Extraction of guayule resin
AssigneeBridgestone Corporation
InventorsMark N. DeDecker, Christian Andrews
Life of this patent
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Abstract
In various embodiments, methods for extracting various constituents from Parthenium argentatum resin are disclosed. The methods begin with a nonpolar resin solution that is manipulated by polar solvent and water additions to precipitate low MW isoprene rubber and form separable aqueous polar and nonpolar liquid fractions, wherein the aqueous polar liquid fraction is rich in argentatins and the nonpolar liquid fraction is rich in guayulins. In other variations, an aqueous polar solvent is added to the nonpolar resin solution to directly produce a two-phase system. The extraction methods can be fully automated by using a continuous countercurrent liquid/liquid extractor.
Claims30
A method of extracting Parthenium argentatum resin constituents from Parthenium argentatum resin, the method comprising:
- (a) dissolving the Parthenium argentatum resin in a nonpolar solvent to obtain a nonpolar resin solution and a first precipitate;
- (b) separating the first precipitate from the nonpolar resin solution;
- (c) adding a polar solvent to the nonpolar resin solution to obtain a mixed polarity resin solution and a second precipitate;
- (d) separating the second precipitate from the mixed polarity resin solution to obtain a mixed solvent filtrate;
- (e) adding water to the mixed solvent filtrate to obtain a two-phase system comprising an aqueous polar liquid fraction and a nonpolar liquid fraction;
- (f) separating the aqueous polar liquid fraction and the nonpolar liquid fraction;
- (g) recovering a first solids mixture by desolventizing the polar liquid fraction;
- (h) recovering a second solids mixture by desolventizing the nonpolar liquid fraction;
- and
- performing continuous countercurrent extraction, wherein the nonpolar resin solution flows as a nonpolar solution stream countercurrent to a polar solution stream comprising a mixture of water and the polar solvent, and wherein the nonpolar solution stream becomes progressively enriched in guayulins, the polar solution stream becomes progressively enriched in argentatins, and the second precipitate is continuously removed by centrifugation.
A method of extracting Parthenium argentatum resin constituents from Parthenium argentatum resin, the method comprising:
- (a) dissolving the Parthenium argentatum resin in a nonpolar solvent to obtain a nonpolar resin solution and a precipitate;
- (b) separating the precipitate from the nonpolar resin solution;
- (c) adding water or an aqueous polar solvent to the nonpolar resin solution to obtain a two-phase system comprising an aqueous polar liquid fraction and a nonpolar liquid fraction;
- (d) separating the aqueous polar liquid fraction and the nonpolar liquid fraction;
- (e) recovering a first solids mixture by desolventizing the polar liquid fraction;
- (f) recovering a second solids mixture by desolventizing the nonpolar liquid fraction;
- and
- performing continuous countercurrent extraction, wherein the nonpolar resin solution flows as a nonpolar solution stream countercurrent to a polar solution stream comprising a mixture of water and the polar solvent, and wherein the nonpolar solution stream becomes progressively enriched in natural polyisoprene rubber and the polar solution stream becomes progressively enriched in argentatins.
A method of separating natural polyisoprene rubber from Parthenium argentatum resin, the method comprising:
- (a) dissolving the Parthenium argentatum resin in a nonpolar solvent to form a nonpolar resin solution further comprising a first precipitate;
- (b) separating the first precipitate from the nonpolar resin solution;
- (c) adding a polar solvent to the nonpolar resin solution to precipitate the natural polyisoprene rubber in the form of coagulated particles;
- and
- (d) recovering the precipitated natural polyisoprene rubber from the nonpolar resin solution;
- and
- performing continuous countercurrent extraction, wherein the nonpolar resin solution flows as a nonpolar solution stream countercurrent to a polar solution stream comprising a mixture of water and the polar solvent, and wherein the nonpolar solution stream becomes progressively enriched in natural polyisoprene rubber and the polar solution stream becomes progressively enriched in argentatins.
A method of separating a mixture of triterpenes from Parthenium argentatum resin, the method comprising:
- (a) dissolving the Parthenium argentatum resin in a nonpolar solvent to form a nonpolar resin solution further comprising a first precipitate;
- (b) separating the first precipitate from the nonpolar resin solution;
- (c) adding a polar solvent to the nonpolar resin solution to form a mixed polarity resin solution further comprising a second precipitate;
- (d) separating the second precipitate from the mixed polarity resin solution;
- (e) adding water to the mixed polarity resin solution to form separable aqueous polar and nonpolar liquid fractions;
- (f) separating the aqueous polar liquid fraction from the nonpolar liquid fraction;
- and
- (g) recovering the mixture of triterpenes by desolventizing the aqueous polar liquid fraction.
A method of isolating a mixture of terpenes and sesquiterpenes from Parthenium argentatum resin, the method comprising:
- (a) dissolving the Parthenium argentatum resin in a nonpolar solvent to form a nonpolar resin solution further comprising a first precipitate;
- (b) separating the first precipitate from the nonpolar resin solution;
- (c) adding a polar solvent to the nonpolar resin solution to provide a mixed polarity resin solution further comprising a second precipitate;
- (d) separating the second precipitate from the mixed polarity resin solution;
- (e) adding water to the mixed polarity resin solution to form separable aqueous polar and nonpolar liquid fractions;
- (f) separating the nonpolar liquid fraction from the aqueous polar liquid fraction;
- and
- (g) recovering the mixture comprising terpenes and sesquiterpenes by evaporating the nonpolar liquid fraction.
A method of separating natural polyisoprene rubber from Parthenium argentatum resin, the method comprising:
- (a) dissolving the Parthenium argentatum resin in a nonpolar solvent to form a nonpolar resin solution further comprising a first precipitate;
- (b) separating the first precipitate from the nonpolar resin solution;
- (c) adding a polar solvent to the nonpolar resin solution to precipitate the natural polyisoprene rubber in the form of coagulated particles;
- and
- (d) recovering the precipitated natural polyisoprene rubber from the nonpolar resin solution;
- and
- performing continuous countercurrent extraction, wherein the nonpolar resin solution flows as a nonpolar solution stream countercurrent to a polar solution stream comprising a mixture of water and the polar solvent, and wherein the nonpolar solution stream becomes progressively enriched in natural polyisoprene rubber and the polar solution stream becomes progressively enriched in argentatins.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.