A New Generation of Furanic Copolyesters with Enhanced Degradability: Poly(ethylene 2,5-furandicarboxylate)-co-poly(lactic acid) Copolyesters

authors	Matos, M; Sousa, AF; Fonseca, AC; Freire, CSR; Coelho, JFJ; Silvestre, AJD
nationality	International
journal	MACROMOLECULAR CHEMISTRY AND PHYSICS
author keywords	degradable; 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid; polyesters; poly(lactic acid); renewable resources
keywords	L-LACTIC ACID; ALIPHATIC/AROMATIC COPOLYESTERS; TELECHELIC PREPOLYMERS; HYDROLYTIC DEGRADATION; BIODEGRADABLE POLYMERS; RENEWABLE RESOURCES; POLYESTERS; TEREPHTHALATE; COPOLYMERS; SUBERIN
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.
publisher	WILEY-V C H VERLAG GMBH
issn	1022-1352
year published	2014
volume	215
issue	22
beginning page	2175
ending page	2184
digital object identifier (doi)	10.1002/macp.201400175
web of science category	Polymer Science
subject category	Polymer Science
unique article identifier	WOS:000345444200004