Lipase-mediated degradation of poly-ε-caprolactone in toluene: Behavior and its action mechanism
Lipase-catalyzed hydrolysis of poly(ɛ-caprolactone) (PCL) in toulene was investigated. PCL with number-average molecular weight (Mn) 10,000 g mol−1 was hydrolyzed using immobilized Candida antarctica lipase B (CALB). The increase in PCL concentration led to a decrease in degradation rate. Enhanced r...
| Published in: | Polymer Degradation and Stability |
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| Main Authors: | , , |
| Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
| Language: | unknown |
| Published: |
Elsevier
2016
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://eprints.um.edu.my/17776/ https://doi.org/10.1016/j.polymdegradstab.2016.08.015 |
| Summary: | Lipase-catalyzed hydrolysis of poly(ɛ-caprolactone) (PCL) in toulene was investigated. PCL with number-average molecular weight (Mn) 10,000 g mol−1 was hydrolyzed using immobilized Candida antarctica lipase B (CALB). The increase in PCL concentration led to a decrease in degradation rate. Enhanced rate was observed when reaction temperature was increased from 30 to 50 °C. Enzymatic chain scission of PCL yielded cyclic dicaprolactone, tricaprolactone, tetracaprolactone and oligomers with Mn less than ∼1000 g mol−1. Catalytic formation of cyclic lactones via back-biting mechanism in low water content environment was attributed to CALB. Its hydrolysis of PCL displayed consecutive random- and chain-end scission with time from detailed thermal, molecular weight and structural analyses. Apparent activation energy, Ea for hydrolysis was 45 kJ mol−1 i.e. half of that reverse reaction. Dicaprolactone and oligomers from hydrolysis readily re-polymerized to produce mid-range polymer with Mn 1400 g mol−1 after 36 h in the same reaction medium. |
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