Enzymatic synthesis of polymers
View Patent ↗The invention relates to new methods of enzymatic synthesis of polymers such as polyorganosilicones and polyesters, and new polymers made by these methods.
1. A polyorganosilicone of the formula:
wherein
each R′, independently is a hydroxy or alkoxy; each R″, independently is a hydrogen, alkyl, alkoxy, aryl, or aryloxy;
each x, independently, is an integral of 1 to 10;
y is an integral of 1 to 1,000;
n is an integral of 1 to 10,000;
A is O or NH; and
B is alkylene, arylene, or oxaalkylene.
2. A polyorganosilicone of claim 1 , wherein x is ten; y is 1000; and n is 10000.
3. A method of synthesizing a polyorganosilicone polymer of claim 1 , the method comprising:
mixing linear or cyclic monomers, oligomers, macromers, or a combination thereof to form a monomer mixture;
adding a lipase, esterase, or protease to the monomer mixture to form a reaction mixture; and
reacting the reaction mixture for a time and under polymerizing conditions suitable to obtain the polyorganosilicone polymer.
4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising mixing the polymer with a fire-retardant.
5. A method of retarding fire, the method comprising using the polyorganosilicone polymer of claim 1 as a fire-retardant.
6. A method of controlled drug delivery, the method comprising using the polyorganosilicone polymer of claim 1 as a carrier for controlled drug delivery.
7. A method of delivering bio-implants, the method comprising using the polyorganosilicone polymer of claim 1 as a carrier for bio-implants.
8. A method of tissue engineering, the method comprising using the polyorganosilicone polymer of claim 1 as a biodegradable matrix for tissue engineering.
9. A packaging material comprising the polyorganosilicone polymer of claim 1 .
10. A thermal insulator comprising the polyorganosilicone polymer of claim 1 .
11. An antioxidant agent comprising the polyorganosilicone polymer of claim 1 , and free phenolic groups.
12. A photovoltaic device comprising a polyorganosilicone polymer of claim 1 , and conjugated polymers.
13. A biosensor device comprising a polyorganosilicone polymer of claim 1 , and conjugated polymers.
14. A composition or structure comprising a polyorganosilicone of the formula:
wherein
each R′, independently is a hydroxy or alkoxy; each R″, independently is a hydrogen, alkyl, alkoxy, aryl, or aryloxy;
each x, independently, is an integral of 1 to 10;
y is an integral of 1 to 1,000;
n is an integral of 1 to 10,000;
A is O or NH; and
B is alkylene, arylene, or oxaalkylene.
15. The composition of claim 14 , further comprising a fire retardant.
16. A method of retarding fire, the method comprising using the composition or structure of claim 15 as a fire-retardant.