Evaluation of thermal properties of zirconium-PHB composites

Most of the synthetic polymers that are used for packaging industry come from fossil fuel; thus, when their life cycle is complete, they normally accumulate in the environment. The poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) is a biopolymer produced from bacteria; due to its microbial degradation, great attention has been paid to its research; nevertheless, it has been found to be necessary to improve its mechanical, thermal and barrier properties. One of the approaches to do so is the incorporation of inorganic compounds. Zirconium oxide (ZrO2) and zirconium hydroxide (Zr(OH)(4)) have outstanding thermal stability and are potential compounds for the improvement in PHB features. Along this study, hybrid films made of PHB with 0.01, 0.05 and 0.1 mass% of ZrO(2)and Zr(OH)(4)were produced; their properties were evaluated by TG and DSC, which permitted to observe that all the composites have improved thermal resistance; furthermore, 0.01 and 0.05% Zr(OH)(4)showed lowerWc. These results suggest that zirconium-based PHB composites can increase the process temperature range, which opens the new door to future applications on food packaging.

Automated summary

Most synthetic polymers used in packaging industry are derived from fossil fuels and tend to accumulate in the environment. By incorporating zirconium-based compounds, the properties of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) can be improved for potential applications in food packaging.