PHA biopolymer fibre
Also known as: polyhydroxyalkanoate, PHA, microbial biopolyester
Fully marine-biodegradable fibre produced by microbial fermentation — the more honest bioplastic beyond PLA.
Description
Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) are a family of naturally occurring polyesters produced by microorganisms as an energy reserve. Fermentation of plant oils, sugars or food-industry side streams yields thermoplastic polymers that are then processed into fibres via melt or electrospinning.
Unlike PLA, PHA has been shown to biodegrade completely under marine conditions and in soil; it also has excellent biocompatibility and is used both in medical implants and in nonwovens and experimental apparel textiles. Challenges are the narrow processing window and high crystallinity, which make conventional spinning demanding. For sustainable apparel PHA is one of the most exciting candidates of the 2020s.
- Marine- and soil-biodegradable (per ASTM standards)
- Fermented from plant oils, sugars or food waste streams
- High biocompatibility — also used for medical implants
- Challenge: narrow processing window, more expensive than PLA
Properties
| Fibre type | Bio-based regenerated polyester fibre |
|---|---|
| Feedstock | Plant oils, sugars, food-industry side streams |
| Biodegradability | Marine + soil, per ASTM standards |
| Processing | Melt or electrospinning — narrow window |
| Application | Nonwovens, medical implants, sustainable apparel |
Related product categories
Sources & references
2- Wikipedia: Polyhydroxyalkanoates Wikipedia — Freie Enzyklopädie https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polyhydroxyalkanoates
- Springer: PHAs and their Application in the Textile Industry link.springer.com https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-981-97-0684-6_2
