Poly alpha-1,3-glucan Wood Pulp Solid Articles
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current wood pulp articles often rely on water-sensitive starch or non-biodegradable synthetic binders, lacking environmental friendliness and stability.
Innovation Solution
A solid article comprising 50-90% poly alpha-1,3-glucan and 10-50% wood pulp, optionally with plasticizers, tougheners, and fibrillar strengthening agents, produced through an enzymatic process involving a Streptococcus salivarius gtfJ enzyme, sucrose, and antimicrobial agents, followed by filtration, washing, homogenization, and drying to form a durable, water-resistant material.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-generated harmful factors
If starch is used as a binder for wood pulp articles, then the article is biodegradable and environmentally friendly, but the article becomes water sensitive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the problematic starch binder from the wood pulp article system. Instead of using starch as an adhesive, the invention relies on the inherent bonding properties of wood pulp fibers themselves, eliminating the water-sensitive component while maintaining environmental friendliness through the use of purely natural, biodegradable wood pulp material
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces poly alpha-1,3-glucan as an intermediary substance that bridges the wood pulp fibers. This glucan polymer acts as a natural adhesive that is both biodegradable like starch but resistant to water, solving the contradiction by providing the binding function without the water sensitivity drawback
2Reliability
If synthetic binders are used for wood pulp articles, then water sensitivity is reduced, but the article loses biodegradability and environmental friendliness
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical composition parameters by replacing synthetic binder molecules with natural poly alpha-1,3-glucan polymer molecules. This parameter change maintains the water resistance function while fundamentally altering the material's biodegradability status from non-biodegradable to fully biodegradable, thus resolving the contradiction
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite material system consisting of wood pulp fibers bonded with poly alpha-1,3-glucan. This composite approach combines the structural properties of wood pulp with the adhesive properties of glucan, achieving both water resistance and biodegradability through the synergistic combination of natural materials
3Object-generated harmful factors
If poly alpha-1,3-glucan is combined with wood pulp to create solid articles, then environmental friendliness is maintained, but the mechanical strength and structural integrity need improvement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality enhancement by incorporating fibrillar strengthening agents at specific locations within the wood pulp matrix. These strengthening agents are distributed strategically to reinforce critical stress-bearing regions, improving overall mechanical integrity while maintaining the environmentally friendly natural material composition
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enhances mechanical strength by creating a multi-component composite material system that combines wood pulp fibers, poly alpha-1,3-glucan binder, and fibrillar strengthening agents. This composite structure leverages the complementary properties of each component to achieve superior mechanical integrity while preserving biodegradability
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The resulting solid articles exhibit reduced brittleness and improved mechanical integrity, allowing for the creation of sheets, composites, and molded parts that are environmentally friendly and resistant to water sensitivity.
Implementation Method 1
heating an enzyme reaction solution comprising an aqueous basic buffered solution of S. salivarius gtfJ enzyme, sucrose and, optionally, antimicrobial agent to make a slurry containing poly alpha-1,3-glucan
Implementation Method 2
filtering the slurry to isolate the poly alpha-1,3-glucan in the form of a wet cake
Implementation Method 3
homogenizing the mixture
Implementation Method 4
drying the shape to form a solid article
Data Source
AI summary
A solid article formed from poly alpha-1,3-glucan and wood pulp is disclosed as are methods for making the solid article. The articles are not water sensitive and are useful for producing strong molded articles from wood pulp.