Enzymatic Polymerization Control via Urea Hydrolysis
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is a need for compositions and methods that enable an initial slow reaction followed by rapid curing in adhesive materials, particularly in materials-chemistry applications such as adhesives, coatings, and injectable biomedical formulations, where thermal feedback in polymerization requires localized heating and thick layers or poor thermal conductors, leading to inefficiencies.
Innovation Solution
The use of a composition comprising a polyhydroxy monomer, a borate ion source, and a urease source, such as ground watermelon seeds, which catalyzes the hydrolysis of urea to increase pH and control the polymerization rate, allowing for temporal control of the induction time in polymerization reactions, enabling the formation of a polymer that remains malleable for processing before rapid crosslinking.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If thermal feedback polymerization is used to achieve rapid curing, then curing speed is improved, but the system requires thick layers and poor thermal conductors, limiting applicability to thin layers
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the fundamental parameter of polymerization initiation from thermal feedback to enzymatic catalysis. The urease enzyme catalyzes urea hydrolysis to generate ammonia, which raises pH to initiate polymerization. This biochemical parameter change enables rapid curing without requiring the thick layers and poor thermal conductors needed for thermal feedback polymerization, thus resolving the contradiction between curing speed and applicability to thin layers.
2Speed
If thermal feedback polymerization is used to achieve rapid curing, then curing speed is improved, but large temperature changes (>100°C) are required, causing thermal stress and complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The invention substitutes the thermal-mechanical polymerization system with a biochemical system. Instead of using heat (thermal energy) to drive polymerization, the system uses enzymatic catalysis (biochemical mechanism) where urease catalyzes urea hydrolysis. This substitution replaces large temperature changes with a controlled biochemical reaction that generates ammonia to raise pH and initiate polymerization, thereby achieving rapid curing without the thermal stress and temperature complexity of thermal feedback polymerization.
3Duration of action of moving object
If an induction period is introduced through inhibitor consumption to enable initial slow reaction followed by rapid curing, then adhesive processing time is improved, but the system complexity and number of components increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and eliminates the inhibitor component from the polymerization system. Instead of using an inhibitor that must be consumed to create an induction period, the system uses a biochemical clock mechanism where urease-catalyzed urea hydrolysis naturally generates ammonia over time. This extraction of the inhibitor simplifies the system while maintaining the desired induction period followed by rapid curing, resolving the contradiction between processing time control and system complexity.
4Loss of time
If enzyme catalysts are used to control gel lifetime, then reaction timing is improved, but the system requires additional components such as enzyme catalysts and promoters
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges the induction period control function and the polymerization initiation function into a single integrated biochemical mechanism. The urease enzyme and urea substrate work together as a coupled system: urease catalyzes urea hydrolysis to generate ammonia, which both extends the induction period and triggers rapid curing when pH reaches the critical threshold. This merging eliminates the need for separate enzyme catalysts and promoters, achieving excellent reaction timing control while minimizing additional components.
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 approach allows for the creation of polymer systems that can be handled as a liquid or paste and then rapidly cure, providing strong adhesion and controlled polymerization times, overcoming the limitations of thermal frontal polymerization by enabling curing in thinner layers and at lower temperature changes.
Implementation Method 1
a urease source, such as ground watermelon seeds, which catalyzes the hydrolysis of urea to increase pH
Implementation Method 2
a urease source, such as ground watermelon seeds, which catalyzes the hydrolysis of urea
Implementation Method 3
allowing for temporal control of the induction time in polymerization reactions, enabling the formation of a polymer
Implementation Method 4
rapid crosslinking
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention provides compositions, methods and kits for the temporal control induction time for a polymerization reaction.