Abstract
The new quantitative thermal analysis of semicrystalline poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (P3HB) phases based on vibrational, solid and liquid heat capacities has been presented. The apparent heat capacity of P3HB was measured using the standard differential scanning calorimetry, and temperature-modulated DSC and quantitative analysis allow for the study of any glass transition, melting/crystallization process and heat capacity of P3HB in the entire range of investigated temperature (183–465 K). The formation and description of phases during thermal processes of P3HB by advanced thermal analysis were examined. The mobile amorphous fraction, degree of crystallinity and rigid amorphous fraction were determined depending on the thermal history of semicrystalline P3HB included after isothermal and non-isothermal crystallization. The experimental, apparent heat capacity of P3HB in the non-equilibrium state was analyzed in reference to the solid and liquid heat capacities and all thermodynamic functions (enthalpy, entropy and Gibbs function) in the equilibrium state.
Highlights
Structure and energy should be examined in order to describe the physicochemical properties of polymers
Thermal analyses of polymeric phases are often complicated by irreversible effects, such as broad glass transition, overlapping enthalpy relaxation with changes of heat capacity at glass transition, partial crystallinity, reorganization, broad melting transition and coupling with others phases such as mobile or rigid amorphous phases and crystalline phase
In order to estimate the content of phases and their properties more accurately, the advanced thermal analysis of semicrystalline poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) was performed
Summary
Structure and energy should be examined in order to describe the physicochemical properties of polymers.
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