Tensile strength polymerisation processes

PHA polymers are thermoplastics that are soluble in halogenated solvents such as chloroform and dichloromethane. Depending on their chemical composition (homo- or copolymer, the hydroxy fatty acids contained), they differ in their physical properties, eg, ductility and elasticity. PHA can be processed on conventional processing equipment. The processability as well as some mechanical properties like impact strength and flexibility can improve when a monomer/comonomer with longer aliphatic chain is used in polymerisation. One of the commercially available types of PHA is polyhy-droxybutyrate (PHB). PHB is similar to polypropylene in some characteristics like melting temperature, tensile strength, moismre resistance, and odour barrier properties (Pouton and Akhtar, 1996). 

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