Abstract: A piezoelectric device includes a membrane having fibres of a polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA), having average diameter between 100 nm and 2000 nm, and at least one oxide having piezoelectric properties in a subdivided form having at least one average size between 1 nm and 100 nm. Preferably, the PHA fibres are produced by electrospinning. Advantageously, demonstrating good piezoelectric properties and considering that the piezoelectric device includes PHA, a biodegradable and biocompatible material, the device can be used in biological systems, for example in flexible micro-actuator systems for drug delivery and in the engineering of biological tissues (such as, for example, in pacemaker devices).

Abstract: A process for producing a filter element suitable for use in smoking articles may include: embedding a bundle of cellulose acetate fibers with an aqueous suspension of polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) to obtain a wet bundle of the cellulose acetate fibers covered by the aqueous suspension of the PHA; shaping the wet bundle in a form of a continuous elongated element; heating the continuous elongated element to temperature greater than or equal to 140° C. and less than or equal to 180° C. for time sufficient to melt the PHA and to evaporate water from the continuous elongated element; cooling the heated continuous elongated element to obtain crystallization of the PHA; and cutting the so-obtained continuous elongated element into segments of predetermined length.

Abstract: A supercondenser includes at least two electrodes separated by at least one separator having a polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) and at least one electrolyte, and relative production process. The supercondenser is flexible, biodegradable, and biocompatible, and can be made with reduced manufacturing costs and can be integrated, for example, in electronic devices that must be used inside biological organisms.

Abstract: Powdered composition comprising: (a) 100 parts by weight of at least one polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) in the form of particles having an average diameter (d50) from 1 ?m to 100 ?m, preferably from 5 ?m to 60 ?m; (b) from 0.1 to 10 parts by weight, preferably from 0.5 to 5 parts by weight, of at least one silicate or silica. The powdered composition, having a relatively low abrasivity index and high flowability, can be used in air-polishing without causing excessive abrasion of the enamel and of the root cementum and without causing sticking in the device. Furthermore, the presence of PHA, being a polymer characterized by high biodegradability, makes the powdered composition particularly suitable for use in the oral cavity.

Abstract: A composition including at least one polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) having saturated side chains dissolved in at least one aromatic solvent between 50 g/1 and 200 g/l and preferably between 80 g/l and 180 g/l. The at least one PHA has a weight-average molecular weight (Mw) not greater than 250,000 Da and preferably not greater than 150,000 Da. This composition is particularly suitable as a binder for coating products. The composition can be produced by mixing the PHA with the aromatic organic solvent and heating the mixture at a temperature close to the PHA melting temperature, maintaining the mixture under stirring until complete dissolution of the polymer. Alternatively, the composition can be produced by dissolution of the PHA in a non-aromatic organic solvent having low boiling temperature where the PHA is highly soluble, subsequent addition of the aromatic organic solvent and subsequent removal of the non-aromatic organic solvent by fractional distillation.

Abstract: Biocompatible polymeric nanoparticles may include: a biocompatible polymer and/or functional metal nanostructures. The biocompatible polymer may be a polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA). The functional metal nanostructures may include at least one noble metal, at least one magnetic metal oxide, or mixtures thereof. The biocompatible polymeric nanoparticles may have an average size less than or equal to 200 nanometers (nm).

Abstract: A method for bioremediation of waters contaminated with hydrocarbons may include: putting the contaminated waters in contact with at least one polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA); and/or allowing microorganisms, present in the contaminated waters and capable of metabolizing the hydrocarbons, to develop and degrade the hydrocarbons under an aerobic condition.

Abstract: A method for bioremediation of waters contaminated with hydrocarbons may include: putting the contaminated waters in contact with at least one polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA); and/or allowing microorganisms, present in the contaminated waters and capable of metabolizing the hydrocarbons, to develop and degrade the hydrocarbons under an aerobic condition.

Abstract: A process for producing hydroxyalkanoate copolymers, which comprises: (i) pre-treating a sucrose-containing feedstock in an acidic solution; (ii) feeding the pre-treated feedstock into a bioreactor containing polyhydroxyalkanoate producing microbial cells; (iii) cultivating the polyhydroxyalkanoate producing microbial cells to form a cell mass containing the hydroxyalkanoate copolymers; (iv) recovering the hydroxyalkanoate copolymers from the cell mass. The pre-treating step has the main function of hydrolyzing sucrose into glucose and fructose, which in turn are converted into 4-ketovaleric acid to give a mixture of mono-saccharides and organic precursors for microbial synthesis of hydroxyalkanoate copolymers, and particularly of PHBVV ter-polymers. Complex and expensive purification processes of the substrates obtained from the pre-treating step are not needed. The solutions can be directly used as the feeding solutions for microbial PHA biosynthesis.

Abstract: A process for recovering and purifying polyhydroxyalkanoates from a cell culture may include: (a) acidifying the culture to obtain a pH value less than or equal to 6, and submitting the culture to a cell fractionation treatment using high-pressure homogenization at a temperature greater than or equal to 10° C. and less than or equal to 80° C. to obtain a suspension; (b) basifying the suspension to obtain a pH value greater than or equal to 8; (c) diluting the suspension and submitting the diluted PHA suspension to tangential filtration to obtain a concentrated suspension as retentate and an aqueous phase as permeate; (d) submitting the concentrated suspension to bleaching; (e) diluting the suspension after the bleaching and submitting the diluted bleached suspension to tangential filtration to obtain a concentrated bleached suspension as retentate and an aqueous phase as permeate; and/or (f) submitting the concentrated bleached suspension to drying.