What are the most promising biobased PET replacements? Are they economically feasible? Are they sustainable? Industrially feasible? In the future, PET will certainly be replaced by more than one option, e.g., PEF, PTF, bio-PET, and PLA.

For the preparation of fully biobased unsaturated polyester resins (UPRs), the replacement of styrene with alternate nonpetroleum-based monomers turned out to be one of the most challenging tasks. Its complexity lies in the fact that reactive diluents (RD) have to have low viscosity and volatility, good compatibility with prepolymer, and capability to homopolymerize and copolymerize with its unsaturations. In this context, we directed our efforts to develop fully biobased UPRs using the dialkyl itaconates as an alternative to styrene. Therefore, a series of 100% biobased UPRs were prepared from itaconic acid and 1,2-propandiol and diluted by dialkyl itaconates. The resins were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, NMR, volatility, and viscosity measurements, while the cured samples were characterized by dynamic mechanical properties, thermomechanical analysis, thermogravimetric analysis data, and tensile tests. The influence of RD structure on the properties of cured samples was discussed in detail. It was shown that the prepared resins had evaporation rates of dialkyl itaconates of several orders of magnitude less compared to styrene. The cured resins with dimethyl itaconate showed comparable or even better thermal and mechanical properties compared to the one with styrene. This investigation showed that itaconic acid and dialkyl itaconates are promising bioresources for the preparation of fully biobased UPRs for mass consumption.

Unsaturated polyester resin (UPe)-based nanocomposites and fumed silica Aerosil R812S, R805 and R816, and R200 modified with phenyl terminal group, R200NPh, were prepared. UPe resins were synthesized from maleic anhydride and products of glycolysis, obtained by polyethylene terephthalate depolymerization with dipropylene glycol in the presence of tetrabutyl titanate catalyst. The obtained unsaturated polyesters were characterized by acid, hydroxyl, and iodine values and by FTIR and NMR analysis. The microstructural analysis of the prepared nanocomposites, performed by using transmission electron microscopy, confirmed that silica nanoparticles formed chain-like aggregates in the polymer matrix. The presence of modified silica nanoparticles had no influence on the glass transition temperature and thermal stability of polyester matrix.

The glycolytic recycling of waste PET presents a challenge for the production of secondary value-added products, such as alkyd resins. A way to overcome unsatisfactory mechanical, drying and chemical resistance properties met with alkyds obtained from difunctional glycolyzates, was proposed. Waste PET was glycolyzed using multifunctional alcohols: glycerol (G), trimethylolethane (TME), trimethylolpropane (TMP) and pentaerythritol (PE), giving tetra-and hexa-functional glycolyzates and, for comparison, using diethylene glycol (DEG), propylene glycol (PG) and dipropylene glycol (DPG) giving di-functional glycolyzates. The obtained glycolyzates were examined by 1 H and 13 C NMR, FTIR spectroscopy and elemental analysis and further used in the synthesis of alkyd resins. The properties of the prepared alkyd resins (acid, hydroxyl and iodine values, color, average molar masses and molar mass distributions, viscosity, drying time, hardness, flexibility, gloss, adhesion and chemical resistance) were investigated with respect to the functionality and the structure of the used glycolyzates. Alkyd resins derived from multifunctional glycolyzates (TME and TMP) showed considerably enhanced properties compared to those produced from difunctional glycolyzates and also to conventional general purpose resins.Please do not adjust margins Please do not adjust margins decreased the branching degree. Future work on this matter will involve the preparation, analysis and application of lacquers, paints and anticorrosive coatings based on the presented alkyd resins.