Bio-Based Poly(butylene furandicarboxylate-co-glycolate) Copolyesters: Synthesis, Properties, and Hydrolysis in Different Aquatic Environments for Water Degradation Application

Abstract

In an environment of high salinity, low temperature, and the presence of a few bacteria in seawater, improving the non-enzymatic hydrolysis of polyesters is one of the effective methods for developing seawater degradable materials. In this research, poly­(butylene furandicarboxylate-co-glycolate) (PBFGA) copolyesters were synthesized via melt polycondensation. The PBFGA copolymer possessed excellent mechanical properties and thermal stability. Its tensile strength was 15–50 MPa and the elongation at break was more than 120% from the tensile tests. GA units improved the flexibility of PBF segments, and the PBFGA copolymer exhibited an amorphous structure. The PBFGA copolymer possessed good hydrolysis properties and the weight loss of PBFGA50 was more than 30% after 84 days of degradation in deionized water. Lipase catalyzed, and the salt inhibited the hydrolysis of the ester bond. PBFGA exhibited a bulk degradation mechanism, and sponge pores were formed on the surface due to preferential degradation of the PGA component, which was conducive to the further degradation of the internal groups. Some butanediol and glycolic acid terminated oligomers were produced during the degradation process, and rearrangement crystallization occurred in the chain segment. Thus, PBFGA copolyesters have the potential to serve as promising seawater degradable materials with excellent tensile and non-enzymatic degradable properties.

Effect of talc and diatomite on compatible, morphological, and mechanical behavior of PLA/PBAT blends

“…So far, factories around the world have produced more than 9 billion tons of plastic, but only 9% of them are recycled, and the rest of them are thrown into landfills or the natural environment. This not only causes the waste of resources but also pollutes the environment (1)(2)(3). Biodegradable materials effectively alleviate the problem of plastic pollution and reduce the consumption of fossil energy.…”

Modification of poly(butylene succinate) with biodegradable glycolic acid: Significantly improved hydrolysis rate retaining high toughness property

“…It was basically the same as the DSC test result, the GA chains reduced the crystallization ability of PBS. 29,31,32 Also, there was no diffraction peaks of PGA in the curves of PBSGA copolymers. The short PGA segments in the PBS chains had very weak crystallization ability.…”

“…28 In this research, we introduce the PGA segments in the PBS chain to improve the seawater degradation rate. 29,30 In this research, succinic acid (SA), butanediol (BDO), and GA were used to synthesize PBS polymer through one-step melt polycondensation method. Prepare different molar ratios of PBSGA copolyester according to the feed ratio.…”

“…Unfortunately, the degradation rate of PBS in seawater is slow 28 . In this research, we introduce the PGA segments in the PBS chain to improve the seawater degradation rate 29,30 …”

Azelaic Acid: A Bio-Based Building Block for Biodegradable Polymers

“…First, a superficial degradation occurs due to the formation of a microbial biofilm generated after the hydrolysis of some ester bonds and small particles are generated. Then the enzymes secreted by microorganisms catalyze the depolymerization of the polymer chain into oligomers or monomers [ 110 ]. There are several factors that affect the enzymatic degradation of a polyester, such as its chemical structure, but also by their physical properties: crystallinity, melting point (T m ), glass transition temperature (T g ), etc.…”