4 - Sustainable synthetic fibres: the case of poly(hydroxyalkanoates) (PHA) and other fibres

This chapter describes structures based on the bacterial polyesters poly(hydroxyalkanoates) and fibres based on the synthetic polymer poly(caprolactone). The various materials and techniques available for producing these fibres are discussed along with their properties relevant to sustainable synthetic materials. Examples of other biodegradable polyesters are also given and the chapter concludes by describing possible applications of the technology and future trends in research directions.