Solid Acid Catalyst for Water-Insoluble Polymer Degradation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for solubilizing and reducing the molecular weight of water-insoluble polymeric compounds, such as proteins and polysaccharides, are inefficient and often result in unnecessary denaturation or require complex operations, particularly when using heating, acid, or enzyme treatments, which are costly and environmentally burdensome.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the use of a solid acid catalyst to selectively solubilize and reduce the molecular weight of water-insoluble polymeric compounds by recovering non-adsorbed fractions and eluting adsorbed fractions, allowing for continuous production with high yield and minimal denaturation, using steps like contact with the catalyst, heating, washing, and elution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If heating treatment is used to solubilize and reduce molecular weight of water-insoluble proteins, then solubilization and molecular weight reduction are achieved, but thermal denaturation occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the fundamental parameter from thermal energy input to chemical catalyst input. By using solid acid catalysts instead of heat, the process achieves solubilization and molecular weight reduction through catalytic hydrolysis at mild temperatures (pH 2-6, 20-100°C), preserving protein structure while breaking down molecular weight to desired ranges
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces the thermal mechanical system (heating) with a chemical catalytic system (solid acid catalysts). The solid acid catalyst provides active sites that facilitate bond cleavage through chemical mechanism rather than thermal energy, substituting one physical-chemical system for another more selective system
2Quantity of substance
If acid or alkali treatment is used to solubilize proteins, then solubilization is achieved, but amino acid destruction occurs and disposal is cost-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The invention uses solid acid catalysts that can be easily separated and reused multiple times. The catalysts (ion exchange resins, zeolites, or activated carbon) are inexpensive, stable materials that undergo no permanent consumption during the reaction, eliminating the need for costly disposal of contaminated solutions while maintaining solubilization efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The solid acid catalyst acts as an intermediary that facilitates the hydrolysis reaction without being consumed. It provides a controlled chemical environment that breaks down proteins into desired molecular weight ranges while preserving amino acid integrity, then can be easily separated and reused, avoiding the harmful effects of direct acid/alkali treatment
3Manufacturing precision
If protease treatment is used to reduce molecular weight, then molecular weight reduction is achieved, but temperature and pH regulation are required and enzyme removal is necessary
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the catalytic function from biological enzymes to inorganic/organic hybrid solid acid catalysts. These catalysts provide the necessary acid sites for hydrolysis without the complex biological structure of proteases, eliminating the need for temperature/pH optimization and enzyme removal steps while maintaining molecular weight control capability
Solution Approach 2:
The invention substitutes the biological enzymatic system with a chemical catalytic system. Solid acid catalysts provide consistent acid sites that facilitate hydrolysis through a simpler chemical mechanism, replacing the complex biological recognition and catalysis of proteases with a more robust and easier-to-control chemical system
4Productivity
If conventional methods are used to process water-insoluble proteins, then processing is achieved, but the methods are costly and environmentally burdensome
Solution Approach 1:
The invention implements a recovery and reuse system for the solid acid catalysts. After catalyzing the hydrolysis reaction, the catalysts are easily separated by filtration or decantation and can be reused multiple times without significant loss of activity. This eliminates the need to dispose of large volumes of contaminated acidic or basic solutions, reducing both cost and environmental burden while maintaining high processing efficiency
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
This method enables the efficient and cost-effective production of degradation products from previously unusable materials like Rhopilema esculenta jellyfish collagen, avoiding denaturation and environmental issues associated with traditional methods, with high yield and controlled molecular weight reduction.
Implementation Method 1
a method involving the use of a solid acid catalyst to selectively solubilize and reduce the molecular weight of water-insoluble polymeric compounds
Implementation Method 2
recovering non-adsorbed fractions and eluting adsorbed fractions
Data Source
AI summary
This invention is intended to produce a novel functional material through solubilization and molecular weight reduction of a water-insoluble polymeric compound, such as a water-insoluble protein or water-insoluble polysaccharide, in a simple and efficient manner. This invention provides a method for producing a degradation product of a water-insoluble polymeric compound comprising the steps of: bringing a water-insoluble polymeric compound into contact with a solid acid catalyst, heating the resulting mixture, and recovering a supernatant; adding an aqueous medium to the solid acid catalyst after the supernatant is recovered, agitating and heating the resulting mixture, and recovering a supernatant; washing the solid acid catalyst with an aqueous medium and recovering a wash solution; mixing the recovered supernatant with the wash solution, so as to obtain a fraction that has not adsorbed to the solid acid catalyst; and eluting an adsorbed fraction from the solid acid catalyst and recovering an eluate, so as to obtain a fraction that has adsorbed to the solid acid catalyst.