Sorona is DuPont de Nemours, Inc.'s brand of Triexta, a subclass of

polytrimethylene terephthalate Polytrimethylene terephthalate (PTT), is a polyester synthesized and patented in 1941. It is produced by a method called condensation polymerization or transesterification. The two monomer units used in producing this polymer are: 1,3-propaned ...

(PTT) named and commercialized in 2000. The fibers are soft and stain-resistant while exhibiting high strength and stiffness. Sorona is a co-polymer of 1,3-propanediol (obtained by fermentation) and petroleum-derived terephthalic acid (TPA) or

dimethyl terephthalate Dimethyl terephthalate (DMT) is an organic compound with the formula C6H4(COOCH3)2. It is the diester formed from terephthalic acid and methanol. It is a white solid that melts to give a distillable colourless liquid.Richard J. Sheehan "Terepht ...

(DMT). Related polymers in this series include

polyethylene terephthalate Polyethylene terephthalate (or poly(ethylene terephthalate), PET, PETE, or the obsolete PETP or PET-P), is the most common thermoplastic polymer resin of the polyester family and is used in fibres for clothing, containers for liquids and foods ...

(2GT) and

polybutylene terephthalate Polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) is a thermoplastic engineering polymer that is used as an insulator in the electrical and electronics industries. It is a thermoplastic (semi-)crystalline polymer, and a type of polyester. PBT resists solvents, ...

(polytetramethylene terephthalate) (4GT). Sorona can theoretically be produced from about 37% renewable resources as DuPont won a 2003

Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Award Green chemistry, also called sustainable chemistry, is an area of chemistry and chemical engineering focused on the design of products and processes that minimize or eliminate the use and generation of hazardous substances. While environmental che ...

for their development of the fermentation process for the production of 1,3-propanediol from corn-derived glucose in recombinant ''Escherichia coli'' K-12. The polymer Sorona has been mentioned by J. Craig Venter in interviews as an example of an application of

industrial biotechnology Biotechnology is the integration of natural sciences and engineering sciences in order to achieve the application of organisms, cells, parts thereof and molecular analogues for products and services. The term ''biotechnology'' was first used b ...

. He was quoted as saying, "DuPont argues that Sorona is going to be the first billion-dollar biotech product other than a pharmaceutical".

Uses and Applications

Sorona has been used in the manufacture of

clothing Clothing (also known as clothes, apparel, and attire) are items worn on the body. Typically, clothing is made of fabrics or textiles, but over time it has included garments made from animal skin and other thin sheets of materials and natural ...

, residential

carpets A carpet is a textile floor covering typically consisting of an upper layer of pile attached to a backing. The pile was traditionally made from wool, but since the 20th century synthetic fibers such as polypropylene, nylon, or polyester have ...

, automotive fabrics, and plastic parts.

Mohawk Industries Mohawk Industries is an American flooring manufacturer based in Calhoun, Georgia, United States. Mohawk produces floor covering products for residential and commercial applications in North America and residential applications in Europe. The com ...

is currently the exclusive North American carpet manufacturer making carpets using DuPont Sorona fiber.

References

Synthetic fibers Bioplastics {{Polymer-stub