SmartCoupling

Winner of the 2024 call for projects.

SmartCoupling aims to combine enzymes and chemistry to create sustainable and tailored tools for lignocellulosic biomass (LCB) fractionation and conversion into functionalized building blocks. SmartCoupling will concentrate on lytic polysaccharide monooxygenases (LPMOs) as oxidative enzymes, and the application of expansins to selectively disrupt the fiber structure.

The ambition of SmartCoupling is to couple enzymes and chemistry to obtain functionalized cellulose nanofibers with specific properties (such as colloidal stability, hydrophobicity, adhesion, or absorbency); as well as innovative building blocks like oxidized oligomers, through sustainable LCB transformation pathways.

SmartCoupling comprises exploratory research on the action of enzymes (LPMOs, expansins) on the insoluble fiber, and the impact of LCB structure and composition on the protein activity. Controlled disruption of the fiber can be seen as a pretreatment for subsequent enzyme or chemical reactions. As such, the project includes research on the oxidative action of LPMOs and the coupling to chemical grafting (i.e. organic acids), with two main aims:

• To introduce surface negative charge on the fiber surface to facilitate fibrillation.
• To tune sef-assembly properties of oxidized oligomers.

SmartCoupling is built with 4 work areas:

• To multiscale characterize lignocellulosic biomass to obtain a deep knowledge on the biomass characteristics taking into account the diversity and variability.
• To understand the action of enzymes on complex LCB substrates.
• To propose robust and flexible tools for biomass conversion and functionalization, by coupling enzymes, chemistry and physical treatments to boost biomass conversion.
• To link key structural patters of LCB, conversion route and final properties to produce materials from LCB with tailored properties for further applications.

SmartCoupling will bring further insight into the relationship between structure, properties, reactivity and functionalization. Indeed, understanding the key parameters of LCB conversion will allow exploiting other types of biomass (invasive plants, agricultural waste, furniture waste…), and proposing routes for recycling and/or biodegradation.

In the long term, the project will develop tailored processes of LCB transformation to obtain functionalized LCB and building blocks (monomers, oligomers) for specific applications in materials (packaging, composites, building, transport, textile), energy (biofuels) as well as in high added value applications (pharmacology, medicine). SmartCoupling will therefore contribute to circularity and zero-waste goals, and will reduce dependence on non-renewable fossil-based resources. SmartCoupling will lead to sustainable, flexible, responsive and resilient LCB exploitation.
 

Project lifetime:
 

2024 - 2028

Scientific manager:
 

Ana Villares (INRAE)