Ethyl acetate process
This Johnson Matthey DAVY™ process is a breakthrough in ethyl acetate (EA) production. We have developed a process that is ideally suited for use with bio-based ethanol feeds and so offers an EA production route that is almost 100% carbon neutral.
Our process is also compatible with petrochemical ethanol feeds where necessary.
Our novel technology has received a number of industry awards, including the Kirkpatrick Chemical Engineering Achievement Award, the Institution of Chemical Engineers Crystal Faraday Award and the Royal Academy of Engineering MacRobert Award.
Johnson Matthey has developed a process that enables ethyl acetate and a valuable hydrogen by-product stream to be produced directly from ethanol. The process takes advantage of the current industrial focus on renewable resources and the expansion in fermentation ethanol production and breaks the feedstock link to volatile oil prices.
Dry ethanol is dehydrogenated to produce a crude ethyl acetate stream. This is selectively hydrogenated to remove certain by-products that cannot be separated by distillation. The innovative refining section then splits the azeotrope to produce a high purity ethyl acetate product. Unreacted ethanol is recycled to a dehydration unit where it is combined with fresh ethanol and dried.
Contact us for more information on the DAVY ethyl acetate process.
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A diversification route for ethanol producers
Ethanol producers are operating in a changing market. Fuel demand, policy incentives, feedstock availability and margin pressure can all influence where ethanol creates the most value.
Fuels will remain a major outlet for ethanol, but producers with access to ethanol at scale may also have opportunities to diversify into chemicals.
Ethyl acetate provides one such route. It is an established solvent used across pharmaceuticals, paints and coatings, packaging, adhesives, cosmetics, personal care, food and beverage applications.
Producing ethyl acetate from renewable ethanol gives producers a pathway into bio-based chemical markets, without relying only on fuel blending or more capital-intensive fuel routes.
Why ethyl acetate from ethanol?
Almost all ethyl acetate produced today uses feedstocks such as acetic acid, ethylene or acetaldehyde, which are typically fossil-based.
Bio-based supply remains limited, despite ethyl acetate being widely used across industrial and consumer markets.
JM’s DAVY™ process offers a direct ethanol-based route. By using ethanol as the sole feedstock, the process can produce bio-ethyl acetate directly from bioethanol.
For ethanol producers, the opportunity is clear: ethyl acetate is not a new market that needs to be created. It is an established chemical market where bio-based supply is still limited.
Established demand. Limited bio-based supply.
How JM’s DAVY™ ethyl acetate process works
JM’s DAVY™ ethyl acetate process produces ethyl acetate directly from ethanol through a continuous dehydrogenation route.
The process is ideally suited to renewable ethanol feedstocks for bio-ethyl acetate production, but is also compatible with petrochemical ethanol feeds where required.
Dry ethanol is dehydrogenated to produce a crude ethyl acetate stream. This stream is selectively hydrogenated to remove by-products that cannot be separated by distillation. The refining section then separates the azeotrope to produce high-purity ethyl acetate.
Unreacted ethanol is recycled to a dehydration unit, where it is combined with fresh ethanol, dried and returned to the process.
The process produces ethyl acetate as the main product and hydrogen as a valuable co-product.
Process benefits
Single ethanol feedstock
Uses ethanol as the sole feedstock, supporting a direct route from ethanol into chemicals.
Direct route to bio-ethyl acetate
Converts ethanol directly into ethyl acetate through JM’s continuous dehydrogenation process. When renewable ethanol is used, this provides a route to bio-ethyl acetate.
No acetic acid feed required
Does not require acetic acid as a feedstock, unlike conventional esterification routes.
Hydrogen co-product
Generates hydrogen alongside ethyl acetate, creating potential additional value depending on local energy needs and offtake options.
High-purity product
Produces high-purity ethyl acetate suitable for demanding end-use applications.
Proven continuous operation
Operates as a continuous process with commercial-scale experience.
Creating value from hydrogen co-production
Hydrogen is a key part of the ethanol-to-ethyl acetate value proposition.
Depending on the site, hydrogen from the DAVY™ process can be used to reduce external fuel requirements, sold to nearby industrial users, or integrated into wider renewable fuels and chemicals production.
The most attractive route will depend on plant configuration, local hydrogen demand, energy pricing, infrastructure and the producer’s wider business strategy.
JM can work with producers to assess how hydrogen co-production could support the overall business case.
Commercial experience and renewable project development
JM’s ethyl acetate technology has been operating at commercial scale for more than 20 years.
This operating experience provides confidence in the reliability and scalability of the process as producers evaluate new opportunities to convert ethanol into higher-value chemical products.
The technology is now being applied to renewable ethyl acetate production in Europe. CropEnergies is developing a 50,000 tpa renewable ethyl acetate plant in Elsteraue, Germany, using Johnson Matthey technology.
For ethanol producers, the project shows how ethanol can form the basis of a bio-based chemicals business line, creating a route beyond fuel applications and into established solvent markets.
A profitable pathway to diversify your ethanol business
JM’s DAVY™ ethyl acetate process brings together a proven ethanol-to-chemicals route, hydrogen co-production and lifecycle support.
Sustainability
- Produces bio-ethyl acetate from ethanol as the sole feedstock when renewable ethanol is used
- Supports the transition from fossil-based to renewable chemical inputs
- Generates hydrogen that can be used, sold or integrated into wider renewable fuel and chemical pathways
Profitability
- Provides a diversification route for ethanol producers
- Creates access to established ethyl acetate markets
- Produces hydrogen as a valuable co-product
- Offers potential for higher revenue compared with conventional fossil-based ethyl acetate routes, depending on feedstock, product pricing and hydrogen value
Peace of mind
- Well-proven technology with more than 20 years of commercial operation
- Continuous process designed for efficiency, scalability and ease of operation
- Renewable ethyl acetate project in development in Germany
- Support from process design package through to plant acceptance and beyond
Explore your ethanol-to-chemicals opportunity
If you have access to renewable ethanol and are evaluating diversification beyond fuel markets, JM can help assess whether bio-ethyl acetate production is a suitable route for your site.
Common questions about ethyl acetate production
What is bio-ethyl acetate?
Bio-ethyl acetate is ethyl acetate produced from renewable ethanol rather than fossil-derived feedstocks. It is chemically the same molecule as conventional ethyl acetate, but its feedstock origin is different.
Johnson Matthey’s DAVY™ ethyl acetate process uses ethanol as the sole feedstock to produce ethyl acetate directly. When renewable ethanol is used, this creates a route to bio-ethyl acetate production.
For ethanol producers, bio-ethyl acetate can provide a pathway into established chemical markets, including solvents for coatings, packaging, adhesives, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, personal care, food and beverage applications. It can also support customers looking for bio-based chemical inputs and alternatives to fossil-derived solvent supply chains.
What is ethyl acetate used for?
Ethyl acetate is a widely used solvent with applications across industrial and consumer markets. It is used in paints, coatings, varnishes and lacquers, as well as in printing inks, flexible packaging and adhesive systems.
It is also used in pharmaceutical processing, including the purification of active pharmaceutical ingredients. In cosmetics and personal care, ethyl acetate is commonly used in nail polish removers, manicuring products, perfumes and fragrance applications.
In food and beverage markets, ethyl acetate can be used in coffee and tea decaffeination, flavour extraction and confectionery flavouring applications. Its broad use across established markets is one reason ethanol producers may consider it as a diversification route.
How is ethyl acetate produced from ethanol?
Ethyl acetate can be produced directly from ethanol through a dehydrogenation process. Johnson Matthey’s DAVY™ ethyl acetate process converts ethanol into ethyl acetate in a continuous process, with hydrogen generated as a co-product.
In the process, dry ethanol is dehydrogenated to produce a crude ethyl acetate stream. This stream is then refined to remove by-products and separate the azeotrope, producing high-purity ethyl acetate. Unreacted ethanol is recycled, dried and returned to the process.
Unlike conventional esterification routes, JM’s process does not require acetic acid as a feedstock. This makes it well suited to producers looking to convert ethanol directly into ethyl acetate.
What happens to the hydrogen produced during ethanol-to-ethyl acetate production?
What should producers consider before investing in ethyl acetate production?
Producers should assess whether ethyl acetate fits their feedstock position, site configuration, market access and long-term commercial strategy.
Key considerations include the availability and cost of ethanol, access to ethyl acetate offtake markets, local demand for hydrogen, energy inputs, project scale and the ability to support any sustainability-related claims. Producers should also compare ethyl acetate with other potential ethanol pathways, including fuel and chemical options.
The strongest opportunities are likely to be site-specific. For some producers, fuel routes may remain the most attractive option. For others, ethanol-to-ethyl acetate production may provide a practical route into established chemical markets, particularly where hydrogen co-product value can also be captured.
