Polyhydroxyalkanoate-based compositions and articles made therefrom
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Solution Overview
Problem
Polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) bioplastics face challenges in achieving sufficient durability, toughness, and impact strength without compromising their biodegradability and nutritional value, particularly due to brittleness issues and the need for fillers like clay to regain strength.
Innovation Solution
A novel blended polyhydroxyalkanoate elastomer composition is developed, comprising a mixture of PHA, elastomer, and a multi-phase block copolymer compatibilizer, which improves polymer-polymer miscibility and mechanical properties, allowing for the creation of articles with enhanced tensile strength, toughness, and elongation without the use of fillers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If fillers like clay are added to regain strength, then strength is improved, but biodegradability and nutritional value are compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a composite material system blending PHA with elastomer (such as polybutadiene or styrene-butadiene rubber) to achieve improved impact strength and toughness. This composite approach allows the material to maintain biodegradability and nutritional value while gaining mechanical properties through the synergistic combination of biopolymer and elastomer phases.
2Strength
If elastomer is blended with PHA, then toughness and impact strength are improved, but polymer-polymer miscibility and mechanical properties deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a compatibilizer (such as polypropylene-glycidyl methacrylate or other coupling agents) as an intermediary substance between the PHA and elastomer phases. This compatibilizer improves interfacial adhesion and miscibility between the immiscible polymer phases, enabling effective stress transfer and achieving enhanced mechanical properties while maintaining composition stability.
3Reliability
If PHA is used alone, then biodegradability is maintained, but durability and impact strength are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a composite material system blending PHA with elastomer (such as polybutadiene or styrene-butadiene rubber) to achieve improved impact strength and toughness. This composite approach allows the material to maintain biodegradability and nutritional value while gaining mechanical properties through the synergistic combination of biopolymer and elastomer phases.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a compatibilizer (such as polypropylene-glycidyl methacrylate or other coupling agents) as an intermediary substance between the PHA and elastomer phases. This compatibilizer improves interfacial adhesion and miscibility between the immiscible polymer phases, enabling effective stress transfer and achieving enhanced mechanical properties while maintaining composition stability.
Data Source
AI summary
The present specification generally relates to a composition for the manufacture of bio-degradable, bio-compostable, ocean degradable, biocompatible articles that contain a bio-based thermoplastic component. In particular, it has been found, in accordance with the practice of this invention, that marked improvement in tensile strength, toughness and elongation of polyhydroxy alkanoate (PHA) can be achieved by dispersing in the PHA an elastomer, using a compatibilizer, and then optionally cross-linking the dispersed elastomer, The polyhydroxy alkanoate elastomer blends of the present invention comprise from 20-99 percent by weight of the PHA, from 3-40 percent by weight of the elastomer and 2-25 percent by weight of compatibilizer and can be used to produce a wide array of articles that as they degrade release active natural polymers that are beneficial to growth performance, intestinal digestive and immune function of an animal that may have ingested the article.