Biodegradable poly(lactate-amino acid) polymer for cationic polymer templates
Developing a biodegradable poly(lactate-amino acid) polymer as a template for cationic polymers, offering properties like post-polymerization functionalization and ease of degradation. Ideal for applications requiring biodegradable and customizable materials.
Overview
GlycoSurf, Inc. is innovating in the field of biodegradable polymers with its development of a poly(lactate-amino acid) copolymer. This technology leverages the copolymerization of lactide and serine β-lactone derivatives to create a biodegradable template for cationic polymers. This polymer is designed to maintain biodegradability while offering a biomolecular handle for amine quaternization. It serves as a versatile platform, allowing for various post-polymerization modifications to tailor properties and functionality according to specific application needs.
Technical specifications
- Biodegradable composition: Utilizes lactide and serine, both of which are naturally biodegradable.
- Versatile functionalization: Capable of post-polymerization modifications, enhancing its adaptability for different uses.
- Degradable ester linkages: Facilitates easier breakdown of the polymer, promoting environmental sustainability.
- Optimization potential: Allows variation in monomer equivalents and additional comonomers to fine-tune properties and performance.
- Validation methods: Employs LC-MS and NMR for compound verification and structural validation during synthesis and scaling phases.
Technology readiness level
This technology is currently at TRL 2, with feasibility analysis completed and preliminary synthetic routes designed. GlycoSurf is progressing through small-scale synthesis and optimization, aiming for scale-up and further validation with potential partners like P&G.
About GlycoSurf, Inc
GlycoSurf, Inc. is a chemical manufacturing company founded in 2013 that specializes in the production of high-purity, eco-friendly glycolipid biosurfactants. Based on technology developed at the University of Arizona, the company utilizes a proprietary synthetic manufacturing process to produce biodegradable, non-toxic, and tailorable surfactant molecules, including rhamnolipids, rhamnosides, xylolipids, and galactolipids. Unlike traditional biosynthetic methods that rely on bacterial fermentation, GlycoSurf’s synthetic approach allows for greater scalability, lower costs, and consistent purity levels exceeding 95%. Their products are designed to be chemically tailored to meet specific application requirements, providing a sustainable, high-performance alternative to traditional surfactants.
The company's surfactants serve a diverse range of industries, including personal care and cosmetics, agriculture, industrial and medical device cleaning, and high-tech sectors such as oilfield chemicals and metals recovery. By offering renewable, bio-based alternatives, GlycoSurf helps formulators improve efficiency and meet sustainability goals without compromising on performance. The company has demonstrated its commitment to quality through ISO 9001:2015 certification and maintains a robust research and production capability based in Salt Lake City, Utah, supported by funding from Tech Launch Arizona and other sources. Their molecules are utilized in applications requiring effective wetting, cleaning, emulsification, and biofilm disruption, solving key performance and environmental challenges for global customers and partners.
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