Influence of the 3-Hydroxyvalerate Content on the Processability, Nucleating and Blending Ability of Poly(3-Hydroxybutyrate--3-hydroxyvalerate)-Based Materials.

Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate--3-hydroxyvalerate (P(3HB--3HV) copolymers are an attractive class of biopolymers whose properties can be tailored by changing the 3-hydroxyvalerate monomer (3HV) concentration, offering the possibility of counteracting problems related to high crystallinity, brittleness, and processability. However, there are few studies about the effects of 3HV content on the processability of copolymers. The present study aims to provide new insights into the effect of 3HV content on the processing step including common practices like compounding, addition of nucleation agents and/or amorphous polymers as plasticizers.