Engineers from Iowa State University have developed a technique to create biorenewable nylon from sugar using a genetically modified strain of yeast and a form of hybrid catalysis.
The conversion process is described in the journal Angewandte Chemie International Edition. According to co-lead author Zengyi Shao, the process “opens the door to the production of a broad range of compounds not accessible from the petrochemical industry.”
Shao, working in tandem with fellow Iowa State assistant professor of chemical and biological engineering Jean-Philippe Tessonnier, led the group that created the genetically engineered yeast. This yeast was used to ferment glucose into muconic acid and helped to improve the acid’s yield.
Tessonier’s group then introduced lead as a metal catalyst and applied a small voltage, producing 3-hexenedioic acid. Following a simple separation and polymerisation of this substance, the researchers were left with biobased, unsaturated nylon-6,6. Unlike similar processes, this new technique is carried out at room temperature, and does not rely on precious elements such as palladium and platinum.
“The process does not need additional chemical supplement, and it works amazingly at ambient temperature and pressure, which is very rare for this type of process,” said Tessonnier.
The research was supported by the National Science Foundation Engineering Research Centre for Biorenewable Chemicals (CBiRC), which is based at Iowa State. According to Shao, the Foundation encourages the cross-pollination of ideas from different disciplines.
“CBiRC provides the nurturing environment to brainstorm what can be done with the expertise owned by two groups of experts who are trained through very different routes,” she said. “This vision of these fields working together is going to grow.”
Following the success of the project to date, the next step for the engineers will be to upscale the technology and develop a continuous conversion process.
Based upon my career in synthetic fibres and textiles, I can happily concur with any work to ‘return’ to developing ‘natural’ polymers/fibres instead of those based upon petro-chemicals. All I invite those participating to recognise is that whilst the activities ‘down’ to the spinnerette (think spiders!) is certainly chemical Engineering, from that point onwards, almost everything is ‘mechanical’ with the associated electronics for control. Not recognising that simple situation has been a major cause of the many failures that have occurred. Mind you, any industry which covers every human from literally cradle to grave (the first thing in which we are ‘wrapped’ on birth is textile, the last on death is……and inbetween, except when in the bath/shower we are touched by that remarkable material) has to be vital. Good Luck
I have a UK based textile manufacturing company that uses PA6 and PA6.6 and will be passing this article onto my primary European based Nylon spinner. The challenge for the commercialisation of this technology will be the effect of the current level and stability of petrochemicals – unless providing a clear environmental marketing story that can be understood by the consumer and/or other enhanced physical properties that cannot be achieved by current production methods.