Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) are gaining increasing attention in the biodegradable polymer market due to their promising properties such as high biodegradability in different environments, not just in composting plants, and pro- cessing versatility. Indeed among biopolymers, these biogenic polyesters represent a potential sustainable replacement for fossil fuel-based thermoplastics. Most commercially available PHAs are obtained with pure microbial cultures grown on renewable feedstocks (i.e. glucose) under sterile conditions but recent research studies focus on the use of wastes as growth media. PHA can be extracted from the bacteria cell and then formulated and processed by extrusion for production of rigid and flexible plastic suitable not just for the most assessed medical applications but also considered for applications includ- ing packaging, moulded goods, paper coatings, non-woven fabrics, adhesives, films and performance additives. The present paper reviews the different classes of PHAs, their main properties, processing aspects, commercially available ones, as well as limitations and related improvements being researched, with specific focus on potential applications of PHAs in packag- ing.

http://www.expresspolymlett.com/letolt.php?file=EPL-0005219&mi=cd

Polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA): Review of synthesis, characteristics, processing and potential applications in packaging

The hierarchical assembly of gold nanoparticles (GNPs) allows the localized surface plasmon resonance peaks to be engineered to the near-infrared (NIR) region for enhanced photothermal therapy (PTT). Herein we report a novel theranostic platform based on biodegradable plasmonic gold nanovesicles for photoacoustic (PA) imaging and PTT. The disulfide bond at the terminus of a PEG-b-PCL block-copolymer graft enables dense packing of GNPs during the assembly process and induces ultrastrong plasmonic coupling between adjacent GNPs. The strong NIR absorption induced by plasmon coupling and very high photothermal conversion efficiency (η=37%) enable simultaneous thermal/PA imaging and enhanced PTT efficacy with improved clearance of the dissociated particles after the completion of PTT. The assembly of various nanocrystals with tailored optical, magnetic, and electronic properties into vesicle architectures opens new possibilities for the construction of multifunctional biodegradable platforms for biomedical applications.

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Biodegradable Gold Nanovesicles with an Ultrastrong Plasmonic Coupling Effect for Photoacoustic Imaging and Photothermal Therapy

Correlation between degree of crystallinity, morphology, glass temperature, mechanical properties and biodegradation of poly (3-hydroxyalkanoate) PHAs and their blends

Thermal, mechanical and morphological characterization of plasticized PLA–PHB blends

Poly(3-hydroxy)butyrate (PHB) and poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV) copolymers are microbial polyesters presenting the advantages of biodegradability and biocompatibility over other thermoplastics with useful mechanical properties. However, their costs and performances must be adjusted by blending with suitable polymers. In this article the miscibility, morphology, mechanical behaviour and other prominent characteristics of a representative number of blends and composites of PHB and PHBV are summarized. In particular, blends with a few polyethers, polyesters, polyvinylacrylates and polysaccharides are illustrated. Furthermore, a brief paragraph deals with PHB/vegetal fiber composites. A wide range of properties emerges by blending with polymers having very different molecular structures and characteristics, such as crystallinity, glass transition and melting temperatures. The microstructure of the blends, resulting from thermodynamic and kinetic factors, is regarded as an important factor in controlling the mechanical and the biodegradation behaviours. Moreover, some considerations upon the nature of the “driving force” of the miscibility have been made in order to explain miscibility behaviour differences.

F. Gassner

Papers

Physical properties of poly(β-hydroxybutyrate)-poly(ε-caprolactone) blends

On the physical properties of BIOPOL/ethylene-vinyl acetate blends