Degradable plastics PHBV

One of the difficulties with the pure PHB and its copolymers (for example, PHBV] is it high melting point, similar to that of PLA, with the additional problem that the degradation temperature is quite near, but that problem could be solved by using plasticizers (as was previously explained] or by incorporating nanoparticles (as explained in the following section]. 

The persistent problem of conventional plastic waste disposal grows ever more severe as landfills approach capacity with these highly degradation-resistant substances (Section 12-15). Biodegradable plastics provide an option for nonre-usable items such as plastic bags, wraps, and bottles. A recently developed and commercialized biobased and biodegradable plastic is poly(jS-hydroxybutyrate-co-/3-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV), a copolymer of 3-hydroxybutanoic acid and 3-hydroxypentanoic acid. PHBV is a polyester that is produced by bacterial fermentation of mixtures of acetic and propanoic acids. The ratio of the two hydroxy acids controls the properties of the plastic—it is more flexible with more... 

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