SBIR Phase I: Efficient and Scalable Production of Functionalized Electrospun Nanofiber Felts of Regenerated Cellulose with Superior Capacity and Throughput for Bioseparations

这个小型企业创新研究(SBIR)第一阶段项目从纳米纤维分离，LLC将建立一种创新的类型的生物分离介质，使用高比表面积的再生纤维素电纺纳米纤维毡作为蛋白质吸附配体的支撑。与竞争产品(如填充树脂珠或超细纤维吸附膜)相比，这些纳米纤维膜/毡将大大提高产量(即更短的处理时间)，减少产生的废物量，并减少提纯高价值生物制药产品所需的介质体积(即更低的成本和更小的操作占地面积)。对这些分离材料和过程的研究将增加对生物材料在纳米尺度上吸收特性的科学认识。该SBIR第一阶段项目将专注于优化毛毯的可扩展生产工艺，包括试生产纳米纤维毡，以及实现纤维的功能化，以实现更高的产能、更高的产量和高选择性的生物分离。该项目的更广泛的影响/商业潜力集中在为生物制药、水净化和血液产品行业提供先进的分离介质。由于所提出的产品的优点，由电纺再生纤维素纳米纤维生产的创新吸附毛毯具有巨大的商业潜力。客户将来自生物制药行业的公司，以及生物分离吸附介质的老牌制造商。此外，与纳米纤维吸附介质相关的基本原理将产生广泛的影响，包括水净化行业以及血液制品和/或血液净化行业。通过这项创新工作获得的优势将导致许多部门采用更高效的分离技术，例如更快的流程、更低的能源消耗、更低的材料要求和更少的废物产生。除了更广泛的科学影响，纳米纤维分离，有限责任公司致力于创造就业机会，并培训在纳米科学/纳米工程和生物技术跨学科领域具有专业知识的高技术员工。

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project from Nanofiber Separations, LLC will establish an innovative type of bioseparation media utilizing electrospun nanofiber felts of regenerated cellulose with high specific surface area as the support for protein adsorption ligands. Compared to competitive products (e.g., packed resin beads or microfiber adsorption membranes), these nanofiber membranes/felts will provide greatly enhanced throughput (i.e., shorter processing times), reduce the amount of waste generated, and decrease the volume of media required (i.e., lower costs and smaller operating footprints) for purification of high-value biopharmaceutical products. The study of these separation materials and processes will increase the scientific knowledge of the absorption characteristics of biomaterials at the nanoscale. This SBIR Phase I project will focus on optimization of a scalable production process for the felts, including pilot scale production of the nanofiber mats, along with functionalization of the fibers for superior capacity, elevated throughput, and highly selective bioseparations. The broader impact/commercial potential of this project centers on providing advanced separation media for the biopharmaceutical, water purification, and blood products industries. Because of the advantages of the proposed product, the innovative adsorption felts produced from electrospun nanofibers of regenerated cellulose have a tremendous amount of commercial potential. Customers will come from companies within the biopharmaceutical industry, as well as the established manufacturers of bioseparations adsorption media. In addition, the underlying fundamentals associated with nanofiber adsorption media will have a wide range of implications, including the water purification industry and the blood products and/or blood purification industries. The advantages achieved through this innovative work will lead to more efficient separation technologies across many sectors, such as faster processes, reduced energy consumption, lower materials requirements, and less waste generation. In addition to the broader scientific impacts, Nanofiber Separations, LLC is committed to creating jobs and and training highly technical staff members with expertise in the interdisciplinary fields of nanoscience/nanoengineering and biotechnology.