Production and characterization of films containing poly(hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) blended with esterified alginate (ALG‐e) and poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG)

Alternative materials have long been studied and developed to replace conventional skin dressings with the emergence of new biopolymers and development of polymeric film fabrication techniques. As a new material for polymeric dressings, films of poly(hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) blended with esterified alginate (ALG-e) and poly(ethyleneglycol) was studied. The esterification of sodium alginate (ALG-e) generated a material with some amphiphilic characteristics and increased compatibility with the PHB. PEG was added as plasticizer in PHB/ALG-e films was also tested, since PEG is often used in blends with PHB to improve flexibility and reduce hydrophobicity. At the amounts studied, it was found that both PEG and ALG-e increase the degree of crystallinity, but a decrease was observed in the hydrophobic nature of PHB films. At the maximum concentration of ALG-e and PEG used an increase in water vapor permeability and a decrease in tensile strength was reached due to the synergistic effect caused by better homogenization of PEG and ALG-e in the PHB matrix. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2016, 133, 44362.