Research Results
Dec 18, 2024
- Press Release
- Research Paper
A press release announcing the research findings of Grad. Student Kyousuke Yamada, and Prof. Yutaka Amao has been issued.
An artificial photosynthesis technology for producing biodegradable nylon from biomass-derived compounds and ammonia has been developed.
Key points of this study
- By focusing on the chemical structure of biodegradable plastic raw materials, we selected amino acids with similar structures as raw materials for biodegradable nylon.
- We successfully synthesized a precursor* of biodegradable nylon using solar energy.
*Precursor: A substance that precedes another in a reaction or series of reactions.
Summary
Biodegradable plastics made from biomass-derived compounds are attracting attention as alternatives to conventional plastics synthesized from fossil fuels. Similarly, nylon, used in products such as umbrellas, fishing lines, and sportswear, is also produced from fossil fuels and does not biodegrade in nature, leading to environmental pollution. Therefore, there is a demand for alternative materials.
Professor Yutaka Amao (Research Center for Artificial Photosynthesis) and graduate student Kyosuke Yamada, a first-year Master's student in the Department of Chemistry at the Graduate School of Science, have developed an artificial photosynthesis technology to synthesize a biodegradable nylon precursor using biomass-derived compounds and ammonia. By focusing on the chemical structure of biodegradable plastic raw materials, they selected amino acids with similar structures as raw materials for nylon-type biodegradable plastics. Furthermore, they have succeeded in synthesizing this precursor using solar energy.
This research has been published online in the journal Sustainable Energy & Fuels of the Royal Society of Chemistry on November 12, 2024.
By introducing a biocatalyst for amino acid production into a photoredox system, we have succeeded in synthesizing a biodegradable nylon precursor from biomass-derived compounds. Although the experiments were a series of painstaking efforts, we are delighted to have achieved these results. We hope that this research will contribute to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and solving environmental pollution.
Graduate Student Kyousuke Yamada
Publication Information
| Publications: | Sustainable Energy & Fuels |
|---|---|
| Title of Paper: | A photo/biocatalytic system for visible-light driven L-alanine production from ammonia and pyruvate |
| Author: | Kyosuke Yamada, Yutaka Amao |
| URL: | https://doi.org/10.1039/D4SE01215A |
Funding information
A part of this study was supported by Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research (KAKENHI) on Innovative Areas (23H05404) and Scientific Research (B) (22H01872, 22H01871) from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS), and by a grant from the Brewing Society of Japan (G-2023-3-050).
⇒All Press Release (PDF:1.0MB)
Inquiries about research
Research Center for Artificial Photosynthesis, Osaka Metropolitan University
Professor: Yutaka Amao
TEL: 06-6605-3726
E-mail: amao[at]omu.ac.jp (Change [at] to @)
Inquiries about the press
Osaka Metropolitan University Public Relations Division
Person in charge: Tani
TEL: 06-6605-3411
E-mail: koho-list[at]ml.omu.ac.jp (Change [at] to @)
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