Effect of environmental factors on Poly(3‐hydroxybutyrate‐ co −3‐hydroxyvalerate)/Poly(butylene adipate‐ co ‐terephthalate)/montmorillonite nanocomposites with antimicrobial agents

Short‐running of mineral oil, the increasing waste problem and the raising consciousness of our society are increasing biopolymer's potential for becoming an important alternative for petroleum based plastics. However, applications of biopolymers are still limited, which is partly caused by insufficient properties and high prices of some biopolymers. This study focuses on a polymer blend of poly(3‐hydroxybutyrate‐ co −3‐hydroxyvalerate) and poly(butylene adipate‐ co ‐terephthalate) which is reinforced with organomodified montmorillonite. Moreover, two natural propolis additives and an industrial antimicrobial are added to the materials with the objective to convey them antimicrobial properties. The effect of environmental factors such as water absorption, aging by weathering test, and antimicrobial attack on the thermal behavior and colorimetry of the biopolymer nanocomposites is investigated. These results contribute to the understanding of the structure‐property relationship of biocomposite materials for various applications, e.g. in packaging. POLYM. COMPOS., 39:915–923, 2018. © 2016 Society of Plastics Engineers