Biodegradable bicomponent fibers from renewable sources: Melt-spinning of poly(lactic acid) and poly[(3-hydroxybutyrate)-co-(3-hydroxyvalerate)]

Abstract

PHBV is produced by bacteria as intracellular carbon storage. It is advantageous concerning biocompatibility and biodegradability, but its low crystallization rate hinders the melt-processing of fibers. This problem can be overcome by combining PHBV with PLA in a core/sheath configuration and introducing a new spin pack concept. The resulting PHBV/PLA bicomponent fibers show an ultimate tensile stress of up to 0.34 GPa and an E-modulus of up to 7.1 GPa. XRD reveals that PLA alone is responsible for tensile strength. In vitro biocompatibility studies with human fibroblasts reveal good cytocompatibility, making these fibers promising candidates for medical therapeutic approaches. By combining PLA and PHBV in a bicomponent fiber and introducing a new spin pack concept enabling individual temperature control for each polymer flow, the known difficulties with spinning of native PHBV can be overcome. Fibers with PLA as a sheath material are strong enough for the successful construction of a textile fabric. In vitro biocompatibility studies reveal that cells proliferate well along the fibers. Copyright © 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.