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Applications

The advantageous material properties of our MAKROSPEC® products are resulting in  a wide application potential in various areas from bio- and catalysis technology to the production of novel fillers and composite materials.

 

Biotechnology & Catalysis Technology

The –Si-OH l surface of the MAKROSPEC® carriers allows to "tailor" their properties by simple chemical modification.

 

After activation and functionalisation of the surface, catalytically active metal centres as well as individual enzymes, cells and whole cell organelles can be bound to the carrier. In the field of petrochemistry, functionalized porous glasses are now used for the desulfurization of gasoline fractions.[1]

 

This process is also used in the field of biotechnology,e.g. for cell cultivation or large-scale production of glucose from corn starch.[2] MAKROSPEC® carriers  are also predestined for the synthesis of oligonucleotides with defined sequences. In comparison to other porous materials, the macroporous structure allows the production of long-chain DNA and RNA oligomers that is used for the prenatal diagnosis of genetic diseases.[3]

 

Fillers & Composite Materials

Nowadays, intensive research on the development of novel fillers based on glass / polymer composites have been done. In this context our MAKROSPEC® products have an extraordinary biocompatibility so they are suitable to use them directly in the human body as bone replacement material or tooth fillers.[4]

 

The use of porous glass granulate has already been established in the field of building materials like additives for house cleaning. Here, the excellent sorption properties are used to bind the water in the room air to improve the room climate. If water is enriched on the glass surface at high humidity, the energy released makes the room air drier and warmer. At low humidity and desorption, the room air is cooled and becomes more humid. These processes apply to both winter and summer, so that primary energy used for heating or cooling can be saved, which has a positive effect on the energy balance.[5]

 

[1] C. Shen, Chem. Eng. J., 2015, 552-561.
[2] Y. Y. Lee, Biotechnol. Bioeng, 1976, 389-413.
[3] S. Obika, M. Sekine, Synthesis of therapeutic oligonucleotides, Springer, Singapur, 2018.
[4] J. K. Hum, Dissertation, 2016.
[5] F. Somorowsky, Dissertation, 2016.