Abstract
Compounds of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) and titanium dioxide (TiO2) with filler content between 1% and 10% were prepared in a laboratory internal mixer. The effect of heating and cooling rates on the crystallization and melting of PHB/TiO2 compounds was investigated by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Melt and cold crystallization rates rise with increasing cooling/heating rates. A higher cooling rate translates to a lower melt crystallization temperature, while a higher heating rate results in a higher cold crystallization temperature. TiO2 promotes melt crystallization of PHB, behaving as a nucleant agent. The total crystallinity developed after melt and cold crystallization decreases for low levels of TiO2, i.e. 2% per weight, and is almost independent of the heating/cooling rate. The melting temperatures and rates are minimally affected by both the heating rate and filler content. The results suggest that the desired PHB microstructure can be controlled by filler content and adjusted heating/cooling rate.
Highlights
Polymers are fundamental for most common materials medical applications; due to its good mechanical properties of our modern society because they present several desired and fast biodegradation rates, it has been employed in features like lightness, easy processability, softness and restaurant disposables, i.e., cups and cutleries
Thermal analysis was performed in a TA Instruments differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) Q20 V24.9 differential scanning calorimeter, under a nitrogen flow of 50 mL/min to minimize oxidative degradation, to which the PHB is susceptible[27-29]
As TiO2 promotes melt crystallization in a similar way as a nucleant agent, the cold crystallization events vanish, as the crystallization process has been more completed during the melt crystallization event
Summary
Polymers are fundamental for most common materials medical applications; due to its good mechanical properties of our modern society because they present several desired and fast biodegradation rates, it has been employed in features like lightness, easy processability, softness and restaurant disposables, i.e., cups and cutleries. As polymers are suitable for multiple uses, a wide range of additives and polymers may be incorporated companies have been using them increasingly in various to PHB, producing blends and compounds, to improve its areas, such as packaging, automotive, medical-hospital, performance and to expand its possible applications[7-12]. Considered to be non-biodegradable, they need decades to degrade and are an important source of pollution; in particular situations ecological disasters are verifiable. Concerned with the ecological equilibrium in nature, the society has made a lot of efforts to preserve the environment and to improve it where possible
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