Open Access

ARTICLE

Miscibility of Poly(hydroxybutyrate)/Poly(vinyl alcohol) Melt Blends Plasticized With Glycerol

by Deliane da Silva Cabral, Antonio José Felix Car

Department of Materials Engineering, São Carlos School of Engineering, University of São Paulo, Av. João Dagnone, 1100, 13563-120, São Carlos-SP-Brazil.

* Corresponding Author:Antonio José Felix Carvalho. Email: .

Journal of Renewable Materials 2019, 7(4), 325-333. https://doi.org/10.32604/jrm.2019.01794

Abstract

Poly(hydroxybutyrate)/poly(vinyl alcohol) (PHB/PVA) blends plasticized with glycerol were prepared by melt blending of PHB and glycerol plasticized PVA. The PHB/PVA-glycerol compositions were 90:10, 75:25 and 50:50 w/w, being the concentration of glycerol in the PVA mixture of 10 wt %. The blends were characterized by infrared spectroscopy, dynamic-mechanical thermal analysis, and scanning electron microscope of the fragile fractured surface. The results showed one single phase blend, indicating miscibility corroborated by the presence of a single glass transition temperature. The blending method proved to be an efficient way to tune PHB properties keeping its biodegradable nature since both PVA and glycerol are fully biodegradable materials.

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