# INVESTIGATION INTO POLYHYDROXYBUTYRATE MORPHOLOGY UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF VARYING SOLVENT TYPE

> Title: INVESTIGATION INTO POLYHYDROXYBUTYRATE MORPHOLOGY UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF VARYING SOLVENT TYPE Page Range: p.699-703 Author(s): Sharma L; Nishida K; Kanaya T File size: 170K Download the pdf (subscribers only) Buy the pdf (non-subscribers) Journal: Polymers and Polymer Composites Issue Year: ppc...

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Published: 2004-08-01T00:00:00+00:00
Categories: Polymers and Polymer Composites

**Title: INVESTIGATION INTO POLYHYDROXYBUTYRATE MORPHOLOGY UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF VARYING SOLVENT TYPE**
 Page Range: p.699-703
 Author(s): Sharma L; Nishida K; Kanaya T
 File size: 170K
 ![](http://dload.gif) [Download the pdf](http://journals.asp?Page=111&JournalDownload=ON&JournalType=ppc&JournalIssue=ppc12-8&JournalID=100180&JIP=) (subscribers only)
 ![](http://handbuy.gif) Buy the pdf (non-subscribers)
 Journal: Polymers and Polymer Composites
 Issue Year: ppc
 Volume: 12
 Issue No: No. 8

**Abstract**
 Polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) is a bacterially synthesised biodegradable semi-crystalline which undergoes underpinning of spherulites during secondary crystallisation, causing severe cracking and rendering the material brittle. Brittleness can be reduced by the use of a plasticiser, and to this end, this paper investigates the influence of the solvent, (chloroform, acetone, and toluene) as a plasticiser, on PHB. PHB's crystalline and amorphous FTIR bands in the 950-1850 cm-1 region were studied. No band change was identified between the different solvent systems, indicating that the solvent was not an influencing factor in the formation of crystalline and amorphous regions in PHB. Hot stage optical microscopy was also used to further substantiate the FTIR studies. However, a marked change between the solvents and pure PHB became evident. The growth rate decreased for all solvents compared to the homopolymer, which is reported to indicate a non-plasticising effect. 19 refs.

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