Smart reactors – Surface enhancement for enzyme immobilization on additively manufactured packings

Journal
Chemie - Ingenieur - Technik  
Volume
92
Issue
9
Start Page
1223
End Page
1223
Citation
Chemie Ingenieur Technik 92 (9): 1223-1223 (2020-08-28)
Contribution to Conference
10. ProcessNet‐Jahrestagung (2020)
34. DECHEMA‐Jahrestagung der Biotechnologen (2020)
Publisher DOI
10.1002/cite.202055446
Industry 4.0 is proceeding with one of themain technologies being additive manufacturing. This process enables fast andeconomic design of tailor-made structures. For implementation of additively manufactured structures in biocatalytic packed-bed reactors, a packing was designed topromote enhanced heat and mass transferto intensify the process. Still, these packings bear the challenge of low surface area,hence usage as a catalyst carrier is limitedso far. In order to overcome this bottleneck, re-sponsive polymers are investigated as surface enhancers. Surface enlargement is targeted by fixation of polymer brushes. Subsequently, enzymes are immobilizedon these polymers. Besides enlargement,the application of smart polymers intro-duces stimuli responsive behavior – coil-globule transition – as indicated in thefigure. Depending on the polymer, differ-ent triggers are possible, e.g., temperature, pH or substrate/product concentrations. Thus, autonomous process control byregulating the enzymes accessibility isprospective.