Recent developments in the synthesis of poly(hydroxybutyrate) based biocomposites

Abstract

Poly(hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) has become an attractive biomaterial in research and development for past few years. It is natural bio‐based aliphatic polyester produced by many types of bacteria. Due to its biodegradable, biocompatible, and eco‐friendly nature, PHB can be used in line with bioactive species. However, high production cost, thermal instability, and poor mechanical properties limit its desirable applications. So there is need to incorporate PHB with other materials or biopolymers for the development of some novel PHB based biocomposites for value addition. Many attempts have been employed to incorporate PHB with other biomaterials (or biopolymers) to develop sustainable biocomposites. In this review, some recent developments in the synthesis of PHB based biocomposites and their biomedical, packaging and tissue engineering applications have been focused. The development of biodegradable PHB based biocomposites with improved mechanical properties could be used to overcome its native limitations hence to open new possibilities for industrial applications.

Polychlorinated Biphenyl Profile in Polyhydroxy-alkanoates Synthetized from Urban Organic Wastes

“…Since PHA-based bioplastics can be used in biomedical applications, to produce multilayer food packaging, durable goods etc. [20][21][22], product safety has to be guaranteed. Therefore, a reliable determination of PCB content in PHA is required.…”

A green and biodegradable plasticizer from copolymers of poly(β‐hydroxybutyrate‐co‐ε‐caprolactone)

“…One of the major hurdles for the broad application of PHB‐based polymers is their relative brittleness 24 . Physical modification of PHB through blending is an attractive strategy to improve the thermo‐mechanical properties due to its simplicity, low cost, and environmentally friendly nature of the process 4 . Various plasticizers have been attempted to improve the brittleness of PHB.…”

“…24 Physical modification of PHB through blending is an attractive strategy to improve the thermo-mechanical properties due to its simplicity, low cost, and environmentally friendly nature of the process. 4 Various plasticizers have been attempted to improve the brittleness of PHB. The synthesized P(HB-co-CL), P(HB-co-CL 2 ), P(HB 2 -co-CL) copolymers were applied as a plasticizer to PHB and PCL.…”

“…It is an active compound stable in ultraviolet radiation and can be processed through injection, blowing, or extrusion techniques. 4 However, it has a high glass transition temperature (≈ 2-5 C) compared with polypropylene (≈ À10 C), leading to increased brittleness that is a burden for PHB utilization as a pure compound or in a blend with other polymers. 5 There have been several attempts to overcome the intrinsic brittleness of PHB such as bio-or chemosynthesis of PHB copolymers, using plasticizers, and blending with different polymers.…”

“…PHB is biocompatible with a relatively high‐melting point (≈ 180°C) and high crystallinity (more than 50%) that is produced by fermentation process in commercial scales with a high yield. It is an active compound stable in ultraviolet radiation and can be processed through injection, blowing, or extrusion techniques 4 . However, it has a high glass transition temperature (≈ 2–5°C) compared with polypropylene (≈ −10°C), leading to increased brittleness that is a burden for PHB utilization as a pure compound or in a blend with other polymers 5 …”