Improving i‐P3HB Processing Window: Solution‐Casting Blends With a‐P3HB and P34HB
Almustafa W, Grishchuk S, Sebastian J, Schubert DW, Grun G (2025)
Publication Type: Journal article
Publication year: 2025
Journal
DOI: 10.1002/app.56805
Abstract
Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (P3HB) is a biobased and biodegradable polymer that is primarily produced through biotechnological fermentation processes. Its high crystallinity of around 70% and low thermal stability hinder its processing and application in different sectors. In this work, blends of isotactic poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (i-P3HB) with the chemically synthesized atactic poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (a-P3HB) and poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-4-hydroxybutyrate) (P34HB) were prepared via solution casting. The thermal, mechanical, and morphological properties of the blends were analyzed to evaluate the influence of a-P3HB and P34HB on the processing window of i-P3HB. The obtained blends exhibited reduced glass transition temperatures, from 5.5°C for neat i-P3HB to around −53°C with 50 wt.% of a-P3HB, as well as reduced melting temperatures, reaching 155°C with 50 wt.% of a-P3HB. Furthermore, blends containing all three polymers exhibited also a significant decrease in the degree of crystallinity reaching 19% and an improved elongation at break of up to 70%. The reduced melting temperature facilitates processing at temperatures below the melting temperature of neat i-P3HB (175.5°C), avoiding its thermal degradation. Consequently, these blends broaden the processing window and enhanced the flexibility of i-P3HB, facilitating its application across various sectors, including packaging and textiles.
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Germany (DE)How to cite
APA:
Almustafa, W., Grishchuk, S., Sebastian, J., Schubert, D.W., & Grun, G. (2025). Improving i‐P3HB Processing Window: Solution‐Casting Blends With a‐P3HB and P34HB. Journal of Applied Polymer Science. https://doi.org/10.1002/app.56805
MLA:
Almustafa, Wael, et al. "Improving i‐P3HB Processing Window: Solution‐Casting Blends With a‐P3HB and P34HB." Journal of Applied Polymer Science (2025).
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