Polymer chemists at Colorado State University have moved High-performance, renewable, biodegradable plastic products Another step forward.
A team led by chemistry professor Eugene Chen published their findings in the journal Nature Communications, which describes the chemical synthesis of poly-3-hydroxybutyrate (P3HB). The compound can be used as an early alternative to petroleum bioplastics used in industry.
Poly-3-hydroxybutyrate (P3HB) is a biological material, usually produced by bacteria, algae and other microorganisms, which is mainly used in some biomedicines. However, due to its high production cost and limited volume, the material is not Suitable for a wider range of commodity applications.
The first author and researcher Xiaoyan Tang and his research team mainly use succinate (a lipid formed from succinic acid) as a raw material. This acid is produced by glucose fermentation, and the US Department of Energy listed this for the first time. Optimal alignment of 12 biomass-derived compounds to better replace petroleum-derived chemicals.
The researchers used a new chemical synthesis route to produce poly-3-hydroxybutyrate (P3HB), which is similar in performance to bacterial poly-3-hydroxybutyrate (P3HB), but its production route is faster and Commercial plastic applications offer greater, more cost-effective production potential. The new production route was achieved through a new class of potent catalysts they designed and synthesized. They applied for a temporary patent for this new technology through CSU Ventures.