Miscibility, crystallization kinetics, and mechanical properties of poly(3‐hydroxybutyrate‐ co ‐3‐hydroxyvalerate)(PHBV)/poly(3‐hydroxybutyrate‐ co ‐4‐hydroxybutyrate)(P3/4HB) blends

Poly(3‐hydroxybutyrate‐ co ‐3‐hydroxyvalerate)(PHBV)/poly(3‐hydroxybutyrate‐ co ‐4‐hydroxybutyrate) (P3/4HB) blend films were prepared by solvent‐cast method. The nonisothermal crystallization results showed that PHBV and P3/4HB are miscible due to a single glass transition temperature ( T g ), which is dependent on blend composition. The isothermal crystallization results demonstrate that the crystallization rate of PHBV becomes slower after adding amorphous P3/4HB with 19.2 mol% 4HB, which could be proved through depression of equilibrium melt point ( $T_m^o$ ) from 183.7°C to 177.6°C. For pure PHBV and PHBV/P3/4HB (80/20) blend, the maximum crystallization rate appeared at 88°C and 84°C, respectively. FTIR analysis showed that PHBV/P3/4HB blend films would maintain the helical structure, similar to pure PHBV. Meanwhile, with increasing P3/4HB content, the inter‐ and intra‐interactions of PHBV and P3/4HB decrease gradually. Besides, a lower elastic modulus and a higher elongation at break were obtained, which show that the addition of P3/4HB would make the brittle PHBV to ductile materials. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2010