Química Nova (Jan 2014)

Aplicações de enzimas na síntese e na modificação de polímeros

  • Marcos de Campos Cavalcanti de Albuquerque,
  • Claudia Maria Soares Ribeiro,
  • Carlos René Klotz Rabelo,
  • Bernardo Galvão Siqueira,
  • Ana Beatriz Abreu Santa Marinha,
  • Aline Machado de Castro

DOI
https://doi.org/10.5935/0100-4042.20140113
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 37, no. 4
pp. 699 – 708

Abstract

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Enzymes are biological catalysts that offer great potential for use in the synthesis and modification of polymers, being more specific and greener than chemical catalysts. In this work, enzymes from the classes of hydrolases (lipase, cutinase and protease) and of oxidoreductases (horseradish peroxidase, manganese peroxidase and laccase) were identified as the main biocatalysts responsible for the synthesis of polymers. Biocatalysis can potentially be part of the life cycle of several polymers, including polyesters, polyurethanes, polycarbonates, polyamides, functionalized polysaccharides and polystyrene, allowing the synthesis of specialty macromolecules for fine applications and with higher added-value than commodity polymers.

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