'Multi-user equipment approved in grant 2021/07023-2: Universal Test Machine

• Grant number: 22/04529-5
• Support Opportunities: Multi-user Equipment Program
• Start date: July 01, 2022
• End date: June 30, 2029
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Biochemistry - Enzymology
• Principal Investigator: Valdeir Arantes
• Grantee: Valdeir Arantes
• Host Institution: Escola de Engenharia de Lorena (EEL). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Lorena , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 21/07023-2 - Development of an enzyme-based platform technology for production and modulation of nanocellulose: validation for biomedical and food packaging applications, AP.JP2

Abstract

The various unique properties of nanocelluloses make them very attractive renewable building blocks for a broad spectrum of industrial and consumer applications. However, their commercialization has been slow due to the still high production costs and to the lack of commercial availability, at low cost, of nanocelluloses with different sets of properties, even within the same type of nanocelulose, a requisite to reach optimum performance in different applications. This project aims build on the fundamental scientific knowledge and the patent pending enzyme-based technologies created as a result of the previous Young Investigator Grant, to develop an innovative, viable, robust, and scalable enzyme-based platform technology that enables manufacturing of nanocelluloses at various grades, suitable for achieving optimal performance in a variety application. Initially, research efforts will be focused to establish a correlation between enzyme's mode action/properties with the properties of produced nanocelluloses, which will allow better exploitation of the specificity of the enzymes and the unique process' mild reaction conditions to improve process efficiency and to efficiently yield nanocelluloses with custom-made properties. Further customization of nanocellulose properties will be through green posttreatments to biograft molecules of renewable origin to allow green production of hydrophobic nanocelluloses and nanocelluloses with antimicrobial and UV protection properties, which are properties highly desired for numerous applications. These custom-made nanocelluloses will be used to develop innovative nanocellulose-based materials using 3D printing for biomedical applications (wound dressings and transdermal drug delivery system) and food packing (active packaging). In addition, data produced from the scaling up step will be used for economic and environmental assessments. (AU)