Selected Functional and Processing Properties of Polyhydroxyalkanoates

Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) are biodegradable biopolymers with high application potential, representing an alternative to petrochemical-derived plastics. The aim of this study was to evaluate the processing and mechanical properties of the commercial PHA EM20010 material intended for injection molding. Particular attention was paid to analyzing the effect of process parameters on the material’s flowability in the injection mold and determining the basic functional properties of the resulting molded parts. The tests included a technological flowability test using an Archimedes spiral mold, a static tensile test, Charpy impact testing, Shore D hardness measurements, and water absorption assessment. The results obtained showed that the tested material was characterized by a high tensile strength of 66.8 ± 1.8 MPa and a Young’s modulus of 1322 ± 21 MPa. Elongation at maximum stress reached 5.0 ± 0.5%, indicating the relatively stiff nature of the material. The average unnotched impact strength was 24.8 ± 3.5 kJ/m2, while hardness ranged from 54.6 to 55.4 ShD. Water absorption tests revealed very low water absorption of approximately 0.11% after 24 h of exposure. The flushing test confirmed the significant effect of injection temperature and pressure on the material’s flowability. The maximum spiral length of 54.8 cm was achieved at a processing temperature of 175 °C and an injection pressure of 100 bar. The tests demonstrated that this material possesses a favorable combination of high strength, good toughness, low water absorption, and good processing properties.