Morphology of Penicillium funiculosum During Biodegradation of Poly (beta-hydroxybutyrate-co-beta-hydroxyvalerate) [PHBV] with Poly (epsilon-Caprolactone) [PCL] Blends

作者：Vergara Porras Berenice; Noel Gracida Rodriguez Jorge; Perez Guevara Fermin^*

来源：Journal of Polymers and the Environment, 2011, 19(4): 834-840.

DOI：10.1007/s10924-011-0367-4

• Blend biodegradation
• Bioavailability index
• Fungal morphology
• Mixing technique
• Polymer blend

Blends of poly (beta-hydroxybutyrate-co-beta-hydroxyvalerate) with poly (epsilon-caprolactone) were produced using melt mixing and solvent casting techniques. The biodegradation of blends was tested based in the ASTM G21-90 using Penicillium funiculosum fungal specie. The CO(2) production during biodegradation was measured and fitted using the Gompertz model. Biodegradation of blends varies according to the mixing technique and the proportion of bacterial polymers in the blends. Although lag phase was larger, solvent-casted blends were easier to degrade due to their porous surface and relative lower crystallinity. P. funiculosum morphology during biodegradation appeared to be related to carbon availability i.e. larger and more complex conidiophores, more phialides per conidiophore and the presence of double-phialides, were found in blends with higher PHAs proportion. P. funiculosum morphology was independent to the blending technique used. Hence, morphology of P. funiculosum could be useful as a reference for carbon bioavailability of the blends.

• 出版日期2011-12