Due to their remarkable selectivity and catalytic efficiency under mild conditions, enzymes are an attractive and sustainable alternative to toxic catalysts used in the polycondensation of functional monomers. Biocatalysis results in a high-quality polymer due to enzyme high enantio, chemo- and regioselectivity and to consequent restriction of side reactions. Furthermore, enzyme’s removal from the polymers is not stringent, something especially important for biomedical applications where organometallic catalysts based on Ti, Zn, Al, Sn or Ge should be completely removed in the case of chemical catalysis.

PolymeReEng group aims to investigate enzymatic polymerization techniques for the production of polycondensates, considering scaling-up potential. The enzymatically-synthesized prepolymers are upgraded in terms of molecular weight and thermal properties via adequate finishing steps, such as solid state polymerization (SSP). Different polyesters eg PE 812, PE 814 and PBS, as well as furan-based polyesters are being prepared by PolymeReEng group via studying and tuning polymerization parameters, such as reaction temperature, time, monomer and enzyme type. At the same time, enzymatic depolymerization in the perspective of biochemical recycling is also a current field of interest.

Indicative References

• Nikolaivits Ε, Taxeidis G, Gkountela C, Vouyiouka S, Maslak V, Nikodinovic-Runic J, Topakas E. A polyesterase from the Antarctic bacterium Moraxella sp. degrades highly crystalline synthetic polymers. J Hazard Mater. 2022; 434: 128900, doi.
• Gkountela Chr, Vouyiouka S. Enzymatic polymerization as a green approach to synthesizing bio-based polyesters. Macromol (Invited) 2022;2:30-57, doi.
• Gkountela Chr, Rigopoulou M, Barampouti E-M, Vouyiouka S. Enzymatic prepolymerization combined with bulk post-polymerization towards the production of biobased polyesters: the case of poly(butylene succinate). Europ Polym J. 2021; 143(15): 110197, doi.
• Douka A, Vouyiouka S, Papaspyridi L-M, Papaspyrides C. A review on enzymatic polymerization to produce polycondensation polymers: the case of aliphatic polyesters, polyamides and polyesteramides. Prog. Polym. Sci. 2018; 79:1-25, doi.
• Kanelli M, Douka A, Vouyiouka S, Papaspyrides C, Topakas E, L.-M. Papaspyridi L.-M, Christakopoulos P. Production of biodegradable polyesters via enzymatic polymerization and solid state finishing. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2014;131(19), doi.

On-going PhD

Gkountela Christina. Development of environmentally friendly polymerization processes. April 2019-today

On-going Funded Project

BioICEP. Bio innovation of a circular economy for plastics. Horizon 2020, 2020-2024 (GA 870292). Visit the Project Site.