Bio-Based Polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) Blends for 3D Printing: Rheological, Mechanical, Biocompatibility, and Biodegradation Properties

Abstract

This study develops highly flexible, biodegradable polymer blends using bio-based polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) polymers for Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) 3D printing. A Design of Experiment (DoE) approach optimized blend compositions by varying crystallinity levels of three PHAs, processed via twin-screw extrusion. Rheological analysis revealed that PHA blends exhibited 30–50% lower viscosity than PLA at low shear rates, ensuring improved processability. Tensile testing confirmed favorable mechanical properties, with elongation at break exceeding 2000%, significantly surpassing PLA (29%). Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) indicated partial miscibility and crystallinity reductions of up to 50%, influencing printability. Optimized 3D printing parameters demonstrated minimal warping for blends with crystallinity below 18%, ensuring high-dimensional stability. During home composting tests, PHA blends showed significant degradation within two months, whereas PLA remained intact. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) confirmed microbial degradation. Cytotoxicity tests demonstrated that the blends were non-toxic, supporting applications in tissue engineering. These findings highlight the potential of PHA-based blends as sustainable, high-performance materials for biomedical, packaging, and environmental applications.