The CSIRO discovery opens up
an entirely new class of
chemistry.

CSIRO researchers have discovered a new class of fatty acids – alpha-hydroxy polyacetylenic fatty acids – that could be used as sensors for detecting changes in temperature and mechanical stress loads.

CSIRO Entomology business manager, Cameron Begley, said researchers believed the discovery opened up an entirely new class of chemistry.

“Some of these alpha-hydroxy polyacetylenic fatty acids act as indicators for a range of different conditions, such as mechanical stress or heat, and display self-assembling properties. Others display anti-microbial properties,” he said.

“Australian scientists working within the Crop Biofactories Initiative (CBI) have also been developing applications for alpha-hydroxy unsaturated fatty acids (AHUs).

“Alpha-hydroxy fatty acids (AHA’s) are well known to industry, but we have found some interesting applications for AHUs. We have introduced them to a range of bio-based condensation polymer systems that have increased film flexibility. Using these AHUs we have also observed strong adhesion between polyolefins and a range of substrates.”

CBI researchers have also identified novel uses for hydroxy fatty acids and how these affect polymer properties.