Hydrolytic Degradation of Biopolymer Systems Based on Poly-3-hydroxybutyrate. Kinetic and Structural Aspects

Abstract

The aim of the present work is to record and compare long-term kinetic curves of the hydrolytic degradation of polymer systems: bacterial poly-3-hydroxybutyrate (POB), its copolymer with hydroxyvalerate, and also a composite mixture of POB and polylactide (PLA). To monitor the degree of hydrolytic degradation, use was made of the total weight loss of the specimen and the change in the viscosity-average molecular weight (MW). Atom force microscopy was used to assess the surface state of POB films. It was shown that the rate of hydrolytic degradation depends on the incubation medium (the nature of the buffer), temperature, the chemical composition of the biopolymer, and its molecular weight. Atom force microscopy confirmed that, along with volumetric processes of POB hydrolysis, surface hydrolysis of the polymer also occurs.

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