# US 11,440,269 B2 · Process of making a gluten-based biodegradable material > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,440,269 B2 - Document ID: US11440269B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/932,734 - Filed: 2020-07-18 - Published: 2021-09-16 - Granted: 2022-09-13 - Earliest claimed: 2020-03-14 - Applicants: Kurtis Zhang - Inventors: Kurtis Zhang - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11440269B2 ## CPC - B29C 67/24: characterised by the choice of material - C08H 1/00: Macromolecular products derived from proteins (food proteins A23; glue, gelatine C09H) - B29C 43/003: {characterised by the choice of material} - C08K 3/26: Carbonates; Bicarbonates - C08K 3/346: {Clay} - C08L 89/00: Compositions of proteins; Compositions of derivatives thereof - B29K 2003/00: Use of starch or derivatives as moulding material - B29K 2089/00: Use of proteins, e.g. casein, gelatine or derivatives thereof, as moulding material - B29K 2995/0056: Biocompatible, e.g. biopolymers or bioelastomers - B29K 2995/006: Bio-degradable, e.g. bioabsorbable, bioresorbable or bioerodible - C08K 2003/265: {Calcium, strontium or barium carbonate} - C08L 2205/16: Fibres; Fibrils - B29C: SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING (making preforms B29B11/00; making laminated products by combining previously unconnected layers which become one product whose layers will remain together B32B37/00 - B32B41/00) - C08H: DERIVATIVES OF NATURAL MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS (polysaccharides C08B; natural rubber C08C; natural resins or their derivatives C09F; bituminous materials C10) - C08K: Use of inorganic or non-macromolecular organic substances as compounding ingredients (paints, inks, varnishes, dyes, polishes, adhesives C09) - C08L: COMPOSITIONS OF MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS (compositions based on polymerisable monomers C08F, C08G; artificial filaments or fibres D01F; textile treating compositions D06) - B29K: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES B29B, B29C OR B29D, RELATING TO MOULDING MATERIALS OR TO MATERIALS FOR {MOULDS, } REINFORCEMENTS, FILLERS OR PREFORMED PARTS, e.g. INSERTS ## Abstract The present invention is directed to a fully biodegradable material based on a plant protein. The present invention is also directed to a process method of making a gluten-based biodegradable material by a water induced flocculation step. A fully hydrated gluten dough with or without an additive or/and a filler formed from the flocculation step, which has low viscoelasticity, is further molded into an article with desired shapes under a low shear stress in a relatively low temperature range. A rigid or flexible biodegradable plastic article is obtained by removing extra water at a temperature lower than decomposition temperature of the gluten. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A process for making a gluten-based plastic article comprising, mixing gluten powder with a hydrophilic organic solvent to form a dispersion; adding water to the dispersion to adjust concentration of the hydrophilic organic solvent to less than 20% by volume with respect to total volume of a medium including the hydrophilic solvent and water, stirring the dispersion to form a flocculent comprising a hydrated gluten; collecting the flocculent by removing the supernatant to obtain a hydrated gluten dough; casting or molding the hydrated gluten dough into a desired shape; and drying the cast or molded shape at a preset temperature for a preset period of time to fix the cast or molded shape into a plastic product. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The process according to claim 1, further comprising a step of adding water into the dispersion to adjust the solubility of the gluten in the medium, wherein the water content is in a range of 35% to 75% by volume with respect to total volume of the medium. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The process according to claim 1, further comprising a step of kneading a plastic additive into the hydrated glute dough. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The process according to claim 1, further comprising a step of coating the gluten-based plastic article with a hydrophobic coating. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The process according to claim 1, further comprising a step of crosslinking the gluten based plastic article at a temperature range of 200° C. to 400° C. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The process according to claim 1, wherein the gluten powder is a wheat gluten powder comprising at least 60% by weight of gluten protein. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The process according to claim 1, wherein the organic solvent is a hydrophilic or water miscible solvent including a low molecular weight alcohol or a ketone. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The process according to claim 1, wherein the water has a pH range of 6.0 to 8.0. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The process according to claim 1, wherein the collecting step comprises a free-settling step, a filtration step or a centrifugation step. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The process according to claim 1, wherein the molding step includes an extrusion molding step, an injection molding step or a compression molding step. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The process according to claim 1, wherein the molding step comprises a molding temperature in a range of 5° C. to 40° C. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The process according to claim 1, wherein the drying step comprises a drying temperature in a range of 60° C. to 130° C. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The process according to claim 1, further comprising a step of adding a filler into the dispersion before formation of the flocculent. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The process according to claim 13, wherein the filler is an organic filler or an inorganic filler. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The process according to claim 14, wherein the organic filler is a pulverized biomass particle including spent coffee ground, saw dust, pulverized peanut shell, pulverized tree-nut shell, or a short fiber of wood or non-wood plants. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The process according to claim 14, wherein the inorganic filler is micron-size or nano-size particles including a metal oxide, a mineral particle, a carbon-based material, or a short glass fiber. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The process according to claim 14, wherein the filler content is in range of 5 to 85% by weight with respect to total composition. ### Claim 18 (depends on 3) The process according to claim 3, wherein the plastic additive comprises a crosslinker, a plasticizer, an antimicrobial agent, a fungicide, an antioxidant, a pigment, a light fasting agent, or a mixture thereof.