Biorubbers Via Enzyme Catalyzed Reactions

Polyisobutylene- and siloxane-based rubbery biomaterials are inert in the human body thus they have a large potential in medical applications. Our group successfully synthesized and characterized biodegradable polyisobutylene (PIB) using “green polymer chemistry” and a newly discovered two-phase living polymerization system, also functionalization of polyisobutylene (PIB) and poly(dimethyl siloxane) (PDMS) with vinyl methacrylate by transesterification was achieved by Candida antarctica lipase B (CALB, Novozyme 435) as the enzyme catalyst. Successful enzymatic experiments done in the lab must be scaled-up to be commercially viable. To demonstrate the scalability of this reactor, small-scale (< 1 L) of enzymatic packed-bed reactor (PBR) is designed and discussed for carrying out the synthesis of a vinyl-acrylate by using the enzyme Candida antarctica lipase B (CALB) as the model reaction. To specify the conditions of the reactor and to be able to predict the concentration of the product certain design equations for the PBR is derived. Materials of construction for the process equipment as well as process controls will also be discussed to regulate a safe and controlled process.