Strong Alliance | "Synthetic Biology+New Materials" Solidify the "Chassis" of Manufacturing Industry
Time：2023-03-02 16:13
In November 2022, Walter Holding "joined hands" with the synthetic biology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology (hereinafter referred to as "Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology") and established the "Joint Innovation Center for Biochemical Applications" (hereinafter referred to as "Innovation Center"). Since its establishment, the two sides have discussed multiple times and determined specific research and development directions. They will mainly focus on cutting-edge technology research, new product development, technology platform establishment, and talent cultivation, among other aspects.
Materials are known as the "chassis" of the manufacturing industry. Walter hopes to rely on the innovation center jointly established by both parties, and with the help of the R&D process and technology accumulation of synthetic biology of Shenzhen Advanced Institute, to contribute to the "manufacturing leadership" of Shenzhen.
In the future, the Innovation Center will launch more synthetic biology new polymer materials, accelerate mass production and commercialization, and contribute to Shenzhen's efforts to accelerate the construction of a world leading important advanced manufacturing center.
Walter's products include liquid crystal polymer (LCP), polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), polysulfone (PSU), special nylon (PPA), etc. At present, it has more than 300 domestic and foreign invention patents.
▲Some exhibits in the Walt Hall
The polymer materials developed by Walter have magical applications in many innovative products.
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Electronic products manufactured by LCP make mobile office devices lighter and thinner, with faster communication speeds;
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The "tea cup pad" made of PTFE and covered with circular small protrusions is applied between the pier and deck of a domestic sea crossing bridge, which can play a role in anti slip and vibration reduction.
The "tea cup pad" made of PTFE and covered with circular small protrusions is applied between the pier and deck of a domestic sea crossing bridge, which can play a role in anti slip and vibration reduction.
With the increasingly widespread application of new materials, how can we efficiently produce low-carbon, environmentally friendly, and high-performance new polymer materials? Walter Group and Shenzhen Advanced Institute coincidentally set their sights on synthetic biotechnology.
Synthetic biology is known as "one of the most noteworthy industries in the 21st century". Because of its "magic" of "creating everything with biology", it has been widely used in pharmaceutical manufacturing, chemical production, new materials, food and other industries. In June 2022, Shenzhen issued the Opinions on Developing and Expanding Strategic Emerging Industrial Clusters and Cultivating and Developing Future Industries, ranking "synthetic biology" first among the eight future industries, and making it clear that "synthetic biology research and development base and industrial innovation center should be built".
Synthetic biology is known as "one of the most noteworthy industries in the 21st century". Because of its "magic" of "creating everything with biology", it has been widely used in pharmaceutical manufacturing, chemical production, new materials, food and other industries. In June 2022, Shenzhen issued the Opinions on Developing and Expanding Strategic Emerging Industrial Clusters and Cultivating and Developing Future Industries, ranking "synthetic biology" first among the eight future industries, and making it clear that "synthetic biology research and development base and industrial innovation center should be built".
Like computer programming, the path of synthetic biology is also the "programming" of life, and the source code is our DNA. Through processes such as "design synthesis (coding) testing learning", strains can be modified and tested to obtain new chassis strains. And these chassis strains play a crucial role in the synthesis of new materials.
The new material industry is also the same. Based on chassis strains, different target molecules and materials can be synthesized by introducing new modification technologies and adding new genes.
▲ The significant technological foundation design of synthetic biology has greatly accelerated the programming of strains
At present, the Joint Innovation Center utilizes 20 research and development processes to improve different enzymes and optimize different pathways. It has accumulated more than ten chassis strains based on different biosynthetic pathways, which are higher dimensional and closer to the final product strains. For example, using brewing yeast as the chassis cell, various products have been produced, including the liquid new material rubber known as "liquid gold".
At present, the Joint Innovation Center utilizes 20 research and development processes to improve different enzymes and optimize different pathways. It has accumulated more than ten chassis strains based on different biosynthetic pathways, which are higher dimensional and closer to the final product strains. For example, using brewing yeast as the chassis cell, various products have been produced, including the liquid new material rubber known as "liquid gold".
In the future, the Innovation Center will fully leverage the advantages accumulated by the team in transforming processes and chassis strains to synthesize more new material products needed in the market.
With the continuous deepening of the national "dual carbon" strategy, bio based materials manufactured through biotechnology and other means are receiving increasing attention. In recent years, the demand for bio based materials has been continuously increasing. Data shows that in 2021, China's production of bio based materials reached 7 million tons, with an output value exceeding 150 billion yuan, accounting for 2.3% of the total output value of the chemical industry. The "14th Five Year Plan for the Development of Raw Materials Industry" issued by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology includes the development of bio based materials as a key task.
Walter has an obligation to fulfill the social responsibility of the enterprise and, based on the development needs of policies, industries, and markets, start to layout the development of bio based materials. Shenzhen Advanced Institute has a strong understanding of the industrial direction and advantages in the transformation of achievements, which is a very important reason why Walter chose to cooperate with it. At present, the Innovation Center has started small-scale validation and preliminary experiments in the field of bio chemical based polymer materials.
I believe that with the advantages of industrialization of Shenzhen Advanced Institute, more new polymer material products will be developed in the future. Once a new industrialization direction of "synthetic biology+new materials" is formed, it will greatly drive the high-quality development of Shenzhen's industry, especially manufacturing.
(The article cites Shenzhen Business Daily)
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