Polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA): Review of synthesis, characteristics, processing and potential applications in packaging

Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) are gaining increasing attention in the biodegradable polymer market due to their promising properties such as high biodegradability in different environments, not just in composting plants, and processing versatility. Indeed among biopolymers, these biogenic polyesters...

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Main Authors: E. Bugnicourt, P. Cinelli, A. Lazzeri, V. Alvarez
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Budapest University of Technology and Economics 2014-11-01
Series:eXPRESS Polymer Letters
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.expresspolymlett.com/letolt.php?file=EPL-0005219&mi=cd
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author E. Bugnicourt
P. Cinelli
A. Lazzeri
V. Alvarez
author_facet E. Bugnicourt
P. Cinelli
A. Lazzeri
V. Alvarez
author_sort E. Bugnicourt
collection DOAJ
description Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) are gaining increasing attention in the biodegradable polymer market due to their promising properties such as high biodegradability in different environments, not just in composting plants, and processing versatility. Indeed among biopolymers, these biogenic polyesters represent a potential sustainable replacement for fossil fuel-based thermoplastics. Most commercially available PHAs are obtained with pure microbial cultures grown on renewable feedstocks (i.e. glucose) under sterile conditions but recent research studies focus on the use of wastes as growth media. PHA can be extracted from the bacteria cell and then formulated and processed by extrusion for production of rigid and flexible plastic suitable not just for the most assessed medical applications but also considered for applications including packaging, moulded goods, paper coatings, non-woven fabrics, adhesives, films and performance additives. The present paper reviews the different classes of PHAs, their main properties, processing aspects, commercially available ones, as well as limitations and related improvements being researched, with specific focus on potential applications of PHAs in packaging.
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institution Kabale University
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publisher Budapest University of Technology and Economics
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series eXPRESS Polymer Letters
spelling doaj-art-05e3a064f6b142c8a41e68f4edc727c72025-08-20T03:32:40ZengBudapest University of Technology and EconomicseXPRESS Polymer Letters1788-618X2014-11-0181179180810.3144/expresspolymlett.2014.82Polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA): Review of synthesis, characteristics, processing and potential applications in packagingE. BugnicourtP. CinelliA. LazzeriV. AlvarezPolyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) are gaining increasing attention in the biodegradable polymer market due to their promising properties such as high biodegradability in different environments, not just in composting plants, and processing versatility. Indeed among biopolymers, these biogenic polyesters represent a potential sustainable replacement for fossil fuel-based thermoplastics. Most commercially available PHAs are obtained with pure microbial cultures grown on renewable feedstocks (i.e. glucose) under sterile conditions but recent research studies focus on the use of wastes as growth media. PHA can be extracted from the bacteria cell and then formulated and processed by extrusion for production of rigid and flexible plastic suitable not just for the most assessed medical applications but also considered for applications including packaging, moulded goods, paper coatings, non-woven fabrics, adhesives, films and performance additives. The present paper reviews the different classes of PHAs, their main properties, processing aspects, commercially available ones, as well as limitations and related improvements being researched, with specific focus on potential applications of PHAs in packaging.http://www.expresspolymlett.com/letolt.php?file=EPL-0005219&mi=cdBiodegradable polymersBiopolymersPolyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs)Polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB)
spellingShingle E. Bugnicourt
P. Cinelli
A. Lazzeri
V. Alvarez
Polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA): Review of synthesis, characteristics, processing and potential applications in packaging
eXPRESS Polymer Letters
Biodegradable polymers
Biopolymers
Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs)
Polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB)
title Polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA): Review of synthesis, characteristics, processing and potential applications in packaging
title_full Polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA): Review of synthesis, characteristics, processing and potential applications in packaging
title_fullStr Polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA): Review of synthesis, characteristics, processing and potential applications in packaging
title_full_unstemmed Polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA): Review of synthesis, characteristics, processing and potential applications in packaging
title_short Polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA): Review of synthesis, characteristics, processing and potential applications in packaging
title_sort polyhydroxyalkanoate pha review of synthesis characteristics processing and potential applications in packaging
topic Biodegradable polymers
Biopolymers
Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs)
Polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB)
url http://www.expresspolymlett.com/letolt.php?file=EPL-0005219&mi=cd
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AT pcinelli polyhydroxyalkanoatephareviewofsynthesischaracteristicsprocessingandpotentialapplicationsinpackaging
AT alazzeri polyhydroxyalkanoatephareviewofsynthesischaracteristicsprocessingandpotentialapplicationsinpackaging
AT valvarez polyhydroxyalkanoatephareviewofsynthesischaracteristicsprocessingandpotentialapplicationsinpackaging