U.S. Production of Natural Rubber to Reduce C-Release and Increase C-Storage and Rubber Imports 

Members: Kultevat, FutureFuel Chemical Company  

This project will demonstrate the viability and scalability of member Kultevat’s procedures and processes for producing natural rubber and plant-based resins from the dandelion Taraxacum kok-sakgyz (TKS). Advanced varieties of TKS will be cultivated in multiple locations in the U.S. under highly managed conditions to maximize the production of sufficient amounts of root feedstock for large-scale extraction equipment and protocols.  

Rubber and resin extraction protocols will be tested and improved to validate and optimize the rubber and resin extraction products. Resins recovered during the extraction process will be characterized and tests conducted to determine possible uses for manufacturing coatings, plastics, and other potential uses.  

Results from this project will be adapted for use in large-scale batch-style equipment that produce significant amounts of rubber and resins at near commercial scale. Each product will be tested to assure that they meet manufacturing quality standards demanded by manufacturing sectors, including in footwear and apparel, and in manufacturing of rubber-containing components used in the transportation industry, tubes and tires, v-belts, bushings, and other products. Techno-economic analyses of all processes will be determined, as will environmental impacts of crop production, and production of rubber and resins. Purified products will be available for testing by other BioMADE members by arrangement. 

Year launched: 2023 

Funding source: BioMADE Climate Change Project Call