title: Poly(hydroxy alkanoate)s in Medical Applications.
abstract: This review summarizes the state-of-the-art knowledge of the usage of poly(hydroxy alkanoate)s in medical and sanitary applications. Depending on the monomers incorporated into the polymers and copolymers, this class of polymers exhibits a broad range of (thermo-)plastic properties, enabling their processing by, e.g., solution casting or melt extrusion. In this review, strategies for the polymer analogous modification of these materials and their surfaces are highlighted and correlated with the potential applications of the corresponding materials and blends. While the commercial availability of purified PHAs is addressed in brief, special focus is put on the (bio-)degradability of these polymers and ways to influence the degradation mechanism and/or the duration of degradation.
authors.affiliation: Graz University of Technology, Institute for Chemistry and Technology of Materials, NAWI Graz, Stremayrgasse 9/V, 8010 Graz, Austria; Polymer Competence Center Leoben, Roseggerstrasse 12, 8700 Leoben, Austria.
authors.forename: K P
authors.initials: KP
authors.lastname: Luef
authors.affiliation: Graz University of Technology, Institute for Chemistry and Technology of Materials, NAWI Graz, Stremayrgasse 9/V, 8010 Graz, Austria.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Stelzer
authors.affiliation: Polymer Competence Center Leoben, Roseggerstrasse 12, 8700 Leoben, Austria.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Wiesbrock
keywords: bio-degradation; medical application; poly(hydroxy alkanoate); polymer analogous modification; polymer processing