Melt Spinning of Poly(3‐hydroxybutyrate) for Tissue Engineering Using Electron‐Beam‐Irradiated Poly(3‐hydroxybutyrate) as Nucleation Agent

Abstract

Electron-beam-irradiated poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) was used as a nucleating agent for poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) in a melt-spinning process. Molecular data and thermal properties of the irradiated samples were determined. The thermal properties of the nucleated melts were determined to assess the influence of the nucleation agents, and then spinning tests were carried out. Thermal and textile properties of the spun fibers were also determined. Estimations of the improvement of the crystallization in the spinline and of the inhibition of secondary crystallization in the fibers from the use of the described blood-compatible nucleation agents are given.

Novel bioresource‐based poly(3‐Hydroxybutyrate‐co‐4‐Hydroxybutyrate)/poly(LacticAcid) blend fibers with high strength and toughness via melt‐spinning

“…However, P3HB has a high degree of crystallinity due to stereoregular structure, and wide application was restricted by its brittleness, which was attributed to high crystallinity and narrow processing window . Additionally, the secondary crystallization of P3HB markedly exacerbated the material's mechanical properties during prolonged storage time at room temperature, the materials became stiff and brittle . Poly(3‐hydroxybutyrate‐co‐4‐hydroxybutyrate) (P3HB4HB), the latest generation of PHAs, is synthesized by copolymerizing P3HB with 4‐hydroxybutyrate (4HB) monomers.…”

Biodegradable Bicomponent Fibers from Renewable Sources: Melt‐Spinning of Poly(lactic acid) and Poly[(3‐hydroxybutyrate)‐co‐(3‐hydroxyvalerate)]

“…In addition, rapid thermal degradation at temperatures just above the melting temperature, low melt elasticity, low crystallization rate due to a low nucleation density, and brittleness of native PHB and PHBV render a rather narrow processability window 31, 34–36. Up to now, melt‐spinning of PHB and PHBV could only be achieved at a small scale applying special additives,25, 37 uncommon procedures28, 38 and complex post‐treatment 39–42…”

Structure–Property Relationship in Melt-Spun Poly(hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hexanoate) Monofilaments

“…As mentioned in the introduction section, PHA polymers undergo physical aging, which is ascribed to secondary crystallization, i.e., to the rearrangement of molecules into energetically more favorable structures [ 14 , 43 , 45 ]. This secondary crystallization reduces the number of polymer chains in the amorphous region, resulting in increased brittleness of the fibers.…”