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Development and Characterization of Electrospun Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyhexanoate) (PHBH) Biopapers
Ahmet Ozan Basar1,2, Cristina Prieto1, Luis Cabedo3
1Novel Materials and Nanotechnology Group, Institute of Agrochemistry and Food Technology (IATA), Spanish Council for Scientific Research (CSIC), 46980 Paterna, Spain.
Polymers
|May 13, 2026
Summary
Electrospun poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyhexanoate) (PHBH) biopapers were created using mild annealing. These sustainable biopapers show promising properties for food packaging applications.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Polymer Science
- Biomaterials Engineering
Background:
- Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyhexanoate) (PHBH) is a biodegradable polymer with potential for sustainable packaging.
- Conventional processing methods for PHBH can be energy-intensive and may not fully leverage its properties.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop continuous PHBH biopapers from electrospun fiber mats using a novel annealing method.
- To compare the structural, optical, mechanical, and barrier properties of these biopapers with conventionally produced PHBH films.
- To understand the structural mechanisms governing interfiber coalescence during the annealing process.
Main Methods:
- Electrospinning of two commercial PHBH grades (151C and X131A).
- Mild thermal post-processing (annealing) of electrospun fiber mats at specific temperatures (140 °C for 151C, 130 °C for X131A) for short durations (10 s).
- Characterization using time-resolved synchrotron Small-Angle X-ray Scattering/Wide-Angle X-ray Scattering (SAXS/WAXS) and temperature-dependent Fourier-Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy.
- Evaluation of optical, mechanical (rigidity, ductility, toughness), and barrier (water, oxygen) properties.
Main Results:
- Continuous PHBH biopapers were successfully produced via short-duration, mild annealing of electrospun mats, demonstrating interfiber coalescence.
- Structural analysis revealed coalescence mechanisms involving thermally induced ordering and partial melting of lamellae, with grade-dependent characteristics.
- Biopapers exhibited comparable transparency to compression-molded films, with the 151C grade showing enhanced ductility and toughness.
- Slightly lower water and oxygen barrier performance in biopapers was attributed to differences in material compactness.
Conclusions:
- Brief, mild annealing is an effective method for creating continuous PHBH biopapers from electrospun fibers.
- The developed biopapers possess a balanced set of properties suitable for sustainable food packaging.
- This approach offers a promising route for fabricating advanced PHBH-based materials for eco-friendly packaging solutions.
