Polyhydroxyalkanoates thermal degradation

Polyhydroxyalkanoates, Polyhydroxybutyrate, History, Bacterial synthesis. Chemical synthesis. Genetic engineering. Mechanical properties. Thermal transitions. Crystallization, Plasticizers, Thermal degradation. Processing, Applications... 

Many workers have used PyMS to study the structures of polymers, both natural and artificial. Understanding the performance of polymers in terms of cohesion and substrate adhesion is of immense commercial significance in the paint and adhesive industries. Similarly, the behavior of polymers under stress and when exposed to external factors such as ultraviolet light has been extensively studied by PyMS and is useful in the development of novel materials that have desirable properties, e.g., fire-retardant coatings and biodegradable fibers. There is much interest in polyhydroxyalkanoates as potentially biodegradable plastics, and PyMS has been a principal method used to study thermal degradation profiles of this material. Similarly, in forensic science, PyMS has been used to analyze fibers and to help match samples of automotive finishes to paint chips found at crime scenes. 

Abstract Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) are energy- and intracellular carbon-storage compounds that can be mobilized and used when carbon is a limiting resource. Intracellular accumulation of PHA enhances the survival of several bacterial species under environmental stress conditions imposed in water and soil, such as UV irradiation, salinity, thermal and oxidative sttess, desiccation, and osmotic shock. The ability to endure these sttesses is linked to a cascade of events concomitant with PHA degradation and the expression of genes involved in protection against... 

In air, the thermooxidative degradation and stability of commercial and laboratory made polyhydroxyalkanoates such as the homopolymer poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) and the copolymer poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) was investigated by Carraso et al. [20]. It was indicated that the presence of hydroxyvalerate within the copolymer led to a thermally more stable material (with an increase of 14°C). 

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