Sustainable Plastics from Biomass: Blends of Polyesters Based on 2,5-Furandicarboxylic Acid.

Niki Poulopoulou,Dimitris S Achilias,George Z Papageorgiou,Maria Kapnisti,Evi Christodoulou,George N Nikolaidis,Dimitra Smyrnioti,Dimitrios N Bikiaris,Ilektra Tsitsimaka,Maria Anna Charitopoulou

doi:10.3390/polym12010225

Abstract

Intending to expand the thermo-physical properties of bio-based polymers, furan-based thermoplastic polyesters were synthesized following the melt polycondensation method. The resulting polymers, namely, poly(ethylene 2,5-furandicarboxylate) (PEF), poly(propylene 2,5-furandicarboxylate) (PPF), poly(butylene 2,5-furandicarboxylate) (PBF) and poly(1,4-cyclohexanedimethylene 2,5-furandicarboxylate) (PCHDMF) are used in blends together with various polymers of industrial importance, including poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET), poly(ethylene 2,6-naphthalate) (PEN), poly(L-lactic acid) (PLA) and polycarbonate (PC). The blends are studied concerning their miscibility, crystallization and solid-state characteristics by using wide-angle X-ray diffractometry (WAXD), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and polarized light microscopy (PLM). PEF blends show in general dual glass transitions in the DSC heating traces for the melt quenched samples. Only PPF–PEF blends show a single glass transition and a single melt phase in PLM. PPF forms immiscible blends except with PEF and PBF. PBF forms miscible blends with PCHDMF and PPF, whereas all other blends show dual glass transitions in DSC and phase separation in PLM. PCHDMF–PEF and PEN–PEF blends show two glass transition temperatures, but they shift to intermediate temperature values depending on the composition, indicating some partial miscibility of the polymer pairs.

Highlights

Polymers from lignocellulosic biomass via the furan pathway, like poly(alkylene2,5-furandicarboxylate)s consist of an exceptional class of novel materials [1,2,3,4,5]
Polymers 2020, 12, 225 lignin are the major sources of aromatic monomers, such as 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA), which has been screened to be one of the most important building blocks or top value-added chemicals derived from biomass by the U.S Department of Energy [6]
A series of blends was prepared from solution, given the small amounts of the numerous samples

Summary

Introduction

2,5-furandicarboxylate)s consist of an exceptional class of novel materials [1,2,3,4,5] Apart from their excellent properties and especially their gas barrier, they are characterized by a reduced carbon footprint and low nonrenewable energy consumption during their production processes [6,7]. The biorefinery concept provided new routes for the production of biofuels, polymers and chemicals from biomass [8]. Vegetable feedstock such as sugars, vegetable oils, organic acids, glycerol, and others can be used as monomers for polymer production [9,10].

Methods

Results

Conclusion