“A Comparative Study of Melt-Spun Polyhydroxybutyrate Yarns: Processing-Dependent Microbial Biodegradation under Simulated Environmental Conditions”
Journal of Polymers and the Environment, cilt.34, sa.7, 2026 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus)
- Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
- Cilt numarası: 34 Sayı: 7
- Basım Tarihi: 2026
- Doi Numarası: 10.1007/s10924-026-03902-7
- Dergi Adı: Journal of Polymers and the Environment
- Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus, BIOSIS, Chemical Abstracts Core, Chimica, Compendex, Environment Index, Geobase, Greenfile, Natural Science Collection (ProQuest), Biomedical Reference Collection: Corporate Edition (EBSCO), Earth, Atmospheric, & Aquatic Science Collection (ProQuest), Materials Science & Engineering Collection (ProQuest), Pharma Collection (ProQuest), Technology Collection (ProQuest)
- Anahtar Kelimeler: Biodegradable yarns, Biodegradation, Melt-spinning, Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB)
- Bursa Uludağ Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet
Özet
Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) is a fully biodegradable polymer with increasing potential for sustainable textile applications; however, biodegradation studies focusing on fiber-level structures remain limited. In this study, melt-spun PHB yarns produced under different processing conditions were investigated to explore processing–structure–biodegradation relationships. Mechanical testing showed that increasing draw ratio enhanced tensile strength (0.50–1.03 cN/dtex, 62–129 MPa) while reducing elongation at break, indicating increased molecular orientation. XRD analysis confirmed processing-induced structural variations, including differences in crystalline reflections and oriented non-crystalline contributions. Biodegradation was evaluated under soil, sludge-amended soil, and vermicompost conditions using CO₂ evolution measurements. After 60 days, biodegradation rates in soil reached 70%, 53%, and 57% for non-drawn/low winding speed (S1), non-drawn/high winding speed (S2), and high draw ratio/low winding speed (S3) yarns, respectively, with lower values in organic-rich environments attributed to substrate competition with available organic carbon sources. S1 consistently exhibited the highest biodegradation rates across all environments, while S2 and S3 showed slower degradation, reflecting distinct processing-induced structural features rather than a uniform difference in accessibility. All samples exceeded 90% degradation after 180 days. SEM analysis revealed processing-dependent surface erosion patterns, while FT-IR results showed no formation of new functional groups and band broadening in crystalline- and amorphous-sensitive regions. DSC analysis showed that melting temperature remained stable, while melting enthalpy and crystallinity exhibited environment- and processing-dependent variations. These findings demonstrate that biodegradation is governed by the interplay between environmental conditions and processing-induced structural accessibility.