Plastics have come under attack in recent years due to their high visibility in the solid waste crisis. Plastics account for 22-24% of the $28 billion food packaging market. The coatings used in packaging applications are non-degradable, which has led to explosive drive to make biodegradable plastics for packaging. PHA is a type of aliphatic thermoplastic polyester produced by bacteria.  PHA exhibits relatively slow crystallization kinetics. Due to slow crystallization  stiffness of the film increases over a period of time affecting mechanical properties. It is assumed that changes in properties relates to change in microstructure. Annealing at high temperature enhances crystallization and helps to maintain the properties of film.  The objective of project is evolution of  microstructure of PHB films and correlation  with mechanical properties

    2.   Injection Molding of Biodegradable Polymer -PHB

          Group: Bhavin shah, Xiudong Sun, Prof Stephen McCarthy

         Study the effect of processing parameters on the properties for injection molding grades of Polyhydroxy Butyrate (PHB). A part of this investigation is to see how well commercial software like moldflow can predict the basic processing step of filling an injection mold and development of material database for the simulation software.

    3.  Biodegradable polymer blends of Poly(lactic acid) PLA) PLA and  
          Polyhydroxyalkanoate(PHA) using a chain extender

          Group: Jinkoo Lee, Bob Whitehouse, Prof Stephen McCarthy

     4.  Nano Modification of PHB

        Group: Yanir Shaked, Hanna Dodiuk, Stephen McCarthy, Samuel Kenig, Chris  Schwier

          The rapid emergence of biodegradable polymers and polymers from renewable resources requires a comprehensive infrastructure to enhance these unique polymers' processability and applicability.  PHB is the most abundant of the PHA, aliphatic thermoplastic polyesters, which are produced by bacteria and fully biodegradable.  When melt processed, above its Tm, PHB thermally degrades through a random chain scission reaction.  This degradation leads to loss in molecular weight, low melt strength, and inferior mechanical properties.  An innovative pathway for molecular weight retention is presented. POSS a new grade of hybrid materials will be examined as a reactive chain extender as well as non-reactive nano modifier.  The higher MW affects various properties, such as mechanical and physical along with the presence of the nano-modifier.