Patent ID: 7361725

Claim:
A process for producing lower molecular weight poly(hydroxyalkanoate)s (PHAs) from a higher molecular weight poly(hydroxyalkanoate) comprising: providing the higher molecular weight poly(hydroxyalkanoate) in a reaction vessel, making an addition of a diluter to said higher molecular weight poly(hydroxyalkanoate) in said reaction vessel to form a reaction mixture of said higher molecular weight poly(hydroxyalkanoate) and said diluter in said reaction vessel, thermally degrading the higher molecular weight poly(hydroxyalkanoate) in said reaction mixture comprising said higher molecular weight poly(hydroxyalkanoate) and said diluter, at a thermal degradation temperature of 150° C. to 250° C., said diluter being present in said reaction mixture in a weight percentage of 5 to 95%, having a boiling point higher than 150° C., being separatable from the PHAs produced, having a melting point lower than 120° C.; and being chemically stable at said thermal degradation temperature and lowering the viscosity of the reaction mixture.