Patent ID: 11739219

Abstract:
Disclosed is a method for producing a carbon black pigment from a microbial biomass. In certain aspects, the method involves providing a microbial biomass solution with a plurality microbial cells in an aqueous solvent; nucleating the plurality of microbial cells by adding a first soluble ion to the microbial biomass solution; initiating crystal formation in and/or on the plurality of microbial cells by adding a second soluble ion to the microbial biomass solution, forming a plurality of crystal encrusted microbial cells, where the charge of the first soluble ion is the opposite of the charge of the second soluble ion and where the crystals are formed from precipitation of the first and second ions; and performing thermal processing of the plurality of crystal encrusted microbial cells to form a charred biomass; washing the charred biomass to form a microbechar.