Polyhydroxyalkanoate production methods and materials and microorganisms used in same
AssigneeNewlight Technologies, LLC
InventorMarkus D. Herrema
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Abstract
Embodiments of the invention relate generally to methods to generate microorganisms and/or microorganism cultures that exhibit the ability to produce polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) from carbon sources at high efficiencies. In several embodiments, preferential expression of, or preferential growth of microorganisms utilizing certain metabolic pathways, enables the high efficiency PHA production from carbon-containing gases or materials. Several embodiments relate to the microorganism cultures, and/or microorganisms isolated therefrom.
Claims7
A method for modifying functional characteristics of a polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) material, the method comprising:
- providing PHA, a biomass, and a second polymer;
- subjecting the biomass to a processing step comprising heat, pressure, solvent washing, filtration, centrifugation, super critical solvent extraction, and/or shear, wherein the processing step renders at least a portion of the biomass miscible with the PHA and the second polymer;
- contacting the PHA with the biomass and the second polymer to form a compound;
- heating the compound to between about 50 degrees Celsius and about 250 degrees Celsius;
- and
- adding pressure to the compound between about 0 and about 50,000 pounds per square inch, thereby causing the biomass to effect a functional modification of the PHA, the second polymer, and a combination of the PHA and the second polymer, wherein the functional modification comprises plasticization, nucleation, compatibilization, melt flow modification, strengthening, reduction of PHA crystallinity or rate of crystallization, increase in optical clarity, and/or elasticization.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.