MatSciCon2023: Natural photosynthesis teaches us about the conversion of CO2 into raw materials for plastic.
Malate dehydrogenase and fumarase were used as biocatalysts in the effective synthesis of fumarate (fumaric acid), a component of unsaturated polyester resin , by mixing carbon dioxide (CO2) with pyruvate (obtained from biomass). Currently, petroleum is used to create fumarate, which is utilised to create biodegradable plastic like polybutylene succinate. But thanks to this research, fumarate may now be produced using only CO2 and pyruvate from biomass instead of petroleum. Natural photosynthesis occurs in plants and involves the binding of carbon dioxide (CO2) to organic substances that can later be transformed into glucose or starch. Sequestering these beneficial molecules allows for the storage of carbon in solid form. Artificial photosynthesis imitates this process by lowering the greenhouse gas CO2, which is transformed into other beneficial compounds and is the primary driver of climate change. Fumarate was produced by Osaka Metropolitan University researchers utilising ...