Blends of Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs)

Biopolymers are renewable materials that can provide a source of sustainable alternatives to petroleum-derived plastics. A variety of biodegradable polymers, such as polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs), poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL), polylactide (PLA), starch, cellulose and chitosan, are being studied for different applications ranging from industrial to medical applications. Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) are one of the versatile classes of biodegradable polymers, which constitute a group of microbial biopolyesters with important ecosystem functions and high biotechnological potential. However, their potential applications are hampered due to poor mechanical properties and high production costs. Various PHA blends have been developed over the last decade to overcome the drawback of these polymers. This chapter reviews the recent advances in polymer blends of PHAs, outlining aspects of production, characterisation and potential applications. Features of blends of short-chain-length-PHAs; poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) [P(3HB)], poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) [P(3HB-co-3HV)] and poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-4-hydroxybutyrate) [P(3HB-co-4HB)] copolymers with PLA, PCL, starch, cellulose and chitosan will be discussed.