Bioprocessing of Harvested Plant Materials for Extraction of Biopolymers and Related Materials and Methods

• US 20150376434A1
• Filed: 02/14/2014
• Published: 12/31/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ohio State Innovation Foundation (Ohio State University)
• Original Assignee: Ohio State Innovation Foundation (Ohio State University)
• Inventors: Cornish, Katrina
• Granted Patent: US 9,873,813 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B26F 3/00 Severing by means other than cutting; Apparatus therefor severing by grinding B24B27/06
• CPC Class Codes: C09D 107/02 Latex
• CPC Class Codes: F26B 1/00 Preliminary treatment of solid materials or objects to facilitate drying , e.g. mixing or backmixing the materials to be dried with predominantly dry solids F26B5/005 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F26B 2200/02 Biomass, e.g. waste vegetative matter, straw
• CPC Class Codes: F26B 5/065 the product to be freeze-dried being sprayed, dispersed or pulverised

Abstract

Methods are provided for rapid and efficient removal and separation of leaves and bark from harvested plant material for use in extraction and purification of plant products, and in particular, the removal of leaves and bark from Guayule for the extraction of latex for use in latex and rubber products.

Claims

1. A method of separating leaves from branches of harvested plant material comprising:

a) contacting at least a portion of harvested plant material having a leaves and branches with at least one cryogenic liquid for at least an amount of time sufficient to produce embrittled leaves;

b) applying a force to the plant material sufficient to fracture the embrittled leaves and produce fractured leaves; and

c) separating the fractured leaves from the plurality of branches.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the amount of time is insufficient to embrittle the branches.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein in step c) the separating is by a method selected from the group consisting of:

agitation;

vibration;

air velocity force;

sonic wave force;

liquid separation;

filtration;

electrical force;

static electrical force;

density separation;

particle size separation;

screen separation;

sieve separation;

mesh separation; and

threshing.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein in step a) the harvested plant material is contacted with the cryogenic liquid for an amount of time selected from the group consisting of:

at least about 0.5 seconds to about 3 seconds;

at least about 0.5 seconds to about 2 seconds;

at least about 0.5 seconds to about 1.5 seconds;

at least about 0.5 seconds to about 1 second;

at least about 0.8 seconds.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the amount of time is sufficient to completely embrittle the plurality of branches to form embrittled branches.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the harvested plant material is contacted with the cryogenic liquid for an amount of time selected from the group consisting of:

greater than 3 seconds;

greater than 4 seconds;

greater than 5 seconds;

greater than 6 seconds;

greater than 7 seconds;

greater than 8 seconds;

greater than 8 seconds; and

greater than 10 seconds.

8. The method of claim 1, which further comprises:

step d) rapidly defrosting the embrittled branches.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein defrosting is achieved within a time period from the beginning of contact with the cryogenic liquid selected from the group consisting of:

no longer than 11 seconds;

no longer than 10 seconds;

no longer than 9 seconds;

no longer than 8 seconds;

no longer than 7 seconds;

no longer than 6 seconds;

no longer than 5 seconds;

no longer than 4 seconds.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein in step d) the cryogenic liquid is at least one cryogenic liquid selected from the group consisting of:

liquid nitrogen and/or liquid nitrogen vapor;

liquid helium and/or liquid helium vapor;

liquid neon and/or liquid neon vapor;

liquid argon and/or liquid argon vapor; and

liquid krypton and/or liquid krypton vapor;

liquid hydrogen and/or liquid hydrogen vapor;

liquid methane and/or liquid methane vapor;

liquefied natural gas and/or liquefied natural gas vapor.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein in step a) contacting is achieved by at least one method selected from the group consisting of:

spraying;

dipping;

pouring; and

exposing.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein in step a) contacting is achieved in a vessel selected from the group consisting of:

open vat;

closed vat;

bucket;

open chamber;

closed chamber;

package;

box; and

bag.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein in step b) applying a force is via at least one means selected from the group consisting of:

one or more roller assemblies;

one or more flat objects; and

one or more plates.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the method is performed in a continuous process on a conveyor system.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the harvested plant material is selected from group consisting of:

Guayule;

rabbitbrush;

Taraxacum kok-saghyz; and

a rubber-producing plant.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the method reduces and/or eliminates coagulation of latex in the Guayule plant.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the harvested plant material includes leaves, branches and bark:

wherein step a) includes contacting the harvested plant material having the plurality of leaves, the plurality of bark, and the plurality of woody cores, with the cryogenic liquid for an amount of time sufficient to embrittle the plurality of leaves and the plurality of bark;

wherein step b) includes applying a compression or mechanical force to the harvested plant material of step a) sufficient to fracture the plurality of leaves and the plurality of bark, but not the plurality of woody cores, to form leaf particles, bark particles, and woody cores; and

wherein step c) includes separating the leaf particles and the bark particles of step b) from the woody cores.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein harvested material is from a Guayule plant, the method further comprising:

in step c) separating the leaf particles from the branches;

d) collecting the branches from step c);

e) grinding the collected branches of step d) to form a homogenate;

f) combining the homogenate with at least one solvent to extract a plurality of latex from the homogenate of step e) to form extracted latex;

g) purifying the extracted latex; and

h) producing a natural rubber latex; and

optionally using the natural rubber latex of step h) for thin film applications.

22. The method claim 20, wherein harvested material is from a Guayule plant, the method further comprising:

in step c) separating the leaf particles from the branches;

d) collecting the branches from step c);

e) contacting the branches having the plurality of bark and the plurality of woody cores with at least one cryogenic liquid for a period of time sufficient to embrittle the plurality of bark;

f) applying a compression or mechanical force to the branches to fracture the plurality of bark from the plurality of woody cores to form bark particles and woddy core particles;

g) separating the bark particles from the woody cores particles;

h) collecting the bark particles;

i) comminuting the bark particles to a form a bagasse;

j) combining the bagasse with the at least one solvent to extract a plurality of latex from the homogenate to form extracted latex;

k) purifying the extracted latex; and

l) producing natural rubber latex; and

optionally using the natural rubber latex of step h) for thin film applications.

28. The method of claim 1, wherein the harvested plant is not dehydrated prior to contacting with the cryogenic liquid.

29. The method of claim 1, wherein the harvested plant is hydrated prior to contacting with the cryogenic liquid.

5. (canceled)

11. (canceled)

17. (canceled)

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27. (canceled)