Aqueous polymer two-phase systems formed by new thermoseparating polymers

Area of Science:

• Polymer Chemistry
• Bioseparations
• Materials Science

Background:

• Traditional aqueous two-phase systems (ATPS) often use poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) and dextran.
• Recycling these polymers can be costly and inefficient for large-scale applications.
• Developing novel phase-forming polymers is crucial for advancing bioseparation technologies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce novel thermoseparating polymers as alternatives in ATPS.
• To investigate the potential for simplified polymer recycling and cost reduction.
• To explore pH-tunable protein partitioning using functionalized polymers.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis and characterization of various thermoseparating polymers including EO-PO copolymers, poly-NIPAM, poly-VCL, and their copolymers with vinyl imidazole (VI).
• Determination of phase diagrams for selected polymer systems, such as poly(NIPAM-VI)/HM-(EO-PO).
• Evaluation of model protein (lysozyme, BSA) partitioning behavior in response to temperature and pH changes.

Main Results:

• Thermoseparating polymers demonstrated efficient phase formation upon heating above critical temperatures.
• The copolymer poly(NIPAM-VI) exhibited tunable charge properties with pH, enabling pH-driven protein partitioning.
• Significant changes in partition coefficients were observed for BSA by altering pH in the poly(NIPAM-VI)/HM-(EO-PO) system, leading to high recovery rates.

Conclusions:

• Thermoseparating polymers provide a cost-effective and scalable alternative for ATPS.
• The pH-responsive poly(NIPAM-VI) copolymer allows for controlled protein separation without salt additives.
• These novel polymers and systems show great promise for efficient bioproduction and purification processes.