Reactive Melt Mixing of Poly(3-Hydroxybutyrate)/Rice Husk Flour Composites with Purified Biosustainably Produced Poly(3-Hydroxybutyrate-co-3-Hydroxyvalerate)

Novel green composites based on commercial poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) filled with 10 wt % rice husk flour (RHF) were melt-compounded in a mini-mixer unit using triglycidyl isocyanurate (TGIC) as compatibilizer and dicumyl peroxide (DCP) as initiator. Purified poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV) produced by mixed bacterial cultures derived from fruit pulp waste was then incorporated into the green composite in contents in the 5–50 wt % range. Films for testing were obtained thereafter by thermo-compression and characterized. Results showed that the incorporation of up to 20 wt % of biowaste derived PHBV yielded green composite films with a high contact transparency, relatively low crystallinity, high thermal stability, improved mechanical ductility, and medium barrier performance to water vapor and aroma. This study puts forth the potential use of purified biosustainably produced PHBV as a cost-effective additive to develop more affordable and waste valorized food packaging articles.