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Fabricating Superhydrophobic Polymeric Materials for Biomedical Applications

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Biosynthesis and characterization of hydroxybutyrate-hydroxycaproate copolymers

K P Caballero¹, S F Karel, R A Register

¹Department of Chemical Engineering, Princeton University, NJ 08544, USA.

International Journal of Biological Macromolecules

|April 1, 1995

Summary

Researchers developed novel hydroxybutyrate-rich polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) with minor hydroxycaproate (HC) or hydroxyoctanoate (HO) units. These unique copolymers exhibit a reduced melting point while retaining crystallinity, enhancing their potential as melt-processible thermoplastics.

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Published on: June 20, 2019

Area of Science:

Biotechnology and Polymer Science
Microbial Polymer Synthesis

Background:

Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) are a diverse class of biopolyesters with varying properties.
Existing PHA research primarily focuses on hydroxybutyrate-hydroxyvalerate copolymers or hydroxyoctanoate-rich heteropolymers.
Limited reports exist on hydroxybutyrate (HB)-rich copolymers with higher carbon number co-monomers.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the biosynthesis and characterization of novel HB-rich polyhydroxyalkanoates.
To explore the incorporation of hydroxycaproate (HC) and hydroxyoctanoate (HO) as minor co-monomers.
To evaluate the potential of these novel PHAs as melt-processible thermoplastics.

Main Methods:

Cultivation of Comomonas testosteroni, Bacillus cereus, and an unidentified organism on caproate or octanoate.
Biosynthesis of polyhydroxyalkanoates.
Characterization using X-ray analysis and melting point depression analysis.

Main Results:

Successful biosynthesis of HB-rich polymers containing 2-4 mol% hydroxycaproate (HC) units.
Production of a terpolymer containing HC and hydroxyoctanoate (HO) units.
X-ray analysis and melting point depression confirmed rejection of minor co-monomers from PHB crystallites.
Polymers exhibited a greatly reduced melting point while retaining high crystallinity.

Conclusions:

Novel HB-rich polyhydroxyalkanoates with HC and HO co-monomers were synthesized.
The unique properties, including reduced melting point and retained crystallinity, make these PHAs promising for melt-processing.
This research expands the scope of PHA materials for potential thermoplastic applications.