Synthesis Of Poly-(R)-3 Hydroxyoctanoate (Pho) And Its Graphene Nanocomposites

Polyhydroxyalkanoates are a popular class of bioplastics valued for their rapid biodegradadion, biocompatibility, and renewable feedstocks. While there are already a few commercial applications for these biopolymers, a greater diversity of properties is needed to compete with petroleum based polymers. In this chapter, we report the synthesis and characterization of polyhdroxyoctanoate and its nanocomposite with thermally reduced graphene. The results indicate the incorporation of graphene into the PHO matrix leads to a small upshift in the glass transition, enhance the thermal stability, and similar to 600% increase in modulus. Electrical percolation between 0.5 and 1 vol.% TRG was obtained.