Commercial Grade of P(3HB‐co‐3HHX) Final Properties Adjustment by the Modification of Cooling Conditions in the Injection Molding and Ageing Process

Abstract

Poly(3‐hydroxybutyrate‐co‐3‐hydroxyhexanoate) is a polymer obtained by bacterial fermentation that emerges as an alternative to polymers of petrochemical origin. The complex crystallization kinetics that occurs over 15 days after melting, known as ageing, limits its industrial application. During the aging process, there is a change of the degree of crystallinity, which has an effect on the chemical structure of the material. Additionally, changes in the mechanical properties, colorimetry, and dimensional shrinkage are observed. Different material properties are observed depending on the cooling conditions employed. For the ageing process, two different conditions are considered: ageing at room temperature and annealing at high temperature (60 °C).