Preparation and biodegradation of copolyesters based on poly(ethylene terephthalate) and poly(ethylene glycol)/oligo(lactic acid) by transesterification

Abstract

AbstractThe poly(ethylene terephthalate‐co‐ethyleneoxide‐co‐DL‐lactide) copolymers were successfully prepared by the melt reaction between poly(ethylene terephthalate), poly(ethylene glycol), and DL‐oligo(lactic acid) without any catalysts. The transesterification between ethylene terephthalate, ethyleneoxide, and lactide segments during the reaction was confirmed by the 1H NMR analysis. The effect of reaction temperatures and the starting feed ratios on the molecular microstructures, molecular weights, solubility, thermal properties, and degradability of the copolyesters was extensively studied. The values of crystallization temperature, melting temperature, crystallization, and melting enthalpy of the copolyesters were found to be influenced by the reaction temperatures, starting feed ratios, etc. The copolyesters showed good tensile properties and were found to degrade in the soil burial experiments during the period of 3 months. The morphology of the copolyester films were also investigated by scanning electron microscopy during soil burial degradation. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 2010. © 2009 Society of Plastics Engineers