Nanoclays for Lipase Immobilization: Biocatalyst Characterization and Activity in Polyester Synthesis

• Published in: Polymers
• Main Authors: Hale Öztürk, Eric Pollet, Vincent Phalip, Yüksel Güvenilir, Luc Avérous
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute 2016
• Subjects: Candida antarctica lipase B; immobilization; sepiolite; montmorillonite; organoclay; ε-caprolactone polymerization; Antarc*; Antarctica
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.3390/polym8120416

The immobilization of Candida antarctica lipase B (CALB) was performed by physical adsorption on both neat and organo-modified forms of sepiolite and montmorillonite. The influence of different parameters, e.g., solvent, enzyme loading, cross-linking, and type of clay support, on immobilization efficiency and catalyst hydrolytic activity has been investigated. The highest hydrolytic activities were obtained for CALB immobilized on organo-modified clay minerals, highlighting the beneficial effect of organo-modification. The esterification activity of these CALB/organoclay catalysts was also tested in the ring-opening polymerization of ε-caprolactone. The polymerization kinetics observed for clay-immobilized catalysts confirmed that CALB adsorbed on organo-modified montmorillonite (CALB/MMTMOD) was the highest-performing catalytic system.