Thermo-mechanical characterization of PHB/PCL blend incorporated with carbon nanotubes

Polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) is a polymer with great application potential; however, its brittleness and low mechanical strength restrict its use in many fields. This study investigated a strategy to overcome the mechanical limitations of PHB by blending it with polycaprolactone (PCL) and producing nan...

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Main Authors: Alexandra Maria Cardona Loaiza, Maria Eduarda Araújo Ribeiro, Ruben J. Sanchez Rodriguez
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Budapest University of Technology and Economics 2025-09-01
Series:eXPRESS Polymer Letters
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.expresspolymlett.com/article.php?a=EPL-0013317
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author Alexandra Maria Cardona Loaiza
Maria Eduarda Araújo Ribeiro
Ruben J. Sanchez Rodriguez
author_facet Alexandra Maria Cardona Loaiza
Maria Eduarda Araújo Ribeiro
Ruben J. Sanchez Rodriguez
author_sort Alexandra Maria Cardona Loaiza
collection DOAJ
description Polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) is a polymer with great application potential; however, its brittleness and low mechanical strength restrict its use in many fields. This study investigated a strategy to overcome the mechanical limitations of PHB by blending it with polycaprolactone (PCL) and producing nanocomposites with non-functionalized carbon nanotubes (CNT) and functionalized ones (f-CNT). The effect of blend composition and the addition of f-CNT were studied in hotpressed specimens. In PHB/30PCL blends, a reduction in the overall crystallinity degree was observed, while in PHB/10PCL the crystallinity maintained close to neat PHB. In PHB/10PCL nanocomposites, no significant change was registered, but in PHB/30PCL with f-CNT, the crystallinity degree increased and achieved values comparable to PHB. Differential scanning calorimetry suggested that f-CNT had a higher impact in PCL crystallinity in formulations of PHB/30PCL. Scanning electron microscopy showed that in these formulations, f-CNT were preferably located at the interface of PHB/PCL, while in PHB/10PCL the particles were mainly located in PHB. In general, the blends suffered with a reduction in elastic modulus and strength, especially for PHB/30PCL formulation.
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spelling doaj-art-e1e67ded218e49ad9ee92722fd273b752025-08-20T02:44:16ZengBudapest University of Technology and EconomicseXPRESS Polymer Letters1788-618X2025-09-0119986287710.3144/expresspolymlett.2025.66Thermo-mechanical characterization of PHB/PCL blend incorporated with carbon nanotubesAlexandra Maria Cardona LoaizaMaria Eduarda Araújo RibeiroRuben J. Sanchez RodriguezPolyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) is a polymer with great application potential; however, its brittleness and low mechanical strength restrict its use in many fields. This study investigated a strategy to overcome the mechanical limitations of PHB by blending it with polycaprolactone (PCL) and producing nanocomposites with non-functionalized carbon nanotubes (CNT) and functionalized ones (f-CNT). The effect of blend composition and the addition of f-CNT were studied in hotpressed specimens. In PHB/30PCL blends, a reduction in the overall crystallinity degree was observed, while in PHB/10PCL the crystallinity maintained close to neat PHB. In PHB/10PCL nanocomposites, no significant change was registered, but in PHB/30PCL with f-CNT, the crystallinity degree increased and achieved values comparable to PHB. Differential scanning calorimetry suggested that f-CNT had a higher impact in PCL crystallinity in formulations of PHB/30PCL. Scanning electron microscopy showed that in these formulations, f-CNT were preferably located at the interface of PHB/PCL, while in PHB/10PCL the particles were mainly located in PHB. In general, the blends suffered with a reduction in elastic modulus and strength, especially for PHB/30PCL formulation.https://www.expresspolymlett.com/article.php?a=EPL-0013317 poly(hydroxy alcanoate) poly(caprolactone) nanocomposites carbon nanotubeblends
spellingShingle Alexandra Maria Cardona Loaiza
Maria Eduarda Araújo Ribeiro
Ruben J. Sanchez Rodriguez
Thermo-mechanical characterization of PHB/PCL blend incorporated with carbon nanotubes
eXPRESS Polymer Letters
poly(hydroxy alcanoate)
poly(caprolactone)
nanocomposites
carbon nanotube
blends
title Thermo-mechanical characterization of PHB/PCL blend incorporated with carbon nanotubes
title_full Thermo-mechanical characterization of PHB/PCL blend incorporated with carbon nanotubes
title_fullStr Thermo-mechanical characterization of PHB/PCL blend incorporated with carbon nanotubes
title_full_unstemmed Thermo-mechanical characterization of PHB/PCL blend incorporated with carbon nanotubes
title_short Thermo-mechanical characterization of PHB/PCL blend incorporated with carbon nanotubes
title_sort thermo mechanical characterization of phb pcl blend incorporated with carbon nanotubes
topic poly(hydroxy alcanoate)
poly(caprolactone)
nanocomposites
carbon nanotube
blends
url https://www.expresspolymlett.com/article.php?a=EPL-0013317
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AT mariaeduardaaraujoribeiro thermomechanicalcharacterizationofphbpclblendincorporatedwithcarbonnanotubes
AT rubenjsanchezrodriguez thermomechanicalcharacterizationofphbpclblendincorporatedwithcarbonnanotubes