How PHA Works

A new way to create high-performance materials that perform like plastic and leave nothing harmful behind.

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The material matters.

What happens after matters more.

Dental and medical products rely on plastics for precision, consistency, and scale. But once those products are used, most materials don’t disappear. They break down into microplastics or require energy-intensive disposal.

That’s the challenge. And it’s where materials are starting to change.

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What is Polyhydroxyalkaniate (PHA)?

PHA is a class of materials produced naturally through bacterial fermentation.

Unlike traditional plastics, PHA is designed to:

  • Perform like conventional materials during use

  • Break down safely at end of life

  • Leave no microplastics behind

It’s not just a more sustainable plastic. It changes what happens after your product is used.

How PHA Works

At a high level, the process is straightforward:

Step 1 — Start with renewable inputs

Natural carbon sources feed the system

Step 2 — Use fermentation to create the polymer

Bacteria convert those inputs into PHA

Step 3 — Refine into usable material

The polymer is purified and prepared for performance

Step 4 — Tailor for your application

Material properties are adjusted to meet your product requirements

Why This Matters For Dental Products

From aligners to whitening trays, dental products are used daily and directly in the patient’s mouth. That raises a different set of questions, not just about performance, but about what materials leave behind over time.

PHA makes it possible to maintain performance while changing the long-term impact.

It can be engineered for:

Clarity or opacity

Flexibility or rigidity

Durability or controlled breakdown

Which means it can be applied across the products your teams are already developing.

Making PHA work in your product

The material is only part of the story. What matters is how it performs in your application. That’s where Phast comes in.

We work with your team to:

  • Match the performance of your existing material
  • Optimize for your manufacturing process
  • Refine until it works in real-world conditions

Because a material only matters if it works in your product.

PHA: A Better Bioplastic for a Better World

Whether you’re exploring alternatives or actively developing something new, we’ll help you understand if PHA is the right fit, and what it would take to make it work in your application.

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