2.5.2. Thermal Analysis

Thermal transitions were studied by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) on a DSC-7 analyzer from PerkinElmer, Inc. (Waltham, MA, USA), equipped with a cooling accessory Intracooler 2 also from PerkinElmer, Inc. A heating program was applied from −30 ◦C to 190 ◦C, followed by a cooling program to −30 ◦C. The heating and cooling rates were both set at 10 ◦C/min under nitrogen atmosphere with a flow-rate of 20 mL/min. The typical sample weight was ~3 mg while an empty aluminum pan was used as reference. Calibration was performed using an indium sample. All tests were carried out, at least, in duplicate.

Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) was performed in a TG-STDA model TGA/STDA851e/LF/1600 thermobalance from Mettler-Toledo, LLC (Columbus, OH, USA). The samples, with a weight of about 15 mg, were heated from 50 ◦C to 800 ◦C at a heating rate of 10 ◦C/min under a nitrogen atmosphere with a flow-rate of 50 mL/min.

## 2.5.3. Mechanical Tests

Tensile tests of the PHBV films were performed according to ASTM standard method D638 using an Instron 4400 universal testing machine, equipped with a 1-kN load cell, from Instron (Norwood, MA, USA). The tests were performed, at room conditions, with 115 × 16 mm<sup>2</sup> stamped dumb-bell shaped specimens using a cross-head speed of 10 mm/min. Samples were conditioned for 24 h prior to tensile assay. A minimum of six specimens was measured for each sample and the average values with standard deviation (SD) were reported.
