abstract
2,5-Furandicarboxylic acid is a promising renewable-based monomer essentially used in polymer synthesis to prepare renewable-based counterparts to petrochemical polyesters. In general, they are entirely based on renewable resources and have a myriad of very interesting thermal and mechanical properties; however, this study is the first to tackle their (bio) degradability, a worldwide-demanded property. To address this demand, an entirely new generation of furandicarboxylate-derived copolyesters, based on both poly(ethylene 2,5-furandicarboxylate) (PEF) and poly(lactic acid) (PLA), is developed for the first time. These copolyesters are characterized by several techniques, including attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform IR (ATR-FTIR), H-1, and C-13 NMR spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), DSC, and X-ray diffraction (XRD), and their degradability behavior is evaluated by water-absorption studies and hydrolytic degradation. They are essentially stiff amorphous polymers possessing high T(g)s, e.g., ca. 69 degrees C for 29% of lactyl units. Importantly, the data show also that they have improved degradability when compared with the PEF homopolyester counterpart.
keywords
L-LACTIC ACID; ALIPHATIC/AROMATIC COPOLYESTERS; TELECHELIC PREPOLYMERS; HYDROLYTIC DEGRADATION; BIODEGRADABLE POLYMERS; RENEWABLE RESOURCES; POLYESTERS; TEREPHTHALATE; COPOLYMERS; SUBERIN
subject category
Polymer Science
authors
Matos, M; Sousa, AF; Fonseca, AC; Freire, CSR; Coelho, JFJ; Silvestre, AJD
our authors
Andreia Fernandes de Sousa
Assistant Researcher
Armando Jorge Domingues Silvestre
Full professor
Carmen Sofia da Rocha Freire Barros
Coordinating Researcher
Marina Matos
Junior ResearcherProjects
Development of new polyesters derived from 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid (PTDC/QUI-QUI/101058/2008)
acknowledgements
FCT/MCTES is gratefully acknowledged for a fellowship to M. M. (BI/UI89/5419/2011), a postdoctorate grant to A. F. S. (SFRH/BPD/73383/2010), and to a research grant to C. S. R. F. under the program