| Abstract: | In order to clarify the effects of phenols on properties of polyesters, the blends of poly[(3‐hydroxybutyrate)‐co‐(3‐hydroxyvalerate)] (PHBV) with 4,4′‐dihydroxydiphenylpropane (BPA) and p‐tert‐butylphenol (TBP) were studied. The FTIR spectra revealed that there was strong hydrogen‐bond (H‐bond) interaction between PHBV and both phenols. By evaluating the fraction of H‐bonded C?O in the blend, it was concluded that BPA showed a stronger tendency than TBP to form H‐bonds with PHBV. Accordingly, BPA formed a stronger suppression than TBP on the crystallization of PHBV. When 30 wt% BPA or 50 wt% TBP were added into PHBV, the crystallization of PHBV was completely suppressed in the DSC cooling scan. As the phenol content was increased, the Tg of PHBV/TBP blend decreased while the Tg of PHBV/BPA blend increased. This difference indicated that TBP and BPA acted as plasticizer and physical crosslinking agent, respectively. Copyright © 2004 Society of Chemical Industry |
