Patent ID: 6825285
Filing Date: 2004-11-30
Classification: C08L

Abstract:
A composition, comprising (a) a continuous phase of a first biodegradable polyhydroxyalkanoate comprising a copolymer of at least two randomly repeating monomer units, wherein the first randomly repeating monomer unit has the structure (I): wherein R1 is H, or C1 or C2 alkyl, and n is 1 or 2; and the second randomly repeating monomer unit is different from the first randomly repeating monomer unit and comprises at least one monomer selected from the group consisting of the structures (II) and (III): wherein R2 is a C3-C19 alkyl or C3-C19 alkenyl, and wherein m is from 2 to about 16, and wherein at least about 50 mole % of the copolymer comprises randomly repeating monomer units having the structure of the first randomly repeating monomer unit (I), wherein the first biodegradable polyhydroxyalkanoate has a melting point Tm1: and (b) a second crystallizable biodegradable polyhydroxyalkanoate comprising a randomly repeating monomer unit having the structure (IV): wherein R3 is H, or C1 or C2 alkyl, and p is 1 or 2, wherein thesecond biodegradable polyhydroxyalkanoate has a melting point Tm2, wherein Tm2 is at least about 20Â° C. greater than Tm1, and wherein the second biodegradable polyhydroxyalkanoate polymer (b) is finely dispersed within the bulk of the first biodegradable polyhydroxyalkanoate (a), to form a composition with enhanced crystallization and physical properties.