Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 27, 2025

Scalable Step-by-Step Approach of Sustainable Bioplastic Production from Food Waste
Published on: July 18, 2025
Crystallization of microbial polyhydroxyalkanoates: A review
Qian Wang1, Yunsheng Xu2, Pengwu Xu1
1The Key Laboratory of Synthetic and Biological Colloids, Ministry of Education, School of Chemical and Material Engineering, Jiangnan University, 1800 Lihu Road, Wuxi 214122, China.
Abstract:
Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs), produced by the microbial fermentation, is a promising green polymer and has attracted much attention due to its excellent biocompatibility, complete biodegradability, and non-cytotoxicity. The physical properties of PHAs are closely related to their chemical and crystalline structure. Therefore, deep understanding and regulating the structure and crystallization of PHAs are the key factors to improve the performance of PHAs. This review first provides a brief overview of the development history, chemical structure, and basic properties of PHAs. Then, the crystal structure, crystal morphology, kinetics theories and crystallization behavior of nucleation-induced PHAs are systematically summarized to provide a theoretical foundation for improving PHAs crystallization rate and physical properties. In the end, the outlook on the crystallization and application prospects of PHAs is also addressed.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Polymer Classification: Crystallinity
Crystalline domains are the regions where polymer chains are aligned in an orderly manner and held together in proximity by intermolecular forces. For example, chains in the crystalline domains of polyethylene and nylon are bound together by van der Waals...
Step-Growth Polymerization: Overview
Many natural and synthetic polymers are produced by...
Types of Step-Growth Polymers: Polyesters
Polyesters are commonly prepared from terephthalic acid and ethylene glycol; the crude product is known as poly(ethylene terephthalate) or PET. However, polyesters are synthesized industrially by transesterification of dimethyl terephthalate with ethylene glycol at 150 °C. The two reactants and the...
Anionic Chain-Growth Polymerization: Overview
Polymer Classification: Stereospecificity
Crystal Growth: Principles of Crystallization
Initiating crystallization involves manipulating the concentration of the solute and the temperature of the solution. Since crystal growth occurs when the ratio of concentration and solubility of the solute in the solvent...

