Engineered C. tropicalis stains were used to produce w-hydroxyfatty acids (w-HOFAs) with different chain lengths.  The maximum productivity is 2 g/L/h, 0.48 g/L/h, and 1 g/L/h for w-hydroxymyristic acid (w-HOC14), w-hydroxypalmitic acid (w-HOC16), and w-hydroxyoleic acid (w-HOC18:1), respectively.  w-HOFAs are excreted by the organism and selectively precipitated from the fermentation broth by a pH shift. Poly(w-HOFAs) are synthesized by polycondensation of w-HOFA monomers using titanium isopropoxide as catalyst.  Molecular weights of poly(w-HOFAs) with differing chain length repeat units were all = 140K.  Their melting and crystallization temperatures increased from 97 to 102 oC and 68 to 78 �C, respectively.  Tensile test results show that values of Young's moduli, stress at break and stress at yield range from 377 to 447 MPa, 15.1 to 17.9, and 17.6 to 19.4 MPa, respectively.  Polymer films were found to be readily compostable.

Next generation bioplastics from w-hydroxyfatty acids: Synthesis, physico-mechanical properties, and biodegradation

244th National Meeting (2012)

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