The synthesis of
polyamides and poly(ester amide)s derived from
2,5-furandicarboxylic acid frequently leads to amorphous polymeric
materials. Formation of intramolecular hydrogen bonds between the
oxygen heteroatom in the furan ring and hydrogens of the amide bonds
reduces the intermolecular hydrogen bonds that are usually responsible
for the high thermal and mechanical performance of these materials.
To circumvent this problem, aliphatic–aromatic poly(ester amide)s
were synthesized in this study from dimethyl 2,5-furandicarboxylate,
1,10-decanediol, and a preformed aliphatic diol containing two internal
amide bonds (amido diol). Wide-angle X-ray diffraction and differential
scanning calorimetry experiments revealed that polymers obtained were
semicrystalline over the whole composition range and crystallized
rapidly from the molten state, indicating that intramolecular H-bonding
is effectively suppressed. Depending on the ratio of 1,10-decanediol
and amido diol, the thermal properties could be adjusted over a wide
temperature range. The polymers exhibit T
g and T
m in a range of −4 to 27
°C and 102 to 175 °C, respectively. Elastic modulus and
hardness increased almost linearly with the amount of ester–amide
moieties. The method presented herein allows for the successful synthesis
of semicrystalline poly(ester amide)s from 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid
without undesired intramolecular hydrogen bonds. This finding could
set the stage for further bio-based poly(ester amide)s from 2,5-furandicarboxylic
acid suitable for high-performance applications.