# US 2016/0237174 A1 · Biopolymers having coiled nanostructures and processes incorporating the biopolymers

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- Number: US 2016/0237174 A1
- Document ID: US20160237174A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 15/042,822
- Filed: 2016-02-12
- Published: 2016-08-18
- Earliest claimed: 2015-02-13
- Assignees: Biopolynet Inc.
- Applicants: Biopolynet Inc.
- Inventors: Mostafa Aghaei Moghadam; Alma Zangeneh
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20160237174A1

## CPC

- C08B 31/003: {Crosslinking of starch}
- C08B 37/0057: {beta-D-Xylans, i.e. xylosaccharide, e.g. arabinoxylan, arabinofuronan, pentosans; (beta-1,3)(beta-1,4)-D-Xylans, e.g. rhodymenans; Hemicellulose; Derivatives thereof}
- C08L 3/02: Starch; Degradation products thereof, e.g. dextrin
- C22B 1/2406: {pelletizing}
- C22B 1/242: with binders
- C22B 1/243: inorganic
- C22B 1/244: organic
- C08B: POLYSACCHARIDES; DERIVATIVES THEREOF (polysaccharides containing less than six saccharide radicals attached to each other by glycosidic linkages C07H; fermentation or enzyme-using processes C12P19/00; sugar industry C13; production of cellulose D21)
- C08L: COMPOSITIONS OF MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS (compositions based on polymerisable monomers C08F, C08G; artificial filaments or fibres D01F; textile treating compositions D06)
- C22B: PRODUCTION AND REFINING OF METALS (electrolytic C25); PRETREATMENT OF RAW MATERIALS

## Abstract

The present disclosure is generally directed to biopolymers having coiled nanostructures, methods of making those biopolymers, and applications involving those biopolymers. Biopolymers having coiled nanostructures may be produced through a biophysical process by which the shape of a biopolymer macromolecular chain is altered. Biopolymers having coiled nanostructures may then be cross-linked to prepare biopolymeric networks. The biopolymeric networks may be configured to incorporate solid particles, in which they serve to hold the solid particles together against external stresses, solvents, and the like. For this reason, the biopolymers having coiled nanostructures are useful in a variety of applications, including in an improved process for forming iron ore pellets.

## Claims

### Claim at position 1

1-25. (canceled)

### Claim 26

A process for preparing iron ore pellets comprising
combining crushed iron ore with a binder comprising one or more biopolymers having coiled nanostructures; and
causing the one or more biopolymers to undergo cross-linking to form a biopolymeric network.

### Claim 27 (depends on 26)

The process of claim 26, wherein the process comprises preparing a green ball by a process comprising
a. forming a mixture by combining crushed iron ore, bentonite, and a first aqueous solution, the first aqueous solution containing at least one biopolymer having a coiled nanostructure
b. shaping the mixture into a pellet and spraying the mixture with a second aqueous solution, the second aqueous solution containing at least one biopolymer having a coiled nanostructure.

### Claim 28 (depends on 27)

The process of claim 27, further comprising firing the green ball to increase its hardness.

### Claim 29 (depends on 27)

The process of claim 27, wherein at least one biopolymer having a coiled nanostructure in the second aqueous solution is configured to react with an agent in the first aqueous solution to form a biopolymeric network.

### Claim 30 (depends on 27)

The process of claim 27, in which the biopolymer in the first aqueous solution comprises one or more starches, one or more hemicelluloses, or a combination thereof.

### Claim 31 (depends on 30)

The process of claim 30, in which the biopolymer in the second aqueous solution comprises one or more alginates.

### Claim 32 (depends on 27)

The process of claim 27, in which the first aqueous solution comprises a first binder.

### Claim 33 (depends on 32)

The process of claim 32, in which the second aqueous solution comprises a second binder.

### Claim 34 (depends on 33)

The process of claim 33, in which at least one of the first binder and the second binder is selected from the group consisting of boron, calcium, iron, and combinations thereof.

### Claim 35 (depends on 27)

A green ball prepared by the process of claim 27, comprising
iron ore,
bentonite, and
a biopolymeric network, the biopolymeric network being formed from one or more biopolymers having a coiled nanostructure.

### Claim 36 (depends on 35)

The green ball of claim 35, in which the green ball comprises less than 2 g bentonite per 250 g.

### Claim 37 (depends on 35)

The green ball of claim 35, in which the green ball comprises between about 20 g by weight and about 30 g by weight biopolymers per 250 g.

### Claim 38 (depends on 35)

The green ball of claim 35, wherein the biopolymeric network is configured to withstand temperatures of at least about 750° C.

### Claim 39 (depends on 38)

The green ball of claim 38, wherein the biopolymeric network is configured to withstand temperatures of at least about 800° C.

### Claim 40 (depends on 35)

The green ball of claim 35, wherein the green ball is configured to withstand at least 350 pounds of force of compression.

### Claim 41 (depends on 35)

The green ball of claim 35, wherein the green ball is configured to withstand at least 10 drops.

### Claim at position 18

-47. (canceled)