Colloidal dispersions of poly alpha-1,3-glucan based polymers
A colloidal dispersion is disclosed comprising poly alpha-1,3-glucan or poly alpha-1,3-1,6-glucan and a solvent. The colloidal dispersion has utility in various applications, including food, oil field, pharmaceutical, personal care and specialty industries.
1. A process of preparing a colloidal dispersion, said process comprising:
(a) providing an aqueous reaction solution comprising sucrose and a glucosyltransferase that synthesizes poly alpha-1,3-glucan, wherein a slurry containing poly alpha-1,3-glucan is produced, and at least 90% of the glycosidic linkages of the poly alpha-1,3-glucan are alpha-1,3-glycosidic linkages;
(b) filtering the slurry to provide a wet cake of the poly alpha-1,3-glucan, wherein the poly alpha-1,3-glucan is not dried; and
(c) dispersing the wet cake to provide a colloidal dispersion comprising water and the poly alpha-1,3-glucan, wherein the poly alpha-1,3-glucan of the colloidal dispersion comprises particles with an average diameter of 5 nm to 200 nm.
2. The process of claim 1 , further comprising, between steps (b) and (c), washing the wet cake with water.
3. The process of claim 1 , wherein at least 95% of the glycosidic linkages of the poly alpha-1,3-glucan are alpha-1,3-glycosidic linkages.
4. The process of claim 3 , wherein at least 98% of the glycosidic linkages of the poly alpha-1,3-glucan are alpha-1,3-glycosidic linkages.
5. The process of claim 1 , wherein the wet cake contains 60 wt % to 80 wt % water.
6. The process of claim 1 , wherein the particles form aggregates with an average diameter of 10 nm to 200 μm.
7. The process of claim 1 , wherein the colloidal dispersion comprises 0.1 wt % to 15 wt % poly alpha-1,3-glucan.
8. The process of claim 1 , further comprising:
(d) preparing a personal care product, pharmaceutical product, food product, household product, or industrial product comprising the colloidal dispersion.
9. The process of claim 2 , further comprising:
(d) preparing a personal care product, pharmaceutical product, food product, household product, or industrial product comprising the colloidal dispersion.
10. The process of claim 3 , further comprising:
(d) preparing a personal care product, pharmaceutical product, food product, household product, or industrial product comprising the colloidal dispersion.
11. The process of claim 4 , further comprising:
(d) preparing a personal care product, pharmaceutical product, food product, household product, or industrial product comprising the colloidal dispersion.
12. The process of claim 1 , wherein the particles have an average diameter of 10 nm to 100 nm.
13. A process of preparing a colloidal dispersion, said process comprising:
(a) providing a wet cake of poly alpha-1,3-glucan that is not dried, wherein at least 90% of the glycosidic linkages of the poly alpha-1,3-glucan are alpha-1,3-glycosidic linkages, and wherein the poly alpha-1,3-glucan is a product of an aqueous reaction comprising sucrose and a glucosyltransferase that synthesizes poly alpha-1,3-glucan; and
(b) dispersing the wet cake to provide a colloidal dispersion comprising water and the poly alpha-1,3-glucan, wherein the poly alpha-1,3-glucan of the colloidal dispersion comprises particles with an average diameter of 5 nm to 200 nm.
14. The process of claim 13 , further comprising, between steps (a) and (b), washing the wet cake with water.
15. The process of claim 13 , wherein at least 95% of the glycosidic linkages of the poly alpha-1,3-glucan are alpha-1,3-glycosidic linkages.
16. The process of claim 15 , wherein at least 98% of the glycosidic linkages of the poly alpha-1,3-glucan are alpha-1,3-glycosidic linkages.
17. The process of claim 13 , wherein the wet cake contains 60 wt % to 80 wt % water.
18. The process of claim 13 , wherein the colloidal dispersion comprises 0.1 wt % to 15 wt % poly alpha-1,3-glucan.
19. The process of claim 13 , further comprising:
(c) preparing a personal care product, pharmaceutical product, food product, household product, or industrial product comprising the colloidal dispersion.
20. The process of claim 14 , further comprising:
(c) preparing a personal care product, pharmaceutical product, food product, household product, or industrial product comprising the colloidal dispersion.
21. The process of claim 13 , wherein the particles form aggregates with an average diameter of 10 nm to 200 μm.
22. The process of claim 15 , further comprising:
(c) preparing a personal care product, pharmaceutical product, food product, household product, or industrial product comprising the colloidal dispersion.
23. The process of claim 16 , further comprising:
(c) preparing a personal care product, pharmaceutical product, food product, household product, or industrial product comprising the colloidal dispersion.
24. The process of claim 13 , wherein the particles have an average diameter of 10 nm to 100 nm.