Polyhydroxybutyrate-Natural Fiber Reinforcement Biocomposite Production and Their Biological Recyclability through Anaerobic Digestion

Danh H. Vu, Amir Mahboubi (), Jorge A. Ferreira, Mohammad J. Taherzadeh and Dan Åkesson
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Danh H. Vu: Swedish Centre for Resource Recovery, University of Borås, 501 90 Borås, Sweden
Amir Mahboubi: Swedish Centre for Resource Recovery, University of Borås, 501 90 Borås, Sweden
Jorge A. Ferreira: Swedish Centre for Resource Recovery, University of Borås, 501 90 Borås, Sweden
Mohammad J. Taherzadeh: Swedish Centre for Resource Recovery, University of Borås, 501 90 Borås, Sweden
Dan Åkesson: Swedish Centre for Resource Recovery, University of Borås, 501 90 Borås, Sweden

Energies, 2022, vol. 15, issue 23, 1-13

Abstract: The existing recycling methods of PHA-based material are ineffective in terms of increasing resource efficiency and the production of high value end-of-life products. Therefore, in this study, a novel approach of acidogenic fermentation was proposed to recycle PHB-based composites reinforced with natural fibers such as cellulose, chitin, chitosan, orange waste, sawdust, soy protein, and starch. The inclusion of cellulose, chitosan, and sawdust improved the impact properties of the composites while other fillers had various effects on the mechanical properties. These three composites and neat PHB were subsequently subjected to biological degradation via acidogenic digestion to determine the possibility of converting PHB-based composites into volatile fatty acids (VFAs). Two different pH levels of 6 and 10 were applied to assess the effect of pH on the bioconversion and inhibition of the methanogenesis. The results showed promising PHB degradation, contributing to considerable VFA production of 2.5 g/L at pH 6 after 47 days. At pH 6, the presence of the natural fibers in the biocomposites promoted the degradation rate. On the contrary, pH 10 proved to be more suitable for the degradation of the fibers. The VFA which is produced can be recirculated into PHB production, fitting with the concept of a circulating bioeconomy.

Keywords: acidogenic fermentation; biocomposites; biological recycling; natural fillers; polyhydroxybutyrate; volatile fatty acids (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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