Production of biodegradable polyesters via enzymatic polymerization and solid state finishing

ABSTRACT The synthesis of aliphatic polyesters (PEs) derived from diols (1,4‐butanediol and 1,8‐octanediol) and diacids or their derivatives (diethyl succinate, sebacic acid, 1,12‐dodecanedioic acid, and 1,14‐tetradecanedioic acid) was achieved in order to produce poly(butylene succinate) (PE 4.4),...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of Applied Polymer Science
Main Authors: Kanelli, Maria, Douka, Aliki, Vouyiouka, Stamatina, Papaspyrides, Constantine D., Topakas, Evangelos, Papaspyridi, Lefki‐Maria, Christakopoulos, Paul
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2014
Subjects:
Antarc*
Antarctica
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/app.40820
https://api.wiley.com/onlinelibrary/tdm/v1/articles/10.1002%2Fapp.40820
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/app.40820
Description
Summary:ABSTRACT The synthesis of aliphatic polyesters (PEs) derived from diols (1,4‐butanediol and 1,8‐octanediol) and diacids or their derivatives (diethyl succinate, sebacic acid, 1,12‐dodecanedioic acid, and 1,14‐tetradecanedioic acid) was achieved in order to produce poly(butylene succinate) (PE 4.4), poly(octylene sebacate) (PE 8.10), poly(octylene dodecanate) (PE 8.12), and poly(octylene tetradecanate) (PE 8.14). The herein suggested procedure involved two stages, both sustainable and in accordance with the principles of “green” polymerization. The first comprised an enzymatic prepolymerization under vacuum, in the presence of diphenylether as solvent using Candida antarctica lipase B as biocatalyst, whereas a low‐temperature postpolymerization step [solid state polymerization (SSP)] followed in order to upgrade the PEs quality. In the enzymatically synthesized prepolymers, the range of number–average molecular weight attained was from 3700 to 8000 g/mol with yields reaching even 97%. Subsequently, SSP of PE 4.4 and 8.12 took place under vacuum or flowing nitrogen and lasted 10–48 h, at temperatures close to the prepolymer melting point ( T m − T SSP varied between 4°C and 14°C). The solid state finishing led to increase in the molecular weight depending on the prepolymer type, and it also contributed to improvement of the physical characteristics and the thermal properties of the enzymatically synthesized PEs. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2014 , 131 , 40820.

Similar Items