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Michael Allen

11-11-11

TX ASM Fall Meeting

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  Intro to Biotechnology 1.0

◦ What’s new in v2.0? 

What is a composite?

Our preliminary efforts in “Green” Composites 

Future Directions

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What is a composite? A product made of two or more

materials Typically fibrous material in

epoxy matrix

Ex: fiberglass

strong, nonflammable

Growing demand for “green”

products with improvedproperties

Lighter weight, biodegradable

car parts, building panels

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  Replace : mineral/synthetic fibers

and epoxy

With : natural fibers andbiodegradable plastic resins◦ Plant fibers, PLA, PHA’s 

Ultimate Goal not just greensubstitutes, but superiorperformance

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Numerous plant sources◦ Hemp, Cotton, Jute, Linen, Kenaf 

Different properties, but lots

of natural variation◦ Within the species, the field, the

plant

Complicates processing,engineering of product

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Kenaf Stalk in Cross Section Ayre et al.

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Annual (in our climate)

Time to harvest ~140

days Harvested with std

equipment

Decorticating (strippingbark)

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Property  Cotton  Kenaf  GlassFiber Wall

Material  Cellulose  Lig-cel  - Tensile

Strength

(MPa) 330-585  930  1800 

Density  1.5-1.54  1.5  2.5 Modulus

(GPa)  4.5-12.6  53  69-73 Maximum

Strain  7-8%  1.6%  2.5-3% SpecificStiffness  0.85  3.6  2.98 

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Retting: partial-degradation using indigenousmicrobes (traditionally)◦ Wet (ponds) or dry (in field) depending on plant

Digestion of pectins, hemicellulases, releaselignocellulosic fibers

Alternative Retting Methods◦ Enzymatic (expensive)

◦ Chemical (E.g. NaOH; cheap but destructive)

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NaOH Pectinase Natural Flora

*Microbially retted fibers haveincreased porosity

*Produce composites withsuperior damping, viscoelastic

properties

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Enrichments withpectin◦ From retting

solutions

Several Isolates◦ Aerobic

Bacillus spp.

Paenibacillus  sp.◦ Anaerobic

Clostridium sp.

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Using isolates, can we speed up process orincrease uniformity?

So far: No and Yes

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D1 D2 D3 D4

?

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Performed 16S rDNAcommunity analysis

Universal PrimersTargeting variableregion 5

Sequencing on IonTorrent platform

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PRELIMINARY!

http://mg.bio.titech.ac.jp/vitcomic

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0

500

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Where are theBacillus spp.?Paenibacillus ?

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Do previous pectinolytic isolates establishthemselves during “natural” retting? 

How does the community respond?

Can these data be applied to target newisolates?

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Customized fiber properties◦ Do different strains produce fibers with altered

properties?

Co-production during retting◦ Organic acids

◦ Ethanol

◦ Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA)

Final Product Biodegradation

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Students• David Visi

• Nok Prombutara

• Stephanie Simon

•

Ugoo Anieto• Leslie Perry

• Sarah Martínez

• Brittany Kiehler

Collaborators◦ UNT

◦ Nandika D’Souza 

◦ Brian Ayre

◦ USDA

◦ Charles Webber

Charn Uswachoke International

Development Fund

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