Plant oil-based green composite using porous poly(3-hydroxybutyrate)

Abstract

In this study, a plant oil-based green composite was developed using a porous bacterial polyester, poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB). The porous PHB with a topological fibrous structure was prepared via a simple technique that involves the dissolution of the polymer in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) by heating and then subsequent cooling. The morphology and surface area of the porous PHB were dependent on the PHB concentration in DMSO. The porous PHB was impregnated via immersion with epoxidized soybean oil (ESO), and the acid-catalyzed curing of ESO produced a full bio-based composite that retained the porous structure of PHB. The resulting composites exhibited relatively good transparency, along with reinforcement of the plant oil-based network polymer. Furthermore, both the stiffness and toughness of the composites were improved by the incorporation of the porous PHB, suggesting good interfacial adhesion between the porous PHB and ESO polymer matrix. The present methodology of producing composites from renewable resources is expected to contribute to the development of bio-based materials in composite science. © 2014 The Society of Polymer Science, Japan (SPSJ).