Screening for Potential Candidates from Sugars and Synthesis Gas. U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Washington D.C.

Source category: Agency Documents