POlyDiTex – bio-based polyhydroxyalkanoates for textile coating

Objective and approach

The aim of the project, based on the preceding feasibility study (BiPoTex), is to further develop biotechnologically produced polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) for textile coatings. A systematic investigation will be carried out to determine how the structure and composition of medium-chain-length PHAs (mcl-PHA) or short-chain-length PHA copolymers (scl-PHA) must be selected in order to achieve the desired properties for common water-based coating processes.

Project plan

To meet the demand for bio-based coating agents, PHAs must be producible in sufficient quantities. This will be achieved by scaling up biotechnological PHA production to a 300-liter bioreactor at Fraunhofer IGB. In addition, the downstream process will be optimized, with the goal of increasing the extraction yield to more than 90 percent.

Furthermore, project partner Novis will conduct industrial research on scaling up the PHA production process to the 10,000-liter scale as the basis for a subsequent transfer to industrial production. For this purpose, specially genetically modified cyanobacteria will be used, enabling the production of larger amounts of PHA.

Impact

If the project proceeds successfully, PHAs can be used as functional coatings in the production of technical textiles and replace petroleum-based systems made of polyacrylate (PAC) or polyurethane (PUR), or reduce their required volume through partial substitution with PHAs.