Polybutylene Succinate-co-adipate Research Articles

Effect of mechanical stretching and low amount of silica adding on gas transport properties of poly(butylene succinate-co-adipate) films

This work aimed at studying the influence of a post drawing process on the morphology and the gas permeability of a PBSA (Polybutylene succinate-co-adipate) film. Two films were studied, one of neat PBSA and one filled with 1%wt of silica. The influence of silica was also studied. Reference films of PBSA and PBSA + Si presented a spherulitic morphology despite a difference of spherulites sizes and long period. After stretching, this isotropic morphology changed to an oriented one, as shown by WAXS measurements. SAXS analysis revealed that stretching led to a lamellae organization in the stretching direction, with lamellae oriented perpendicular to the stretching direction. Thermal characterizations have shown that stretching did not modified the degree of crystallinity for both systems. The helium, carbon dioxide and oxygen permeability increased with stretching, mainly due to the orientation of crystalline lamellae, decreasing the diffusion path. Moreover, for PBSA + Si stretched films, small non-percolating voids were evidenced around the silica particles which could also make gas transport easier. Thus, for both systems, this increase in gas permeability happened in a different way.

Tailoring morphology and mechanical properties of PLA/PBSA blends optimizing the twin-screw extrusion processing parameters aided by a 1D simulation software

To promote sustainability, the adoption of biobased and biodegradable plastics is a compelling solution. However, the successful utilization of these materials is contingent upon achieving desired properties and the ability to scale up production processes. Particularly in the case of blend systems, synergising the advantages of different polymers is essential. Moreover, assessing processing behavior and optimizing parameters are pivotal. This study aims to improve the extrusion process parameters selection using a 1D software-assisted Design of Experiments (DoE) approach. Polylactic acid (PLA) and polybutylene succinate-co-adipate (PBSA), varying PLA/PBSA ratios, were analysed simplifying and expediting the parameters selection. Remarkably, even in the absence of compatibility agents, this work demonstrates the potential to modify the structure, thereby influencing properties and performance by manipulating the process conditions.

On the evaluation of the carbon dioxide solubility in polymers using gene expression programming

Evaluation, prediction, and measurement of carbon dioxide (CO2) solubility in different polymers are crucial for engineers in various chemical applications, such as extraction and generation of novel materials. In this paper, correlations based on gene expression programming (GEP) were generated to predict the value of carbon dioxide solubility in three polymers. Results showed that the generated correlations could represent an outstanding efficiency and provide predictions for carbon dioxide solubility with satisfactory average absolute relative errors of 9.71%, 5.87%, and 1.63% for polystyrene (PS), polybutylene succinate-co-adipate (PBSA), and polybutylene succinate (PBS), respectively. Trend analysis based on Henry’s law illustrated that increasing pressure and decreasing temperature lead to an increase in carbon dioxide solubility. Finally, outlier discovery was applied using the leverage approach to detect the suspected data points. The outlier detection demonstrated the statistical validity of the developed correlations. William’s plot of three generated correlations showed that all of the data points are located in the valid zone except one point for PBS polymer and three points for PS polymer.

Progress in design and processing of polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs): Home compostable poly(3‐hydroxybutyrate‐co—3‐hydroxyhexanoate) (PHBHHx)/polybutylene succinate‐co‐adipate (PBSA) blend

AbstractPolyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) are biodegradable linear polyesters mainly produced by bacterial fermentation. These materials are biocompatible, non‐toxic, and have a low environmental impact, making them an excellent alternative to fossil‐based plastics in food packaging. Despite their promising characteristics, PHAs have several disadvantages, such as brittleness, slow nucleation process, thermal instability and consequently poor processability. In this article, poly(3‐hydroxybutyrate‐co‐3‐hexanoate) (PHBHx), a copolymer belonging to the class of PHAs, was blended with polybutylene succinate‐co‐adipate (PBSA) and other process additives in order to improve its properties and realize a hot food container compostable in a domestic environment. The material in the pellet form was produced by reactive extrusion with a corotating twin‐screw extruder. The compound was then processed by cast extrusion and the resulting film was thermoformed into a rectangular container. All the semi‐finished products were characterized thermo‐mechanically and with chemical–physical tests, demonstrating good processability, thermal resistance of 100°C, complete impermeability to oxygen, transmission of light radiation less than 30% and high toughness (<5 kJ/m2). In addition, the morphology of the blende was also investigated by SEM and XRD analysis.

Biodegradation of PBSA Films by Elite Aspergillus Isolates and Farmland Soil.

Plastic films are widely used in current agricultural practices; however, most mulch films used are discarded and buried in the land after harvest, having adverse environmental impacts. To solve this environmental problem, the demand for biodegradable mulch has been increasing in recent years. Polybutylene succinate-co-adipate (PBSA) is a biodegradable polymer with good ductility and can be used for packaging and mulching. In this study, we isolated two elite fungal strains for PBSA degradation from farmlands, i.e., Aspergillus fumigatus L30 and Aspergillus terreus HC, and the latter showed better degradation ability than the former. It is noteworthy that biodegradation of PBSA by A. terreus is reported for the first time, which revealed unique characteristics. In the soil burial test, even the soil with relatively poor degradation ability could be improved by the addition of elite fungal mycelia. In substrate specificity analyses of soil samples, PBSA could induce the synthesis of lipolytic enzymes of indigenous microbes to degrade substrates with medium and long carbon chains in soil. Furthermore, PBSA residues or fungal mycelia supplementation in soils had no adverse effect on the seed germination rate, seedling growth, or mature plant weight of the test green leafy vegetable. Taken together, the results of this study not only advance our understanding of the biodegradation of PBSA films by filamentous fungi but also provide insight into improving the efficiency of biodegradation in soil environments.

Analysis of microbial populations in plastic\u2013soil systems after exposure to high poly(butylene succinate-co-adipate) load using high-resolution molecular technique

BackgroundBio-based and biodegradable plastics are considered as plastics of the future owing to their ability to decompose under various environmental conditions. However, their effects on the soil microbiome are poorly characterised. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effects of an important bio-based and biodegradable plastic, polybutylene succinate-co-adipate (PBSA), on soil microbial diversity and community composition using high-resolution molecular technique (Illumina sequencing) targeting all three microbial domains: archaea, bacteria, and fungi.ResultsAdding high load of PBSA to soil (6% (w/w)) caused a significant decline in archaeal (13%) and fungal (45%) richness and substantial changes in both bacterial (Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, and Acidobacteria) and fungal (Eurotiomycetes, Sordariomycetes, Leotiomycetes, and Dothideomycetes) community composition compared with no PBSA addition to soil. The combined effects of PBSA and (NH4)2SO4 fertilisation on the soil microbiome were much greater than the effects of PBSA alone. We only detected opportunistic human pathogens in low abundance on PBSA and in the surrounding soil. However, some plant pathogenic fungi were detected and/or enriched on the PBSA films and in surrounding soil. Apart from plant pathogens, many potential microbial control agents and plant growth-promoting microorganisms were also detected/enriched owing to PBSA addition. Adding high load of PBSA together with (NH4)2SO4 fertilisation can either eliminate some plant pathogens or enrich specific pathogens, especially Fusarium solani, which is economically important.ConclusionsWe conclude that high load of bio-based and biodegradable PBSA plastic may negatively affect soil microbiome.

Gene structure and comparative study of two different plastic-degrading esterases from Roseateles depolymerans strain TB-87

The structures of two genes from Roseateles depolymerans strain TB-87 encoding the esterases Est-H and Est-L, which can degrade aliphatic-aromatic copolyesters, were annotated. Two open reading frames (ORFs) consisting of 1083 bp and 870 bp nucleotides, corresponding to est-H and est-L, encoding enzymes of 290 and 289 amino acids, respectively, were predicted. In addition, another ORF consisting of 735 bp encoding a chaperone-like protein (Est-Ch) of 244 amino acids was identified in the intergenic region of est-H and est-L. The presence of a promoter region upstream of est-H and the absence of a terminator region downstream of the ORF and vice versa for est-Ch, suggests that est-H and est-Ch are polycistronically expressed. A homology search for Est-H and Est-L revealed homology with plastic degrading enzymes, such as esterases and cutinases, while Est-Ch showed homology with a bacterial lipase chaperone. As consensus lipase sequences (-Gly-His-Ser-Met-Gly-) were observed in these enzymes, Est-H and Est-L were hypothesized to be hydrolases with serine (Ser) in their active center. Three-dimensional structures of Est-H and Est-L without their putative signal sequences were constructed using Est119 from Thermobifida alba strain AHK119 as the template; the structures and positions of the catalytic triad (Ser, Asp, His) active centers were similar to those of Est119. A mutant strain in which the annotated esterase-encoding genes were disrupted using a homologous recombination method lost the ability to form a clear zone on poly(butylene succinate-co-adipate (PBSA) emulsion-overlaid nutrient agar plates. Characterization of the esterases from strain TB-87 could contribute to the development of novel biodegradable plastics with unique properties such as recyclable monomers.

Effect of micro-lamellar talc on dimensional accuracy and stability in injection molding of PLA/PBSA blends

ABSTRACTThe present work is aimed at developing innovative solutions to enhance mechanical and physical properties of Poly(Lactic) Acid (PLA) blends, specifically designed for melt processing applications. Attention is drawn on dimensional accuracy and stability of PLA-based components manufactured by injection molding. PLA belongs to the class of bioplastic materials, entirely relying on renewable resources. It is a semi-crystalline linear aliphatic polyester, highly prone to recrystallize in harsh temperature conditions that can arise during transportation or storage of injection-molded components. Recrystallization is known to cause shrinkage of polymeric materials and, consequently, a marked warpage of components produced from them, causing scraps or parts that do not conform to the functional requirements. In this context, the experimental investigation deals with the effect of increasing amounts of micro-lamellar talc in PLA and Poly(butylene) Succinate Co-Adipate (PBSA) blends. In particular, the role of talc aliquot on dimensional accuracy and stability of injection-molded coffee capsules manufactured by PLA/PBSA blends is studied, with emphasis on the key role of recrystallization. For that purpose, commercial grade PLA and PBSA are compounded with micro-lamellar talc and several processing additives by a twin screw co-rotating extruder. The resulting compound is reprocessed to form coffee capsules by injection molding. Characterization tests include Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), Attenuated Total Reflection Fourier Transform Infrared (ATR FT-IR) spectroscopy and Field Emission Gun Scanning Electron Microscopy (FEG – SEM). Measurements of the characteristic dimensions of the molded components reveals the effect of increasing amounts of talc in PLA/PBSA blends on dimensional accuracy and stability properties of coffee capsules. Brewing tests allowed to identify the formulations that can ensure the utmost geometrical accuracy of the coffee capsules and their suitability for brewing in instant coffee machine. Based on experimental evidences, lowest shrinkage and improved stability are found on components manufactured by polymeric blends that involve the highest amount of talc.

Isolation and Characterization of Polyester-Based Plastics-Degrading Bacteria from Compost Soils

Four potential polyester-degrading bacterial strains were isolated from compost soils in Thailand. These bacteria exhibited strong degradation activity for polyester biodegradable plastics, such as polylactic acid (PLA), polycaprolactone (PCL), poly-(butylene succinate) (PBS) and polybutylene succinate-co-adipate (PBSA) as substrates. The strains, classified according to phenotypic characteristics and 16S rDNA sequence, belonging to the genera Actinomadura, Streptomyces and Laceyella, demonstrated the best polyester- degrading activities. All strains utilized polyesters as a carbon source, and yeast extract with ammonium sulphate was utilized as a nitrogen source for enzyme production. Optimization for polyester-degrading enzyme production by Actinomadura sp. S14, Actinomadura sp. TF1, Streptomyces sp. APL3 and Laceyella sp. TP4 revealed the highest polyester-degrading activity in culture broth when 1% (w/v) PCL (18 U/mL), 0.5% (w/v) PLA (22.3 U/mL), 1% (w/v) PBS (19.4 U/mL) and 0.5% (w/v) PBSA (6.3 U/mL) were used as carbon sources, respectively. All strains exhibited the highest depolymerase activities between pH 6.0–8.0 and temperature 40–60°C. Partial nucleotides of the polyester depolymerase gene from strain S14, TF1 and APL3 were studied. We determined the amino acids making up the depolymerase enzymes had a highly conserved pentapeptide catalytic triad (Gly-His-Ser-Met-Gly), which has been shown to be part of the esterase-lipase superfamily (serine hydrolase).

Enzymatic degradation of poly-butylene succinate-co-adipate film in rice husks by yeast Pseudozyma antarctica in indoor conditions

Agricultural mulch films made from biodegradable polymers (BP) have been used to decrease the burden of plastic waste recovery and recycling. However, their degradations depend largely on environmental conditions and sometimes do not proceed as desired. Yeast strains of Pseudozyma antarctica often isolated from rice husks were found to secrete an esterase to degrade BP films. Poly-butylene succinate-co-adipate (PBSA) films buried in unsterilized rice husks with 60% (w/w) moisture degraded rapidly compared to that buried in field soil. The type strain of P.antarctica JCM 10317 added as cell suspension onto sterilized rice husks with PBSA film grew rapidly forming filamentous growth on the surface of rice husks and films. BP-degrading enzyme secreted by the growing cells was adsorbed on the surface of film and decomposed the film. Addition of rice husk-derived P.antarctica strains also showed BP film degradation activity in sterilized rice husks. In the light of these findings, we suggest that techniques for disposal of used BPs which combine plastics with unutilized residual plant materials piled at the side of agricultural fields be developed.

Testing of polybutylene succinate based films for poultry meat packaging

Overall evaluation of the newly developed materials based on polybutylene succinate (PBS) and polybutylene succinate-co-adipate (PBSA) derived from renewable resources was carried out. This study was focused on the practical examination of two selected double layer materials - i) PBSA/(90% PBS + 10% PBSA) and ii) PBSA/(80% PBS + 10% PBSA + 10% talc), which were applied for vacuum packaging of raw chicken and turkey meat and smoked turkey meat. Physical, chemical and mechanical properties of these materials were compared with commonly used packaging material based on polyamide/polyethylene (PA/PE). Functional parameters of packaging materials such as the film thickness, water vapour transmission rate, oxygen permeability, tensile strength, transmittance and overall migration were tested. Various values of water vapour transmission rate for PA/PE, i) PBSA and ii) PBSA 2.1, 20.9 and 21.0 g·m−2·d−1; oxygen permeability 74.7, 115.4 and 85.1 ml (STP)·m−2·d−1·0.1 MPa−1 (all at 23 °C, 75% relative humidity) and transmittance 82.6, 15.7 and 6.9% were found, respectively. For the packaged meats only minor changes of pH, water activity, microbiological quality, colour and profiles of volatile compounds during the storage throughout their shelf life were found. Results of all experiments confirm that even if the physical, chemical and mechanical properties of commonly used PA/PE and new PBS packaging materials are not the same, there is no significant limitation in the practical application of PBS based films for raw and smoked poultry meats.

A UV-induced mutant of Cryptococcus flavus GB-1 with increased production of a biodegradable plastic-degrading enzyme

The yeast strain, Cryptococcus flavus GB-1, isolated from rice husks as a candidate producer of a biodegradable plastic (BP)-degrading enzyme. The genomic DNA sequence encoding the BP-degrading enzyme of GB-1 was determined. The enzyme was named CfCLE because the deduced amino acid sequence (239 amino acids) was found to be 93% identical to that of CLE of Cryptococcus sp. S-2 (accession No. BAK82405.1). The strain GB-1 forms a clear zone (halo) around its colonies on emulsified polybutylene succinate-co-adipate (PBSA) agar plates containing soybean oil but not on plates containing glucose. A UV-induced mutant from this strain, designated as GB-1-DMC1, formed halos on emulsified PBSA plates containing glucose and showed 1.53U/ml of PBSA-degrading activity in liquid culture with glucose, which was more than 2.5-fold higher than that of the parent strain GB-1 (0.58U/ml). Moreover, using xylose as a carbon source enhanced the PBSA-degrading activity of both strains. Xylose fed-batch cultivation of GB-1 and GB-1-DMC1 using a 5-l jar fermentor for 72h produced 12.1 and 21.2U/ml of CfCLE, respectively. Purified CfCLE has a molecular mass of 22kDa, and its optimal pH and temperature for enzyme activity is 7.8 and 45°C, respectively. CfCLE degraded various BP cast films.

A study on reactive blending of (poly lactic acid) and poly (butylene succinate co adipate)

This research aims to study the blending of Polylactic acid (PLA) and Polybutylene succinate co adipate (PBSA) in order to understand the role of peroxide in free radical reaction on the compatibilization between these two biodegradable polyesters. Various ratios of PLA/PBSA blends with and without reactive agents were prepared in the twin screw extruder. Two types of peroxides, Di (tert-butylperoxyisopropyl) benzene (DTBP) and 2, 5-Dimethyl-2, 5-(t-butylperoxy) hexane (DTBH), were used with various concentrations to compare. From the torques measurement, DTBP was more reactive with PLA and PBSA than DTBH. PLA and PBSA 80:20, 60:40, 50:50, 40:60, and 20:80% by weight were melt-blended in a twin screw extruder. The reactive polymer blends were also prepared for the same ratios of the blends with addition of 0.08 and 0.1 phr of DTBP. The mechanical, thermal, rheological, and morphological properties were investigated. The impact strengths of the non-reactive blend increased with the increasing in PBSA content. The optimal impact strength was obtained at 40%wt of PBSA with 0.1 phr of DTBP. Adding 0.08 and 0.1 phr of DTBP led to the co continuous phase morphology of PLA/PBSA blends. The per cent crystallinity of PLA increased when blended with PBSA. PBSA might induce the crystallization of PLA.

Prediction of solubility of carbon dioxide in different polymers using support vector machine algorithm

This paper concerns with implementation of support vector machine algorithm for developing improved models capable of predicting the solubility of CO2 in five different polymers namely polystyrene (PS), poly vinyl acetate (PVAC), polypropylene (PP), poly butylene succinate-co-adipate (PBSA) and poly butylene succinate (PBS). Validity of the presented models has been evaluated by utilizing several statistical parameters. The predictions of the developed models for polymers of PS, PVAC, PP, PBSA, PBS are in excellent agreement with corresponding experimental data with the average absolute relative deviation percent (%AARD) equal to %0.151, %0.500, %1.381, %0.158, %0.239 and R2 values of greater than 0.999. Furthermore, the estimation capability of the proposed models has been compared to a well-known equation of state (EOS) as well as artificial neural network (ANN) and adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) models. According to the results of comparative studies, it was found that the developed models are more robust, reliable and efficient than other existing techniques for improved analysis and design of polymer processing technology.

Xylose induces the phyllosphere yeast Pseudozyma antarctica to produce a cutinase-like enzyme which efficiently degrades biodegradable plastics

There is a need to speed up the degradation of used agricultural mulch films that are made of biodegradable plastics (BPs) in the field. Treating them with BP-degrading enzymes could be a solution to this problem. A cutinase-like enzyme of yeast Pseudozyma antarctica (PaE) has wide specificity of BPs degradation, but needs to be produced efficiently. Here we report that the production of PaE by P. antarctica can be increased by using xylose as carbon source. BP-degradation activity was analyzed using a polybutylene succinate-co-adipate (PBSA) emulsion as the substrate. Strain P. antarctica GB-4(1)W was found to be the best PaE producer among the tested strains. Using a 5-L jar fermentor with xylose fed-batch cultivation, high PaE productivity could be maintained and about 21 U/ml of PaE was obtained in 120 h. This amount was 100 times higher than the amount that we obtained previously (0.21 U/ml by flask cultivation using glycerol as carbon source). Under repeated xylose fed-batch cultivation with 24 h intervals, the maximum PaE production rate (0.34 U/ml/h) was maintained and the highest PaE productivity (28,000 U/2 L/d) was repeatedly obtained for 7 intervals. The activity of filtered jar-culture (crude PaE) was stable over 12 weeks at 4°C. Commercially available BP mulch films (20 μm thickness, cut into 1-cm-squares) were completely degraded by submerging them in crude PaE (2 U/ml) at 30°C in 24 h. These results indicated that concentrated PaE can rapidly degrade the strength of BP mulch films in the field so that they do not interfere with plowing.

Characterizations of Chondrocyte Attachment and Proliferation on Electrospun Biodegradable Scaffolds of PLLA and PBSA for Use in Cartilage Tissue Engineering

The influence of physical characteristics of electrospun three-dimensional (3D) fibrous scaffolds based on polybutylene succinate-co-adipate (PBSA) and poly l-lactic acid (PLLA) on the culture of primary human chondrocytes (PHCs) in terms of cell attachment, proliferation, and re-differentiation was investigated. Physical characteristics assessed for two polymers electrospun at two different delivery rates (PBSA-3, PBSA-16, PLLA-3, and PLLA-16) including average fiber diameter, average pore diameter, porosity, and contact angle. Results demonstrated that 3D fibrous scaffolds are better for PHCs' attachment than two-dimensional (2D) casting films made of the same polymeric materials. It was also found that 3D fibrous scaffolds are appropriate architecture for the proliferation of PHCs than 2D casting films and dependent upon the polymer used. Histological analysis revealed that a significant amount of PHC was found to be growing only within layers of PLLA fibrous scaffolds. The mitochondrial ribonucleic acid (mRNA) expression of both aggrecan and type II collagen by PHCs cultured in tissue culture polystyrene for 28 days decreased significantly. The mRNA expression of both aggrecan and type II collagen by PHCs cultured in PBSA scaffolds increased from 14 to 28 days, whereas only mRNA expression of aggrecan cultured in both PLLA scaffolds increased from 14 to 28 days.

Novel hydrophobic surface binding protein, HsbA, produced by Aspergillus oryzae.

Hydrophobic surface binding protein A (HsbA) is a secreted protein (14.5 kDa) isolated from the culture broth of Aspergillus oryzae RIB40 grown in a medium containing polybutylene succinate-co-adipate (PBSA) as a sole carbon source. We purified HsbA from the culture broth and determined its N-terminal amino acid sequence. We found a DNA sequence encoding a protein whose N terminus matched that of purified HsbA in the A. ozyzae genomic sequence. We cloned the hsbA genomic DNA and cDNA from A. oryzae and constructed a recombinant A. oryzae strain highly expressing hsbA. Orthologues of HsbA were present in animal pathogenic and entomopathogenic fungi. Heterologously synthesized HsbA was purified and biochemically characterized. Although the HsbA amino acid sequence suggests that HsbA may be hydrophilic, HsbA adsorbed to hydrophobic PBSA surfaces in the presence of NaCl or CaCl(2). When HsbA was adsorbed on the hydrophobic PBSA surfaces, it promoted PBSA degradation via the CutL1 polyesterase. CutL1 interacts directly with HsbA attached to the hydrophobic QCM electrode surface. These results suggest that when HsbA is adsorbed onto the PBSA surface, it recruits CutL1, and that when CutL1 is accumulated on the PBSA surface, it stimulates PBSA degradation. We previously reported that when the A. oryzae hydrophobin RolA is bound to PBSA surfaces, it too specifically recruits CutL1. Since HsbA is not a hydrophobin, A. oryzae may use several types of proteins to recruit lytic enzymes to the surface of hydrophobic solid materials and promote their degradation.

The fungal hydrophobin RolA recruits polyesterase and laterally moves on hydrophobic surfaces

When fungi grow on plant or insect surfaces coated with wax polyesters that protect against pathogens, the fungi generally form aerial hyphae to contact the surfaces. Aerial structures such as hyphae and conidiophores are coated with hydrophobins, which are surface-active proteins involved in adhesion to hydrophobic surfaces. When the industrial fungus Aspergillus oryzae was cultivated in a liquid medium containing the biodegradable polyester polybutylene succinate-coadipate (PBSA), the rolA gene encoding hydrophobin RolA was highly transcribed. High levels of RolA and its localization on the cell surface in the presence of PBSA were confirmed by immunostaining. Under these conditions, A. oryzae simultaneously produced the cutinase CutL1, which hydrolyses PBSA. Pre-incubation of PBSA with RolA stimulated PBSA degradation by CutL1, suggesting that RolA bound to the PBSA surface was required for the stimulation. Immunostaining revealed that PBSA films coated with RolA specifically adsorbed CutL1. Quartz crystal microbalance analyses further demonstrated that RolA attached to a hydrophobic sensor chip specifically adsorbed CutL1. Circular dichroism spectra of soluble-state RolA and bound RolA suggested that RolA underwent a conformational change after its adsorption to hydrophobic surfaces. These results suggest that RolA adsorbed to the hydrophobic surface of PBSA recruits CutL1, resulting in condensation of CutL1 on the PBSA surface and consequent stimulation of PBSA hydrolysis. A fluorescence recovery after photobleaching experiment on PBSA films coated with FITC-labelled RolA suggested that RolA moves laterally on the film. We discuss the novel molecular functions of RolA with regard to plastic degradation.

Some applications of small angle neutron scattering technique to polymer blends and solutions

Overall evaluation of the newly developed materials based on polybutylene succinate (PBS) and polybutylene succinate-co-adipate (PBSA) derived from renewable resources was carried out. This study was focused on the practical examination of two selected double layer materials - i) PBSA/(90% PBS + 10% PBSA) and ii) PBSA/(80% PBS + 10% PBSA + 10% talc), which were applied for vacuum packaging of raw chicken and turkey meat and smoked turkey meat. Physical, chemical and mechanical properties of these materials were compared with commonly used packaging material based on polyamide/polyethylene (PA/PE). Functional parameters of packaging materials such as the film thickness, water vapour transmission rate, oxygen permeability, tensile strength, transmittance and overall migration were tested. Various values of water vapour transmission rate for PA/PE, i) PBSA and ii) PBSA 2.1, 20.9 and 21.0 g·m−2·d−1; oxygen permeability 74.7, 115.4 and 85.1 ml (STP)·m−2·d−1·0.1 MPa−1 (all at 23 °C, 75% relative humidity) and transmittance 82.6, 15.7 and 6.9% were found, respectively. For the packaged meats only minor changes of pH, water activity, microbiological quality, colour and profiles of volatile compounds during the storage throughout their shelf life were found. Results of all experiments confirm that even if the physical, chemical and mechanical properties of commonly used PA/PE and new PBS packaging materials are not the same, there is no significant limitation in the practical application of PBS based films for raw and smoked poultry meats.