EP0533144A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Copolymer and method for production thereof
Assignee: Kanegafuchi Chemical Industry Co Ltd
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Filing: 1992-09-16
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2012-09-16
Abstract
Abstract The present invention is directed to a copolymer containing a 3-hydroxybutyrate (3HB) unit and a 3-hydroxyhexanoate (3HHx) unit, a three-component copolymer containing at least a 3-hydroxybutyrate (3HB) unit and a 3-hydroxyhexanoate (3HHx) unit, and a four-component copolymer containing at least a 3-hydroxybutyrate (3HB) unit and a 3-hydroxyhexanoate (3HHx) unit. The use of a microorganism of the genus Aeromonas according to the present invention makes it possible to produce a wide variety of plastic materials ranging from rigid plastics to elastic plastics by selecting copolymer components and adjusting their composition.
Inventors
- 👤 Takeshi Shiotani
- 👤 Genta Kobayashi
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 14:49
CPC Classifications
C; C12; C12N; C12N1/00; C12N1/20; C12N1/205; C08; C08G; C08G63/00; C08G63/02; C08G63/06; C12P; C12P7/00; C12P7/62; C12P7/625; C12R; C12R2001/00; C12R2001/01; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S435/00; Y10S435/8215; Y10S435/822; Y10S435/828
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
12 words
A copolymer containing a 3-hydroxybutyrate (3HB) unit and a 3-hydroxyhexanoate (3HHx) unit.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
15 words
A three-component copolymer containing at least a 3-hydroxybutyrate (3HB) unit and a 3-hydroxyhexanoate (3HHx) unit.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
15 words
A four-component copolymer containing at least a 3-hydroxybutyrate (3HB) unit and a 3-hydroxyhexanoate (3HHx) unit.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
29 words
The copolymer according to claim 1, wherein said copolymer contains 50 mol% to 98 mol% of 3-hydroxybutyrate (3HB) units and 50 mol% to 2 mol% of 3-hydroxyhexanoate (3HHx) units.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
31 words
The copolymer according to claim 2, wherein said copolymer contains as a third component one unit selected from a 4-hydroxybutyrate (4HB) unit, a 3-hydroxyvalerate (3HV) unit and/or a 3-hydroxypropionate (3HP) unit.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
33 words
The copolymer according to claim 3, wherein said copolymer contains as third and fourth components two units selected from a 4-hydroxybutyrate (4HB) unit, a 3-hydroxyvalerate (3HV) unit and /or a 3-hydroxypropionate (3HP) unit.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
15 words
Aeromonas caviae capable of synthesizing a copolymer according to any of claims 1 to 6.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
9 words
The FA-440 strain of Aeromonas caviae (FERM BP 3432).
Claim 9
Independent Claim
76 words
A method for production of a copolymer containing a 3-hydroxybutyrate (3HB) unit and a 3-hydroxyhexanoate (3HHx) unit, which comprises: culturing a microorganism of the genus Aeromonas in a culture medium with limitation of nutrients except for carbon sources, using as carbon sources a fatty acid having an even number of not less than 6 carbon atoms, a lower alcohol ester thereof or a naturally occurring oil or fat; and recovering the copolymer from the cell cultured.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
87 words
A method for production of a copolymer containing at least one unit selected from the group consisting of a 3-hydroxypropionate (3HP) unit, a 3-hydroxyvalerate (3HV) unit and a 4-hydroxybutyrate (4HB) unit, which comprises: culturing a microorganism of the genus Aeromonas in a culture medium with limitation of nutrients except for carbon sources, using as carbon sources 5-chlorovaleric acid or propionic acid, a fatty acid having an odd number of not less than 5 carbon atoms, 4-hydroxybutyric acid or γ-butyrolactone; and recovering the copolymer from the cell cultured.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
138 words
A method for production of a three-component copolymer containing a 3-hydroxybutyrate (3HB) unit, a 3-hydroxyhexanoate (3HHx) unit and one unit selected from 1) a 3-hydroxypropionate (3HP) unit, 2) a 3-hydroxyvalerate (3HV) unit and/or 3) a 4-hydroxybutyrate (4HB) unit, which units correspond to the following respective carbon sources, which comprises: culturing a microorganism of the genus Aeromonas in a culture medium with limitation of nutrients except for carbon sources, using as carbon sources a fatty acid having an even number of not less than 6 carbon atoms, a lower alcohol ester thereof or a naturally occurring oil or fat, and one kind selected from 1) 5-chlorovaleric acid or propionic acid, 2) a fatty acid having an odd number of not less than 5 carbon atoms and/or 3) 4-hydroxybutyric acid or γ-butyrolactone; and recovering the copolymer from the cell cultured.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
137 words
A method for production of a four-component copolymer containing a 3-hydroxybutyrate (3HB) unit, a 3-hydroxyhexanoate (3HHx) unit and two units selected from 1) a 3-hydroxypropionate (3HP) unit, 2) a 3-hydroxyvalerate (3HV) unit and/or 3) a 4-hydroxybutyrate (4HB) unit, which units correspond to the following respective carbon sources, which comprises: culturing a microorganism of the genus Aeromonas in culture medium with limitation of nutrients except for carbon sources, using as carbon sources a fatty acid having an even number of not less than 6 carbon atoms, a lower alcohol ester thereof or a naturally occurring oil or fat, and two kinds selected from 1) 5-chlorovaleric acid or propionic acid, 2) a fatty acid having an odd number of not less than 5 carbon atoms and/or 3) 4-hydroxybutyric acid or γ-butyrolactone; and recovering the copolymer from the cell cultured.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
41 words
The method according to claim 9, 11 or 12 wherein said naturally occurring oil or fat is corn oil, soybean oil, safflower oil, sunflower oil, olive oil, coconut oil, palm oil, rapeseed oil, fish oil, whale oil, lard and/or beef tallow.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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