Thermoplastic
PHB (polyhydroxybutyrate, a PHA)
A microbially-produced, renewable and marine-biodegradable polyester; stiffness and barrier close to polypropylene but brittle, and it embrittles further on ageing as it slowly crystallises. The best-known polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA).
| Property | Value | Source | Method | Conditions | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Density | 1.25 g/cm³ | Sudesh, Abe & Doi, Prog. Polym. Sci. 25 (2000) 1503–1555 — PHA structure & properties review | — | 23 °C, dry | — |
| Young's modulus E | 3.5 GPa | Sudesh, Abe & Doi, Prog. Polym. Sci. 25 (2000) 1503–1555 — PHA structure & properties review | — | 23 °C, dry | high-crystallinity; secondary crystallisation on ageing lowers it toward ~1.7 |
| Tensile strength | 40 MPa | Sudesh, Abe & Doi, Prog. Polym. Sci. 25 (2000) 1503–1555 — PHA structure & properties review | — | 23 °C, dry | brittle — elongation ~5% |
| Glass transition Tg | 4 °C | Sudesh, Abe & Doi, Prog. Polym. Sci. 25 (2000) 1503–1555 — PHA structure & properties review | DSC | 23 °C, dry | near room temperature |
| Melting point Tm | 177 °C | Sudesh, Abe & Doi, Prog. Polym. Sci. 25 (2000) 1503–1555 — PHA structure & properties review | DSC | 23 °C, dry | — |
Compare with
PHB (polyhydroxybutyrate, a PHA) vs Polypropylene (PP)
PHB (polyhydroxybutyrate, a PHA) vs Polyamide 6 (PA6, Nylon 6)
PHB (polyhydroxybutyrate, a PHA) vs Polycarbonate (PC)
PHB (polyhydroxybutyrate, a PHA) vs PEEK
PHB (polyhydroxybutyrate, a PHA) vs Polyethylene, high-density (HDPE)
PHB (polyhydroxybutyrate, a PHA) vs PVC, rigid (uPVC)
Sources
- Sudesh, Abe & Doi, Prog. Polym. Sci. 25 (2000) 1503–1555 — PHA structure & properties review
Typical room-temperature values for learning and preliminary design; grades vary. Always confirm against the supplier datasheet before design work. Data policy: docs/DATA-SOURCES.md in the repository.