Biocomposite foams based on polyhydroxyalkanoate and nanocellulose: Morphological and thermo-mechanical characterization

Abstract

The application of bio-based and biodegradable poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV) is restricted by its high cost and brittleness. In the present work, these deficiencies were overcome by the manufacture of PHBV foams using thermally expandable microspheres (TES). Nanocellulose (Nc) and a crosslinking agent were added to PHBV-TES to control the foam structure and to improve the mechanical properties. Foams with almost perfect pores, well embedded in the polymer matrix, were obtained by a simple melt molding process. The closed-cell foams have a density 2.5–2.7 times lower than that of PHBV. The addition of Nc increased the expansion ratio, cell density and porosity and also led to a more uniform cell size distribution. The incorporation of the crosslinking agent, together with Nc and TES, increased the glass transition temperature with about 7 °C and strengthened the PHBV–Nc interactions. PHBV foams showed a 1.7–3 times higher deformation compared to PHBV and absorbed up to 15 times more energy. The fully biodegradable PHBV–Nc foams obtained in this work exhibit an advantageous porosity, good specific mechanical properties and high energy absorption, being promising alternatives for insulation, packaging or biomedical application.