Sequestered amorphous polyhydroxyalkanoate polymer (SAPP) material derived from cellular biomass and production thereof

A method of production of a sequestered amorphous polyhydroxyalkanoate polymer (SAPP) material from cellular biomass that is crystal competent comprising the steps of:

• disruption of cellular biomass using mechanical energy to release a mixture of amorphous polyhydroxyalkanoate polymer particles and cellular biomass suspended in an aqueous medium;
• centrifugation at a constrained temperature subjacent to the crystallization window and superjacent to the glass transition temperature to separate the amorphous polyhydroxyalkanoate polymer particles and the cellular biomass based on density differences;
• and
• recovery of the amorphous polyhydroxyalkanoate polymer particles separated from the cellular biomass as a dispersion of sequestered amorphous polyhydroxyalkanoate polymer (SAPP) material,
• such that a sequestered amorphous polyhydroxyalkanoate polymer material is produced.

A production unit suitable to produce a sequestered amorphous polyhydroxyalkanoate polymer material derived from cellular biomass that is crystal competent comprising

• a microbial fermentation component to produce the cellular biomass;
• a cellular biomass disruption component using mechanical energy to release a mixture of amorphous polyhydroxyalkanoate polymer particles and cellular biomass suspended in an aqueous medium;
• a centrifugation component operating at controlled temperature subjacent to the crystallization window and superjacent to the glass transition temperature to separate the amorphous polyhydroxyalkanoate polymer particles and the cellular biomass based on density differences;
• and
• a recovery component for the amorphous polyhydroxyalkanoate polymer particles separated from the cellular biomass as a dispersion of sequestered amorphous polyhydroxyalkanoate polymer (SAPP) material.