New Project to Produce Biodegradable Plastics from Weeds

Max Planck Institute for Chemical Energy Conversion (MPI CEC) launched a joint sustainability project with Addis Ababa University in Ethiopia to produce sustainable chemical products from Vernonia galamensis.

MPI Director Prof. Walter Leitner and his department at MPI CEC focuses on "green chemistry". 

Their research is concerned with the manufacture of chemical products without using fossil resources.

Green Collaboration

Leitner, an honorary member of the Chemical Society of Ethiopia, initiated the collaboration together with Prof. Yonas Chebude, Head of the Faculty of Chemistry in Addis Ababa. 

Prof. Chebude and his team are conducting intensive research in Ethiopia on the conversion of biomass into chemically usable products. 

Vernonia galamensis – Raw material for Epoxidized Oil

They are currently focused on the plant Vernonia galamensis - normally thought of as a "weed". The plant produces 40% epoxidized oil which is promising for industrial production. The molecules contained therein are naturally reactive and can therefore be used much more easily as an industrial raw material than other vegetable oils. 

Their research group is now trying to produce "green" chemical products - such as biodegradable plastics or adhesives - from the oil. This requires catalysts that will be developed jointly as part of this project. 

There is currently no commercial cultivation of the plant, but there is already a high demand for the oil. 

Prof. Yonas Chebude said that if sustainable products can be produced from the weeds, it would be a progress in the field of green chemistry but also a lucrative export product for Ethiopia.

The project is supported by a private donation from Mrs. E. Junesch and will initially run for one year. 

Prof. Walter Leitner said that sustainable products made from Vernonia galamensis would greatly benefit Ethiopia as the research and production would take place locally.

Source: MPI CEC

New Method to Convert Waste Fat into PHA Using Oxy-gas Bacteria

Researchers at TU Berlin are researching to replace plastics from petroleum - with the help of bacteria.

Waste Fats: Raw Material for Alternative PHA

A timid approach to dealing with plastic plague is PHA (polyhydroxyalkanoates). They are biopolymers and are used widely as they are like plastic from fossil fuels.

"Half of the two million tons of bioplastics that are currently produced worldwide per year are not biodegradable and the other half are sometimes difficult to," says Riedel. Therefore, a need arises for alternative PHA based on other raw materials.

The raw material can be obtained from many substances like corn, sugar, glycerine or palm oil. Sebastian L. Riedel and Stefan Junne, however, had a basic product that does not pollute the climate and is not food or feed such as corn as such a source material is considered problematic.

In the search for an alternative, they decided waste fats among other things, which are incurred, inter alia, in agriculture (animal carcasses), in catering or in the processing of food waste. Trash and leftovers for others but valuable raw materials for the scientists.

Oxy-gas Bacteria for Converting Waste into PHA

The accomplishable bacteria called Ralstonia eutropha or Cupriavidus necator, also known as oxyhydrogen bacteria. We let them 'piss us off' for us, " laughs Riedel.

The Process:

• The bacteria are kept in a mineral salt solution, fed with nitrogen, phosphorus, oxygen and carbon
• The carbon is added in the form of waste fats
• Then the bacteria are left to grow
• After a certain time, the nitrogen is removed from the bacterial culture
• They respond to this deficiency by investing the excess carbon in the waste fat as an energy reserve in their cells and converting it into PHA
• Then the PHA produced in the cells is extracted with the help of solvents, some of which can be recovered after the process
• If nitrogen is given back after a certain period, the bacteria would first use the intracellularly stored PHA as an energy source, hence it should not be done

The researchers are working on alternative refurbishment methods that will make the process more cost-effective and sustainable in the long term.

Renouncement of Research With Palm Oil

Dr.-Ing. Incidentally, Sebastian L. Riedel began his research on palm oil with PHA ten years ago in the United States at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). "This is a super uncomplicated starting material for the production of the substance," says Riedel.

But the palm oil plantations are tackling the rainforest. When he came to the TU Berlin in 2012, he discontinued his research on palm oil. "Replacement found for plastic, cutting down rainforest - that cannot be the result of research," Riedel explains his decision.

Since 2017, Riedel has been expanding its PHA research with biogenic residues at the Department of Bioprocess Engineering, which is committed to the development of sustainable bioprocesses.

Source: TU Berlin

New Biopolymer-based Heart Valve Implanted in First Patient

Caltech researchers have helped to design a new generation of heart valves that are longer-lasting, cost less to manufacture, and are more biocompatible than options that are currently available to patients. As part of an FDA trial, one of the new valves was implanted into a human for the first time in late July.

New Tria Valve for Aortic Valve Disease 

The new Tria heart valve was created by Foldax® Inc., a Caltech startup cofounded by Mory Gharib, the Hans W. Liepmann Professor of Aeronautics and Bioinspired Engineering in the Division of Engineering and Applied Science. Gharib and his team worked closely with Foldax lead designer Jason Beith in designing the new valve. It was implanted in a patient with aortic valve disease at Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak, Michigan, as part of an FDA Early Feasibility Study (EFS).

Newly Developed Biopolymer Material for Durability

The Tria valve uses a newly developed biopolymer material coupled with a bioinspired shape to create a valve capable of lasting decades without calcification, risk of clotting, or damage to red blood cells. 

“In testing, one valve already has lasted for 600 million cycles—the equivalent of around 15 years—without signs of significant wear and tear”, Gharib says. 

"It's a powerful combination of the bioinspired design and advanced engineering that we have at Caltech," Gharib says. "This is among my proudest moments. Creating something with the potential to save and improve lives is one of the reasons I became an engineer."

Next Iteration: Inserting Minimally Invasive Catheter

The next iteration of the valve, which Gharib has already designed in prototype with Foldax, will allow it to be inserted via a minimally invasive catheter. It uses a polymer that is bonded to a metal frame in a process refined by Gharib and his team at Caltech.

The unique polymer that was key to the valve function was developed in partnership with Australia’s national science agency, the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO). Robert Grubbs, the Victor and Elizabeth Atkins Professor of Chemistry who consulted on the polymer synthesis and characterization, is a member of Foldax's scientific advisory board.

Aortic Valve Disease

A condition where the valve between the main pumping chamber of the heart and the body's main artery stops functioning properly—can either be congenital, age-related, or the result of other diseases. 

The heart valve that the Tria is intended to replace has three flaps, or leaflets, connected by flexible tissue. As the heart beats and pumps blood through the valve, the flexible tissue bends outward, opening the valve. In between the beats, the flexible tissue bends back in, closing the valve and preventing blood from flowing backward. When the leaflets become diseased, they stiffen and impede blood flow.

Individuals affected by the disease often require open heart surgery to replace the malfunctioning valve, for which they have had two expensive options: 

A mechanical valve: They are crafted from a synthetic material such as pyrolytic carbon, are the more durable option, but require patients to go on lifetime blood thinners to prevent blood clotting and can cause damage to red blood cells.

A tissue valve: These are painstakingly hand-stitched from animal heart tissue, present less risk of causing clots and cellular damage but are less durable than mechanical valves due to calcification and general wear and tear.

Latest Example of Entrepreneurial Innovation

This heart valve is just the latest example of entrepreneurial innovation by Gharib and Grubbs. In 2017, Gharib unveiled a smartphone app that measures left ventricle ejection fraction (LVEF), a major indicator of heart health, through Caltech startup Avicena. Grubbs, winner of the 2005 Nobel Prize in Chemistry, founded the startup Materia in 1998 to market catalysts. Materia has since partnered with Cargill to produce biofuels.

"Our researchers, with all of their ingenuity, serve the greater good by inventing, but also commercializing, technologies that make a significant difference in people's lives," says Fred Farina, chief innovation and corporate partnerships officer at the Caltech Office of Technology Transfer and Corporate Partnerships. "Real-world impact is an important measure of a university's success, and Caltech is scoring high on this aspect. I am certain it will continue to do so for many years to come."

Source: Caltech

Researchers at TU Berlin are researching to replace plastics from petroleum - with the help of bacteria.

Waste Fats: Raw Material for Alternative PHA

A timid approach to dealing with plastic plague is PHA (polyhydroxyalkanoates). They are biopolymers and are used widely as they are like plastic from fossil fuels.

"Half of the two million tons of bioplastics that are currently produced worldwide per year are not biodegradable and the other half are sometimes difficult to," says Riedel. Therefore, a need arises for alternative PHA based on other raw materials.

The raw material can be obtained from many substances like corn, sugar, glycerine or palm oil. Sebastian L. Riedel and Stefan Junne, however, had a basic product that does not pollute the climate and is not food or feed such as corn as such a source material is considered problematic.

In the search for an alternative, they decided waste fats among other things, which are incurred, inter alia, in agriculture (animal carcasses), in catering or in the processing of food waste. Trash and leftovers for others but valuable raw materials for the scientists.

Oxy-gas Bacteria for Converting Waste into PHA

The accomplishable bacteria called Ralstonia eutropha or Cupriavidus necator, also known as oxyhydrogen bacteria. We let them 'piss us off' for us, " laughs Riedel.

The Process:

• The bacteria are kept in a mineral salt solution, fed with nitrogen, phosphorus, oxygen and carbon
• The carbon is added in the form of waste fats
• Then the bacteria are left to grow
• After a certain time, the nitrogen is removed from the bacterial culture
• They respond to this deficiency by investing the excess carbon in the waste fat as an energy reserve in their cells and converting it into PHA
• Then the PHA produced in the cells is extracted with the help of solvents, some of which can be recovered after the process
• If nitrogen is given back after a certain period, the bacteria would first use the intracellularly stored PHA as an energy source, hence it should not be done

The researchers are working on alternative refurbishment methods that will make the process more cost-effective and sustainable in the long term.

Renouncement of Research With Palm Oil

Dr.-Ing. Incidentally, Sebastian L. Riedel began his research on palm oil with PHA ten years ago in the United States at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). "This is a super uncomplicated starting material for the production of the substance," says Riedel.

But the palm oil plantations are tackling the rainforest. When he came to the TU Berlin in 2012, he discontinued his research on palm oil. "Replacement found for plastic, cutting down rainforest - that cannot be the result of research," Riedel explains his decision.

Since 2017, Riedel has been expanding its PHA research with biogenic residues at the Department of Bioprocess Engineering, which is committed to the development of sustainable bioprocesses.

Source: TU Berlin

New Biomass-derived PC Composite to Replace BPA-based Polycarbonates

Researchers from Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology have made a new, tough, transparent Polycarbonate composite reinforced with two biomass derived alternatives isosorbide and cellulose nanocrystals replacing both BPA and glass fibers.

These Polycarbonate sheets have outperformed traditional BPA-reinforced polycarbonate plastic in strength tests and can replace BPA-based polycarbonates in a variety of common applications.

The research team was led by Sung Hwang, Dongyeop Oh and Jeyoung Park from the Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology.

Safer Alternatives for BPA

Polycarbonate is a popular shatter-resistant alternative to glass in windows, display screens, bottles and optical fibers. However, polycarbonate plastics are frequently made using bisphenol A (BPA) and glass fibers.

BPA is an endocrine disruptor increasingly associated with regulations – Canada, the EU and the US Food and Drug Administration have banned BPA in baby bottles with the EU also banning BPA in food packaging – as well as health risks. And in the event of a fire, glass fibers generate fine particulates that can cause respiratory problems.

Scientists are therefore searching for safe alternative components that improve the transparency, and mechanical and thermal properties of polycarbonates like BPA and glass fibers do.

Properties of New Composite

Isosorbide already features in pharmaceuticals and cosmetics, and has a high thermal stability.

The research team first dispersed the cellulose in isosorbide and used an insitu polymerization to produce their composite. Cellulose disperses evenly throughout the material and only 0.3wt% is needed. The final material is stronger than BPA-based controls, with a tensile strength of 93MPa. The new composite was also highly transparent – transmitting 93% of light at 500nm.

‘The excellently dispersed cellulose nanocrystals minimally interfere with visible light and the synergetic interaction between the polymer and the filler reduces the microbubbles in the matrix, which can induce light scattering,’ commented Park.

Park and his colleagues attribute the synergistic interactions and high miscibility between the isosorbide and cellulose moieties to ‘the principle of like-dissolves-like’ as they are both derived from glucose and have ether linkages.

Applications of New Biomass-derived PC Composite

This Glucose derived polycarbonate plastic could be used in:

• optical fibers
• safer glazing plastics
• baby bottles

Stephen Miller, Sustainable Plastic Expert from University of Florida, said ‘the majority of bio-based polymers are interesting primarily because they are bio-based; it is the exception that they possess properties that surpass those of fossil fuel-based materials. That one polymer nanocomposite can accomplish all this is quite noteworthy.’

Source: Chemistry World

New Method to Develop Terpenes-based Sustainable Polymers for 3D Printing & Medical

Scientists at the University of Birmingham have developed a way of making organic polymers from the fragrant molecules found in conifers and fruit trees. The technique could lead to a new generation of sustainable materials for use in biomedical applications or 3D printing prototyping.

Molecules called as terpenes are found in the essential oils of a wide variety of plants and are often used in fragrances, cosmetics and other household products. Terpenes can also be used to produce resins.

Combining Terpenes & Thiols to Develop Light Activated Resins

In order to find a way to produce sustainable polymers, researchers have devised a technique for extracting the terpenes molecules and converting them into stable resins. By combining them with sulfur-based organic compounds called thiols, the resins can be activated by light to form a solid material.

Processing the terpenes in this way makes them particularly useful in a 3D printing process called stereolithography, where objects are built up in multiple layers and fused together under UV light to form 3D objects.

Lead author, Professor Andrew Dove, explains: “We need to find sustainable ways of making polymer products that do not rely on petrochemicals. Terpenes have been recognized as having real potential in this search and our work is a promising step towards being able to harness these natural products.”

Different terpenes produce different material properties and the next step for the team is to investigate those properties more fully to better control them. Although the fragrances are not key to the terpenes’ material properties, researchers are interested to see if they can also be harnessed in some products.

Their results are published in Polymer Chemistry.

Source: University of Birmingham

Haydale awarded funding to develop gas tanks for spacecraft propulsion systems

Haydale, a global advanced materials group, has been awarded a contract by the European Space Agency (ESA), which is seeking to develop non-metallic gas tanks for spacecraft propulsion systems in a technology de-risking project.

The demand for small satellite launches has created a challenge within the existing space propulsion supply chain for low-cost reliable components. With the constellation market set to increase rapidly, the development of components that meet these criteria is critical. Haydale's non-metallic system offers a low-cost alternative with reduced lead time that can be offered in a wider range of configurations to exactly suit the end user requirement.

Haydale will formulate and model a largely de-risked tank, prior to the manufacture of development models for full testing. This will result in the qualification for specific Spacecraft Propulsion Systems.

Prominent producers of Satellite technology have been identified and are engaged in developing the specification and tank design for eventual manufacture and deployment. 

Haydale will be working alongside ISP International Space Propulsion Ltd through ESA Artes Competitiveness & Growth, in conjunction with UK Space Agency.

Source:www.haydale.com