Nanocomposites based on poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (P3HB) and Cloisite^®30B were prepared by direct mixing in a co-rotating twin-screw micro-extruder. The X-ray diffraction method and transmission electron microscopy allowed to identify the nanostructure. Thermal properties of the obtained nanocomposites were investigated with the use of thermogravimetry (TG) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). TG analysis of nanocomposites showed that thermal stability of the obtained nanocomposites was higher by approximately 20 °C than the neat P3HB. The phase transitions such as the glass transition, the crystallization and the melting have been studied by the DSC. The influence of nanofiller’s presence in the polymer matrix on glass transition, crystallization and melting processes of the material obtained was determined and compared with the neat P3HB. The clay addition to the polymer matrix made the increase of the degree of crystallinity and the increase of the degree of amorphous of semi-crystalline P3HB. Furthermore, mechanical properties such as impact strength, flexural strength and hardness were investigated and compared with unfilled P3HB. Obtained nanocomposites containing 1 mass/% of Cloisite^®30B have the best mechanical properties, better than the neat P3HB.

Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPA), as a smart polymer, can be applied for drug delivery systems. This amorphous polymer can be exposed on a structural recovery process during the storage and transport of medicaments. For the physical aging times up to one year, the structural recovery for PNIPA was studied by advanced thermal analysis. The structural recovery process occurred during the storage of amorphous PNIPA below glass transition and could be monitored by the differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The enthalpy relaxation (recovery) was observed as overshoot in change heat capacity at the glass transition region in the DSC during heating scan. The physical aging of PNIPA was studied isothermally at 400.15 K and also in the non-isothermal conditions. For the first time, the structural recovery process was analyzed in reference to absolute heat capacity and integral enthalpy in frame of their equilibrium solid and liquid PNIPA.