CO2 Recycling and Biopolymers

Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) have become very popular as they are bio-based, bio-degradable natural polymers which are UV-stable, able to withstand higher temperatures, showing good resistance to moisture and providing a good barrier for aroma compounds, making them an ideal packaging material. In addition, they can also be used for high value applications such as biodegradable solutions for slow-release fertilizers, pharmaceuticals in general, as well as degradable human implants.

Conventionally, PHAs are produced using mainly (food/feedstock) sugars or oils as substrates. In contrast, this offer presents two independent methods using the greenhouse gas CO₂ for the production of biopolymers. This allows for the environmentally friendly production of bio-based and biodegradable natural polymers in the sense of a circular economy.

The technology developed has the following features:

• A technology based on the use of highly sophisticated strain of cyanobacteria to productively grow in a photobioreactor without sugars or oil using light and CO₂, and to generate PHA
• A technology using the bacterium Ralstonia eutropha (aka Cupriavidus necator), which is able to use H₂ (e.g. from electrolysis of water using excess of electric energy) and CO₂ to produce PHA has also been developed
  
  

High quality PHA produced by valorisation of the greenhouse gas CO₂ is already possible with these technologies. Further optimizations and development are needed to beat current production costs.

Potential applications include but not limited to:

• Production of bio-based, biodegradable natural polymers without the use of sugar or oil feedstock.

Currently more than 30,000 metric tons of PHA-biopolymers are produced annually with traditional technology using mainly (food/feedstock) sugars or oils as substrates. There is an increased demand expected in the future and an opportunity for non-food/feed CO₂-based production systems.

The client seeks investors and industrial partners to develop this technology to commercial scale. Under protection of a CDA/NDA, details on both CO₂ recycling and the sustainable production of biopolymers opportunities will be provided.

Any IP developed in a joint project would fully belong to the investor/industrial partner.