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Synthesis and biodegradation of aliphatic polyesters from dicarboxylic acids and diols
Author(s) -
Zhu Changying,
Zhang Zhiqiang,
Liu Qingping,
Wang Zhanping,
Jin Jian
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
journal of applied polymer science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.575
H-Index - 166
eISSN - 1097-4628
pISSN - 0021-8995
DOI - 10.1002/app.12722
Subject(s) - adipate , polyester , polymer chemistry , succinic acid , biodegradation , catalysis , dicarboxylic acid , polyhydroxybutyrate , solvent , polymerization , copolymer , melting point , glass transition , materials science , monomer , condensation polymer , chemistry , organic chemistry , polymer , biology , bacteria , genetics
Poly(butylene succinate) (PBS) and its copolymers, poly(butylene succinate‐ co ‐adipate) (PBSA) and poly(butylene‐ co ‐hexylene succinate) (PBHS), were synthesized by direct polyesterification of corresponding diols and dicarboxylic acids. Dimethyl benzene was used as solvent and water‐removing agent. Several catalysts were used to study the esterification of butanediol and succinic acid. Among them, SnCl 2 demonstrated superior catalysis behavior. Kinetic behaviors of the synthesis of PBS, PBSA, and PBHS were investigated using SnCl 2 as catalyst. By using a water trap containing a 4‐Å molecular sieve, a relatively faster reaction rate was achieved and the molecular weight of some polyesters surpassed 30,000. The variation of molecular weight distribution during the polymerization was monitored by GPC and M w / M n demonstrated a trend of decrease with the reaction time. The melting point ( T m ) and the glass‐transition temperature ( T g ) were measured by DSC technique. The results show that the incorporation of a third monomer unit to PBS lowered T g and T m . The biodegradation test was carried out both in the laboratory and in outdoor soil burial. The copolyesters displayed a faster degradation rate than that of PBS. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 90: 982–990, 2003