The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Sep. 30, 2025
Filed:
May. 27, 2022
Kimberly-clark Worldwide, Inc., Neenah, WI (US);
Stephen Quirk, Alpharetta, GA (US);
Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc., Neenah, WI (US);
Abstract
A bioreactor and process are disclosed for forming polyhydroxybutyrate directly from depolymerized polyhydroxybutyrate. In two bioreactor vessels, a microorganism product, such as one or more enzymes, are combined with the polyhydroxybutyrate-containing post-consumer product materials. The microorganism can naturally secrete the one or more enzymes or can be genetically modified to secrete the enzyme. The combination of enzymes is designed to facilitate a metabolic pathway that can depolymerize PHB, convert the resulting hydroxybutyrate to hydroxybutyryl-CoA, and in turn polymerize it into PHB. Namely, a solution for the recycling of polyhydroxybutyrate to hydroxybutyrate and back to polyhydroxybutyrate.