Abstract
This study deals with the fabrication of biodegradable porous materials from bacterial polyester, poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyhexanoate) (P3HB3HHx), via thermally induced phase separation. P3HB3HHx monoliths with topological porous structure were prepared by dissolution of P3HB3HHx in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) at 85 °C and subsequent quenching. The microstructure of the resulting P3HB3HHx monoliths was changed by the P3HB3HHx concentration of the polymer solution. Differential scanning calorimetry and polarized optical microscope analysis revealed that the P3HB3HHx monoliths crystallized during phase separation and the subsequent aging. The mechanical properties, such as compression modulus and stress, of the monoliths depended on the 3-hydroxyhexanoate content of P3HB3HHx. Furthermore, the P3HB3HHx monolith absorbed linseed oil in preference to water in a plant oil–water mixture. In combination with the biodegradable character of P3HB3HHx, the present study is expected to contribute to the development of bio-based materials.
Highlights
Polymeric materials with porous structure have attracted great attention due to their exciting properties, such as high specific surface area, high permeability, low density, and fast mass transfer performance [1,2,3]
The cloud points of the P3HB3HHx /dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) solution increased with an increase in P3HB3HHx concentration, and the polymer solution of P3HB3HH6 and P3HB3HH11 had very similar behaviors (Figure S1, Supplementary Materials)
Novel porous poly(3-hydroxyalkanoate) monoliths were successfully fabricated from their DMSO solution via thermally induced phase separation
Summary
Polymeric materials with porous structure have attracted great attention due to their exciting properties, such as high specific surface area, high permeability, low density, and fast mass transfer performance [1,2,3]. Several techniques have been developed to fabricate polymeric porous materials, including porogen leaching [8,9], expansion in high pressure gas [10,11], emulsion freeze-drying [12], 3D printing [13], freeze-drying [14,15], and phase separation [16,17,18,19,20]. P3HB and the related copolymers can be decomposed in contact with divers hydrolytic enzymes, e.g., depolymerase, and microorganism, and their chemical structure and physical properties are similar to those of certain petroleum-based synthetic polymers. They have potential applications in packaging, coating, and agricultural films [35,36]. As far as we know, this study represents the first report on fabrication of porous PHA monoliths
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