Bis Monomers Research Articles

PET Glycolysis to BHET Efficiently Catalyzed by Stable and Recyclable Pd-Cu/γ-Al2O3.

Glycolysis of poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) is a prospective way for degradation of PET to its monomer bis(hydroxyethyl) terephthalate (BHET), providing the possibility for a permanent loop recycling. However, most reported glycolysis catalysts are homogeneous, making the catalyst difficult to recover and contaminating the products. Herein, we reported on the Pd-Cu/γ-Al2O3 catalyst and applied it in the glycolysis of PET as catalyst. The formed structure gave Pd-Cu/γ-Al2O3 a high active surface area, which enabled these micro-particles to work more efficiently. The PET conversion and BHET yield reached 99% and 86%, respectively, in the presence of 5 wt% of Pd-Cu/γ-Al2O3 catalyst within 80 min at 160 °C. After the reaction, the catalyst can be quickly separated by filtration, so it can be easily reused without significant loss of reactivity at least five times. Therefore, the Pd-Cu/γ-Al2O3 catalyst may contribute to an economically and environmentally improved large-scale recycling of PET fiber waste.

Design of novel silicon-containing alkynyl diamines and their related thermosetting polyimide resins

In order to improve the PI resin’s processability and thermal properties, a novel diamine monomer bis(p-aminophenylethynyl)dimethylsilane was designed and synthesized by introducing silicon and alkyne groups in this paper. And a new thermosetting polyimide resin SiOPI with silicon and alkynyl structures in the main chain was prepared using 4,4′-oxobis (phthalic anhydride) (ODPA) as the dianhydride monomer with this diamine monomer. The structures of the diamine monomer and the polyimide were characterized by H nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H NMR), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), mass spectrometry (MS), and X-ray diffraction (XRD), respectively. The incorporation of silyl groups into the PI increases the flexibility of the resin and provides good solubility and processability. The SiOPI is well soluble in DMF, DMSO and THF. The resin has a viscosity of less than 200 Pa·s at 50–88°C and has a wide processability range. By virtue of the introduction of alkyne groups, the cured polyimide forms dense reticulated structures, analogous to the benzene ring, giving the resin excellent heat resistance and mechanical property. The glass transition temperature (Tg) of SiOPI reached 367°C, and the heat loss temperature at 5% (Td5) is 540.9°C, the heat loss temperature at 10% (Td10) is 592.2°C, and the residual carbon rate at 800°C (R800°C) is 65.76% in a nitrogen atmosphere. The tensile strength of c-SiOPI is 257.6 MPa at room temperature and 232.9 MPa with a retention rate of 90.41% at 300°C, respectively.

Boosting the kinetics of PET glycolysis

Glycolysis is the most promising chemical recycling method to depolymerize poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) with ethylene glycol (EG) into the monomer bis(2-hydroxyethyl) terephthalate (BHET).

Catalytic recycling of PET waste bottles into a value-added amide monomer using a heterogeneous niobium pentoxide nanocatalyst

Using a diverse heterogeneous nanocatalyst, aminolysis presents a promising approach for the chemical recycling of discarded PET waste bottles into a valuable monomer bis(2-hydroxyethyl) terephthalamide (BHETA). This study reports the...

Enhancing polyethylene terephthalate conversion through efficient microwave-assisted deep eutectic solvent-catalyzed glycolysis

Chemical recycling of plastics is a promising approach for effectively depolymerizing plastic waste into its constituent monomers, thereby contributing to the realization of a sustainable circular economy. Glycolysis, which converts polyethylene terephthalate (PET) into the monomer bis(2-hydroxyethyl) terephthalate (BHET), has emerged as a cost-effective and commercially viable chemical recycling process. However, glycolysis requires long reaction times and high energy consumption, limiting its industrialization. In this study, we develop an energy-efficient microwave-assisted deep eutectic solvent-catalyzed glycolysis method to degrade PET effectively and rapidly, resulting in a high BHET yield. This combined approach enables the quantitative degradation of PET within 9 min, achieving a high BHET yield of approximately 99% under optimal reaction conditions. Furthermore, the proposed approach has a low specific energy consumption (45 kJ/g) and minimizes waste generation. The thermal behavior of PET and its degradation mechanism are systematically investigated using scanning electron microscopy and density functional theory-based calculations. The results obtained suggest that the proposed straightforward, swift, and energy-efficient strategy has the potential to offer a sustainable solution to plastic waste management challenges and expedite the industrialization of chemical recycling.

Viability of Glycolysis for the Chemical Recycling of Highly Coloured and Multi-Layered Actual PET Wastes.

The chemical recycling of poly(ethylene terephthalate) -PET- fractions, derived from actual household packaging waste streams, using solvolysis, was investigated. This recycling strategy was applied after a previous on-line automatic identification, by near-infrared spectroscopy -NIR-, and a subsequent selective sorting of the different PET materials that were present in the packaging wastes. Using this technology, it was possible to classify fractions exclusively including PET, virtually avoiding the presence of both other plastics and materials, such as paper, cardboard and wood, that are present in the packaging wastes, as they were efficiently recognised and differentiated. The simple PET fractions, including clear and monolayered materials, were adequate to be recycled by mechanical means meanwhile the complex PET fractions, containing highly coloured and multi-layered materials, were suitable candidates to be recycled by chemical routes. The depolymerisation capacity of the catalytic glycolysis, when applied to those complex PET wastes, was studied by evaluating the effect of the process parameters on the resulting formation and recovery of the monomer bis(2-hydroxyethyl) terephthalate -BHET- and the achieved quality of this reaction product. Comparable and reasonable results, in terms of monomer yield and its characteristics, were obtained independently of the type of complex PET waste that was chemically recycled.

Controlling PET oligomers vs monomers via microwave-induced heating and swelling

The production of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles and fibers, and their subsequent mismanagement, have created an urgent need to develop strategies to handle the resulting waste. Here, glycolysis of PET using manganese oxide catalysts under microwave-assisted heating is demonstrated to form oligomers and the monomer bis(2-hydroxyethyl) terephthalate (BHET) at moderate conditions. Higher surface area catalysts achieve faster overall rates of depolymerization to the monomer. Oligomers form homogeneously and depolymerize to monomers over manganese oxide. The polymer-to-solvent ratio and reaction temperature affect the overall oligomer yield. The swelling of PET, caused by the diffusion of ethylene glycol into the polymer matrix, causes the dissolution of the PET to form oligomers. Oligomers are characterized and show similar physical properties to the starting PET despite having 1/20th of the molecular weight.

A self-etch bonding system with potential to eliminate selective etching and resist proteolytic degradation

ObjectivesBonded restorations using self-etch (SE) systems exhibit a limited lifespan due to their susceptibility to hydrolytic, enzymatic or fatigue degradation and poor performance on enamel. This study was conducted to develop and assess the performance of a two-step SE system using a functional monomer bis[2-(methacryloyloxy)ethyl]phosphate (BMEP) and demonstrate a strategy to enhance stability of bonded resin composite restorations to both enamel and dentine. MethodsA two-step SE system was formulated with a primer containing BMEP, with an adhesive with or without BMEP, and compared to a commercial 10-MDP-containing system, ClearfilTM SE Bond 2 (CFSE). The systems were evaluated on enamel for surface roughness and microshear bond strength (µSBS) and on dentine for microtensile bond strength (µTBS), nanoleakage, MMP inhibition and cyclic flexural fatigue. ResultsWhilst all bonding systems resulted in statistically similar µSBS, BMEP-based primers yielded greater enamel surface roughness than the CFSE primer. The BMEP-free adhesives resulted in statistically similar or higher µTBS and lower nanoleakage compared to CFSE. In situ zymography revealed minimal to no MMP activity within the hybrid layer of BMEP-based systems. The BMEP-free adhesive exhibited flexural strength and fatigue resistance statistically similar to CFSE. ConclusionsIncorporation of BMEP in the primer led to satisfactory bond strengths with both enamel and dentine, potentially eliminating the need for selective enamel etching. Combined with an adhesive formulation that is solvent-free and hydrophobic, and confining the acidic functional monomer in the primer resulted in minimal interfacial leakage, and resistance to proteolytic degradation and the cyclic nature of chewing. Clinical significanceThe SE bonding system containing BMEP combines the potent etching of phosphoric acid with the therapeutic function of the phosphate-based monomer in creating a homogenous hybrid layer with protection against endogenous proteolytic enzymes. This strategy may overcome current challenges that arise during selective enamel etching.

Synthesis of High-Molecular-Weight Biobased Aliphatic Polyesters by Acyclic Diene Metathesis Polymerization in Ionic Liquids.

Acyclic diene metathesis (ADMET) polymerization of an α,ω-diene monomer of bis(undec-10-enoate) with isosorbide (M1) using a RuCl2(IMesH2)(CH-2-O i Pr-C6H4) (HG2, IMesH2 = 1,3-bis(2,4,6-trimethylphenyl)imidazolin-2-ylidene) catalyst and conducted at 50 °C (in vacuo) in ionic liquids (ILs) afforded higher-molecular-weight polymers (P1, M n = 32 200-39 200) than those reported previously (M n = 5600-14700). 1-n-Butyl-3-methyl imidazolium hexafluorophosphate ([Bmim]PF6) and 1-n-hexyl-3-methyl imidazolium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide ([Hmim]TFSI) were suitable as effective solvents among a series of imidazolium salts and the pyridinium salts. The polymerization of α,ω-diene monomers of bis(undec-10-enoate) with isomannide (M2), 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol (M3), and 1,4-butanediol (M4) in [Bmim]PF6 and [Hmim]TFSI also afforded the higher-molecular-weight polymers. The M n values in the resultant polymers did not decrease even under the scale-up conditions (300 mg to 1.0 g scale, M1, M2, and M4) in the polymerizations in [Hmim]TFSI; the subsequent reaction of P1 with ethylene (0.8 MPa, 50 °C, and 5 h) gave oligomers (proceeded via depolymerization). Tandem hydrogenation of the resultant unsaturated polymers (P1) in a [Bmim]PF6-toluene biphasic system upon the addition of Al2O3 (1.0 MPa H2 at 50 °C) gave the corresponding saturated polymers (HP1), which waswere isolated by a phase separation in the toluene layer. The [Bmim]PF6 layer containing the ruthenium catalyst could be recycled without a decrease in the activity/selectivity of the olefin hydrogenation at least eight times.

Development of Hybrid Titania/Polybenzoxazine Composite for Enhance Thermomechanical, Flame Retardancy and Dielectric Properties

Polybenzoxazines (Pbzs) are a recently developed class of thermosetting polymeric materials possessing low surface free energy with nonfluorine or nonsilicon content. In the present study, a new type of Pbz-BN/TiO2 composite was fabricated using benzoxazine monomer bis(6-phenyl diazenyl-3-phenoxy-3,4-dihydro-2H-1,3-benzoxazinyl) benzonitrile and inorganic TiO2 fillers by a simple and inexpensive process. The thermal curing method was found to be effective for preparing superhydrophobic surfaces combining low surface energy and surface roughness. The presence of the benzonitrile group in the benzoxazine monomer paves the way for accelerating the curing of the benzoxazine monomer, as shown by the DSC analysis. The as-prepared Pbz/TiO2 surfaces containing 5 wt% of TiO2 generated a superhydrophobic surface exhibiting a static water contact angle (SWCA) of 146°. In addition, the effect of inorganic fillers on the thermal, mechanical and dielectric properties of the Pbz/TiO2 composites was investigated in detail.

Simplified, fast, and efficient microwave assisted chemical recycling of poly (ethylene terephthalate) waste

The widespread adoption of chemical recycling of poly (ethylene terephthalate) (PET) is hampered by long reaction times, high energy consumption and the use of metal catalysts that are either toxic or cost prohibitive for industrial use. Herein, we report a simple PET glycolytic process that combines an environmentally friendly and cheap heterogenous catalyst, calcium oxide (CaO) with microwave irradiation to obtain the monomer bis(2-hydroxyethyl) terephthalate (BHET), which can be easily separated by crystallisation. After the process optimisation, depolymerisation of PET waste was achieved in 3.5 minutes under atmospheric pressure, to obtain highly crystalline BHET with a yield of 75%. To our knowledge, this is the fastest heterogeneous glycolytic process reported in the literature to-date, using a cheap and eco- friendly catalyst. Moreover, by using a heterogenous catalyst and avoiding the need for product precipitation by water addition, CaO and ethylene glycol materials were separated and reused, thus validating this protocol as a potential green and scalable route for PET recycling.

A novel dental infiltration resin based on isosorbide-derived dimethacrylate with high biocompatibility, hydrolysis resistance, and antibacterial effect.

Objectives: The available infiltration resin has raised biosafety and treatment stability concerns because of the cytotoxicity of the main component, TEGDMA, and its susceptibility to hydrolysis in the oral environment. This study aimed to develop a TEGDMA-free infiltration resin to overcome these drawbacks. Methods: Using the synthetic bioderived monomer bis(methacrylate) isosorbide (IBM) and the zwitterionic compound 2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine (MPC), a novel infiltrant IBMA was developed and preferentially selected. We investigated the performance of the IBMA resin regarding cytotoxicity, antibiofilm adhesion, and hydrolysis resistance and further verified its ability to restore the demineralized enamel and stability of the infiltrated area under artificial aging conditions. Results: Compared with the commercial TEGDMA-based infiltration resin ICON, IBMA not only demonstrated similar enamel morphologic and esthetic restorative effects in chalky lesions but also exhibited favorable cell viability, durable Streptococcus mutans UA159 biofilm-repellent performance, and higher enamel microhardness (204.0 ± 5.12HV) of the infiltrated enamel. Specifically, because of the high crosslink density [(47.77 ± 5.76) ×103mol/mm3] and low water sorption [12.79 ± 2.56µg/mm3] of the polymer network, the IBMA resin was more resistant to hydrolysis than ICON, which prevents the disruption of the infiltrant's micropore-blocking effect after aging. Enamel lesions treated with IBMA demonstrated good color stability after the tea-staining challenge, which was significantly better than that in the ICON group. Conclusion: Based on these findings, the IBMA resin exhibits favorable cell viability, hydrolysis resistance, and biofilm-repellent properties, which alleviates the defects of traditional TEGDMA systems. Therefore, it is a better alternative for microinvasive treatment involving early caries and enamel whitish discoloration.

Enhanced proton selectivity and stability of branched sulfonated polyimide membrane by hydrogen bonds construction strategy for vanadium flow battery

Vanadium redox flow battery (VFB) is promising for use as an energy storage/conversion device, however membrane imposes a limitation in enhancing the performance of VFB. Herein, a novel diamine monomer bis(2-trifluoromethyl-4-aminobenzene) amine containing imino groups is synthesized by nucleophilic substitution and reduction reactions. Then, we develop four branched sulfonated polyimide (I-bSPI) membranes with 40%–70% theoretical sulfonation degrees for application in VFB. The trade-off between proton conduction and vanadium ion blocking of I-bSPI membrane is broken, and the stability of I-bSPI membrane is also effectively enhanced owing to hydrogen bonds network and Donnan repulsion effect. Surprisingly, the proton selectivity of I-bSPI-50 membrane is 4.6 times that of commercial Nafion 212 membrane. In addition, I-bSPI-50 membrane exhibits superior coulomb and energy efficiencies to Nafion 212 membrane at 100–300 mA cm−2. And I-bSPI-50 membrane has steady efficiencies and high capacity holding abilities during 600-time cycles. This work illustrates a promising pathway to obtain cost-effective membrane by hydrogen bonds construction strategy for VFB application.

Synthesis of eugenol-based phosphorus-containing epoxy for enhancing the flame-retardancy and mechanical performance of DGEBA epoxy resin

In this work, we designed a eugenol-based intrinsically flame-retardant epoxy monomer bis(2-methoxy-4-(oxirane-2-ylmethyl) phenyl) phenyl phosphonate (BEEP). At first, an intermediate product BEP was compounded by eugenol and phenyl phosphonic dichloride, and the bio-based epoxy monomer BEEP was acquired by the epoxidation of BEP with 3-chloroperoxybenzoic acid. Then different ratios of BEEP and commercial bisphenol A-type epoxy resin (DER) were blended and cured with 4,4-diaminodiphenyl methane (DDM). The addition of BEEP enhanced the reactivity of DER/BEEP-DDM systems, whose activation energy fitted by Kissinger's and Ozawa's theories decreased from 50.66 and 55.12 kJ/mol to 47.49 and 51.63 kJ/mol, respectively. Compared with neat DER-DDM epoxy, the flexural strength and flexural modulus promoted from 69.4 MPa and 1.57 GPa to 74.5 MPa and 3.60 GPa, when adding 20 wt% of BEEP (D8B2), due to the stiffness of benzene rings in BEEP. Importantly, with a low phosphorus content of 1.0% in the D8B2 sample, the cured epoxy achieved 27.5% of the limit oxygen index and UL-94 V0 rating. Overall, this work provides a facile route for preparing a bio-based epoxy monomer to enhance the flame-retardancy and mechanical performance of DGEBA epoxy resin.

Improving mechanical properties and processability of a very high Tg epoxy amine network via anti‐plasticizer fortification

AbstractIn this work, molecular fortifiers are added to a highly aromatic and rigid epoxy monomer bis(2,7 diglycidyl ether naphthalenediol) methane (NNE) possessing a very high glass transition temperature (Tg) when cured with 4,4′‐diaminodiphenyl sulfone (DDS) to explore their impact upon mechanical and thermal properties and reactivity. The molecular fortifiers used are the nonfunctional naphthalene (NAPH), the reactive diluent o‐cresyl glycidyl ether (CGE) and an adduct of dihydroxy naphthalene and CGE (molecular fortifier naphthalene, MFN), a variant on the partially reacted substructures approach. The fortifiers are found to affect NNE/DDS reactivity and increase processability depending upon their propensity to attach to the network either through hydrogen bonding or pi‐pi electron interactions. Thermal analysis shows that the fortifiers increased cure conversion although the Tgs of the networks were generally unaffected until higher levels of addition. The fortifiers reduce moisture ingress and suppress glassy state β relaxations while increasing modulus significantly. Although there is little improvement in toughness overall, some evidence for higher fracture toughness is observed for the MFN and NAPH modified networks. This work highlights the effectiveness of different molecular level fortifiers on improving properties, in particular the rigidity of highly crosslinked networks.

In vivo biocompatible shape memory polyester derived from recycled polycarbonate e-waste for biomedical application.

From the last few decades, the usage of polycarbonate (PC) has tremendously increased due to its engineering properties such as outstanding mechanical strength, superior toughness, and good optical transparency. Owning to these properties, PC has widespread applications in the field of electronics, construction, data storage, automotive industry and subsequently resulted in an ever-increasing volume of post-consumer PC e-waste, which also increases the environmental pollution with time due to its nonbiodegradability nature. Therefore, recycling of PC has become a significant challenge throughout the globe. Herein, we first time reported synthesis of a family of low-cost biodegradable and biocompatible biopolymers using solvent and catalyst free melt polycondensation reaction of recycled PC e-waste derived monomer bis(hydroxyethyl ether) of bisphenol A (BHEEB) along with other renewable resources such as sebacic acid, citric acid and mannitol. The synthesis of the polyester was confirmed by FTIR spectroscopy, NMR spectroscopy, XRD and DSC. The mechanical properties and biodegradation behaviour of the polyester can be fine-tuned by simply varying the monomer feed ratio. In addition to that, the polyester demonstrated excellent shape memory property in ambient temperature along with outstanding recovery properties. In addition to this, the synthesized polyester showed exceptional in vitro and in vivo cytocompatibility as well as cell proliferation rate against mouse fibroblast cells (NIH-3T3) and biocompatibility, respectively. Therefore, the novel polyesters derived from recycled PC e-waste may be potential resorbable biomaterial for tissue engineering applications in future.

Business Roundup

BUSINESS Business Roundup ShareShare onFacebookTwitterWechatLinked InRedditEmail C&EN, 2022, 100 (18), p 15May 23, 2022Cite this:C&EN 100, 18, 15AbstractCargill and Helm have started building a $300 million 1,4-butanediol facility in Eddyville, Iowa. It will be completed in 2024. The companies announced last year that they would form a joint venture to make biobased alternatives to petrochemicals. Mission Zero Technologies has raised $5 million in seed funding for electrochemical direct-air-carbon-capture technology. The firm’s Project Hajar collaboration with the CO 2 sequestration firm 44.01 was among 15 projects to win $1 million last month from the carbon removal XPrize. Ginkgo Bioworks is working with the plant-based ingredient company Evo Foods to develop animal-free egg proteins. Evo has already introduced an egg substitute and is looking to improve taste, texture, and cooking properties. Toray Industries and the technology provider Axens are considering building a plant at Toray’s site in Saint-Maurice-de-Beynost, France. It would break down 80,000 metric tons per year of difficult-to-recycle polyethylene terephthalate waste into the monomer bis(2-hydroxyethyl) terephthalate. NeuvivoView: PDF | Full Text HTML

A multi-functional dentine bonding system combining a phosphate monomer with eugenyl methacrylate

ObjectiveThe tooth-resin composite interface is frequently associated with failure because of microbial contamination, hydrolytic and collagenolytic degradation. Thus, designing a dentine bonding system (DBS) with an intrinsically antimicrobial polymerisable monomer is of significance especially if it can be used with self-etching primers enabling resistance to degradation of the interface. MethodsExperimental adhesives were developed incorporating eugenyl methacrylate (EgMA) at concentrations of 0,10 or 20 wt%, designated as EgMA0, EgMA10 and EgMA20, respectively, for use as a two-step self-etch DBS with the functional monomer bis[2-(methacryloyloxy) ethyl] phosphate (BMEP) in the primer. The curing, thermal and wettability properties of the adhesives were determined, and hybrid layer formation was characterised by confocal laser scanning microscopy, microtensile bond strengths (µTBS) and nanoleakage by back-scattered SEM. In situ zymography was used to assess MMP inhibitory activity of the BMEP-EgMA DBS. ResultsEgMA in the adhesives lowered the polymerisation exotherm and resulted in higher Tg, without negatively affecting degree of conversion. Water sorption and solubility were significantly lower with higher concentrations of EgMA in the adhesive. The formation of a distinct hybrid layer was evident from confocal images with the different adhesives, whilst EgMA20 yielded the highest µTBS post water storage challenges and lowest nanoleakage after 6 months. The experimental DBS exhibited minimal to no MMP activity at 3 months. SignificanceThe hydrophobic nature of EgMA and high cross-link density exerts considerable benefits in lowering water uptake and polymerisation exotherm. The application of EgMA, adhesives in conjunction with BMEP in a multi-functional self-etching DBS can resist MMP activity, hence, enhance longevity of the dentine-resin composite interface.

Recycling of full components of polyester/cotton blends catalyzed by betaine-based deep eutectic solvents

The development of an environmental methodology for polyethylene terephthalate (PET) degradation and separation from cotton is significant for the full utilization of waste polyester/cotton blends (PCBs). Therefore, it is crucial to find a catalyst that can efficiently catalyze PET degradation and completely separate from cotton. In this work, betaine based deep eutectic solvents (DESs) were first synthesized and innovatively used for selective degradation of PET fibers from PCBs. As a result, PET fiber was degraded completely, a purified monomer bis (2-hydroxyethyl terephthalate) (BHET) with a yield of 85% was obtained that could be repolymerized to produce PET, and 95% of the cotton was recycled and maintained its original structural integrity. Meanwhile, the synergistic mechanism was also proposed by in-situ IR, 1H‐NMR and DFT calculations. This work provides a new approach to recycle full components of waste PCBs.

Design and synthesis of gradient-refractive index isosorbide-based polycarbonates for optical uses

The synthesis of bio-based polymers using renewable bio-monomers have received extensive research attention to meet the concept of environmental sustainability. Isosorbide (ISB) derived from biomass is commonly used in the polycarbonate industry as an alternative to bisphenol A (BPA) because it is green, non-toxic, and more widely available. Compared to BPA-based polycarbonate, isosorbide-based polycarbonate has excellent properties such as high transparency, easy coloration, and outstanding rigidity. However, the naturally low refractive index of isosorbide triggers the latter to fall outside the threshold of optical applications. In order to further improve the refractive index of isosorbide-based polycarbonate without affecting its transparency and rigidity, a copolymerization scheme of bisphenol monomers (BPs) with isosorbide is proposed in this work. A series of isosorbide–bisphenol copolycarbonates were synthesized by a melt polycondensation process using ionic liquid 1,4-(1,4-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octane)butyl dibromide ([C4(DABCO)2][Br]2) as the catalyst. As expected, the monomer structure had significant effect on the optical property and molecular weight of the copolycarbonates, the monomer bis(p-hydroxyphenyl) ether (BPO) had better reactivity among the screened seven monomers resulting in relatively higher molecular weight. Moreover, poly(BPO-co-ISB carbonate) (POIC) using BPO as the monomer exhibited a high Abbe number (vd = 39.7), low yellowness index (YI = 0.93), and a higher refractive index (nd = 1.536), which was much higher than poly(isosorbide carbonate) (1.496). Therefore, a series of POICs were further prepared to investigate the effect of BPO content on the optical, thermal, mechanical, and hydrophobic properties of the materials. The results showed that the copolymers POICs had higher refractive indices (1.511–1.573), better thermal stability, flexibility, hydrophobicity and processing-friendly glass transition temperature (Tg) and pencil hardness, and thus are expected to be sustainable materials for optical lenses.