7. Feb 2022
Circular economy: Researchers show how synthetic rubber raw material can be degraded
Here you find the doctoral student’s profile of Vico Adjedje. He published results of his doctoral studies at Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg and shared the research more widely with a press release.
About the author:
- Vico Adjedje ORCHID ID, ResearchGate
- Research area(s): Polymer degradation, nano materials, colloid chemistry, enzymatic degradation
- Institute of Chemistry (link), MLU
Field(s) of expertise during doctoral studies:
- Surfactant-free emulsification methodologies
- Degradation fragment analysis
- Enzymatic and artificial-enzymatic catalysis
- Nanomaterial synthesis
Curriculum Vitae
- Doctoral studies in the group Macromolecular Chemistry of Prof. Dr. Wolfgang H. Binder at MLU
- Master’s in chemistry at Free University Berlin in 2018
- ERASMUS at Ecole Nationale Supérieur de Chemie Montpellier and internship at Ingéniere et Architectures Macromoléculaires in Montpellier in 2017
Challenges, rewards and contribution
Q: What was your most important contribution to the publication?
A: I was responsible for the establishment of the surfactant-free emulsification strategies for the synthetic as well as the natural polyisoprenes and the analysis of the so formed emulsions. Furthermore, I contributed to the characterization of the degradation fragments, the enzymatic degradation experiments and the conceptualization of the publication.
Q: What was challenging and what was a rewarding moment during your work presented in the publication?
A: The optimization of the degradation parameters, constantly tuning different factors influencing the degradation of the enzyme at hand, the LcpK30 rubberoxygenase, while trying to establish a conclusive analytical overview over the degradation fragment formation seemed at times very challenging. But the countless meetings with my supervisors and my cooperation partners from the IPB always kept the spirits up and for me those meetings and the teamwork I encountered during the work on this publication were the most rewarding.
Significance of publication
Enzymes are capable of degrading synthetic polyisoprene. The specific conditions for that have now been created and exploited by researchers at Martin Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg and the Leibniz Institute of Plant Biochemistry. Polyisoprene is the principal component of natural rubber and of many types of rubber also used in car tires, for example. Up until now, it has only been possible to degrade polyisoprene, with a composition similar to naturally occurring rubber. The present research could provide important insights toward a circular economy.
from press release no. 166/2021 of December 9, 2021.
Related publication
V. K. B. Adjedje, E. Schell, Y. L. Wolf, A. Laub, M. J. Weissenborn and W. H. Binder
Enzymatic degradation of synthetic polyisoprenes via surfactant-free polymer emulsification
Green Chem. 23, 9433 (2021)
doi: 10.1039/D1GC03515K
About this profile
Doctoral students contribute significantly to publications highlighted by the MLU press office in many cases. These early stage researchers and their work in connection with the publication are in the focus of these profiles. Please check further doctoral student’s profiles.
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