PHB

Many microorganisms are able to produce polyhydroxybutyrate as a storage material. This natural, biodegradable polyester can replace fossil polymers in some applications, but is not equivalent to them in all properties. Through strain engineering or synthesis of the chiral building blocks for chemical polymerisation, we are developing new PHB variants with tailored properties for broader applications. For a cost-effective production of these polymers, we use the possibility of accumulating the PHB in cells from highly diluted biogenic waste streams and feed these into a material use.