Life Cycle of Functional All-Green Biocompatible Fibrous Materials Based on Biodegradable Polyhydroxybutyrate and Hemin: Synthesis, Service Life, and the End-of-Life via Biodegradation.

ABSTRACT

This article addresses the entire life cycle of the all-green fibrous materials based on poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) containing a natural biocompatible additive Hemin (Hmi) from preparation, service life, and the end of life upon in-soil biodegradation. Fibrous PHB/Hmi materials with a highly developed surface and interconnected porosity were prepared by electrospinning (ES) from Hmi-containing feed solutions. Structural organization of the PHB/Hmi materials (porosity, uniform structure, diameter of fibers, surface area, distribution of Hmi within the PHB matrix, phase composition, etc.) is shown to be governed by the ES conditions the presence of even minor amounts of Hmi in the PHB/Hmi (below 5 wt %) serves as a powerful tool for the control over their structure, performance, and biodegradation. Service characteristics of the PHB/Hmi materials (wettability, prolonged release of Hmi, antibacterial activity, breathability, and mechanical properties) were studied by different physicochemical methods (scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, contact angle measurements, antibacterial tests, etc.). The effect of the structural organization of the PHB/Hmi materials on their in-soil biodegradation at the end of life was analyzed, and key factors providing efficient biodegradation of the PHB/Hmi materials at all stages (from adaptation to mineralization) are highlighted (high surface area and porosity, thin fibers, release of Hmi, etc.). The proposed approach allows for target-oriented preparation and structural design of the functional PHB/Hmi nonwovens when their structural supramolecular organization with a highly developed surface area controls both their service properties as efficient antibacterial materials and in-soil biodegradation upon the end of life.