SinFonia

Microbial cell factories for fluorochemicals

Materials containing fluorine are essential in our modern world, with applications in electronics, healthcare, automotive and wearables. These fluorochemicals are currently exclusively synthesised using harsh chemical methods. The EU-funded SinFonia project aims to develop a more sustainable alternative by engineering the robust bacterium Pseudomonas putida to become a cell factory that makes fluorinated monomers and polymers. The project will produce fluorochemicals in these bacteria with metabolic engineering, circumventing the traditional chemical reactions used in industry. The target compounds are a family of fluorinated polyesters with enhanced physicochemical and material properties for self-cleaning surfaces, low surface energy coatings, bio-based lubricants, fuel cell membranes and anti-fouling materials.