Synthesis and crystallization of new fully renewable resources-based copolyesters: Poly(1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol-co-isosorbide 2,5-furandicarboxylate)

Recent Advances in the Development of 1,4-Cyclohexanedimethanol (CHDM) and Cyclic-Monomer-Based Advanced Amorphous and Semi-Crystalline Polyesters for Smart Film Applications

Polyester-based advanced thin films have versatile industrial applications, especially in the fields of textiles, packaging, and electronics. Recent advances in polymer science and engineering have resulted in the development of advanced amorphous and semi-crystalline polyesters with exceptional performance compared to those of conventional polymeric films. Among these, 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol (CHDM) and cyclic-monomer-based polyesters have gained considerable attention for their exceptional characteristics and potential applications in smart films. This review article provides a comprehensive overview of the recent advances in the synthesis, characterization, and applications of CHDM and cyclic-monomer-based advanced polymers for smart film applications. It discusses the structure-property relationships of these innovative polyesters and highlights their unique characteristics, including thermal, mechanical, and barrier characteristics. Furthermore, this article also emphasizes the solution, melt, and solid-state polymerizations of the polymers. Special emphasis is placed on the influence of the addition of a second diol or second diacid on the performance characteristics of synthesized polyesters/copolyesters to explore their versatile industrial applications. Additionally, the impact of the stereochemistry of the monomers is explored to optimize the characterization of polyesters suitable for industrial applications. Furthermore, this article explores the potential of these advanced polyesters to be considered as materials for smart film applications, especially in the field of flexible electronics. Finally, this article examines the challenges and future recommendations for the development of CHDM and cyclic-monomer-based polyesters for smart film applications. It discusses potential avenues for further research, including in-depth studies for the synthesis and characterization of polyesters, the development of sustainable and biodegradable alternatives to cyclic monomers, alternative green approaches for the synthesis of polymers, etc. This review article provides valuable insight for researchers in academia and industry who are working in the fields of polymer science and materials engineering.

The search for rigid, tough polyesters with high T g - renewable aromatic polyesters with high isosorbide content

Renewable polyesters with a good balance between impact strength and elastic modulus (stiffness) are not very common, especially when combined with high glass transition temperature (T g). Achieving such high performance properties would enable the substitution of high performance polymers like ABS and polycarbonate with chemically recyclable polyesters from bio-based or recycled sources. One of the challenges in developing these materials is to select the right composition of the right monomers/comonomer ratios and making these materials with high molecular weight, which can be challenging since some of the most promising rigid diols, such as isosorbide, are unreactive. This study comprises aromatic polyesters from (potentially) renewable monomers, using bio-based isosorbide as a means to increase their T g and to inhibit their crystallization, while using flexible co-diols to improve impact strength. To incorporate a high amount of isosorbide into the targeted polyesters, we used the synthesis method with reactive phenolic solvents previously developed in our group. The selected compositions display high T g's (>90 °C) and high tensile modulus (>1850 MPa). We show that more polar monomers such as the stiffer 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA) and diethylene glycol cause high stiffness but decreased impact strength (<5 kJ m-2). Combining terephthalic acid and isosorbide with more flexible diols like 1,4-butanediol, 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol (CHDM) and 1,3-propanediol provides a better balance, including the combination of high tensile modulus (>1850 MPa) and high impact strength (>10 kJ m-2).

Reactive phenolic solvents applied to the synthesis of renewable aromatic polyesters with high isosorbide content

High boiling point phenolic reactive solvents like p-cresol could play a key role in improving the synthesis of aromatic polyesters with a high content of secondary diols such as isosorbide. Previously, our group showed that this method significantly improves the synthesis of poly(isosorbide succinate). In this work, terephthalic acid and 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid were used as building blocks for the synthesis of high T_g polyesters with high isosorbide content (>30 mol% of diols) and high molecular weight (M_n > 24 kg mol^-1). A number of reactive and non-reactive solvents were tested in this work, and the results clearly point to a significant improvement when using reactive solvents, in terms of molecular weight and polycondensation time, especially for the case of p-cresol. The synthesis method was successfully scaled to 1 kg, showing promise for production at industrial scale. A method to remove these solvents (including end groups) from the polymers, which uses small excesses of isosorbide (1.5-3.0%) in the feed, is also presented.

Development and Characterization of Thermoformed Bilayer Trays of Paper and Renewable Succinic Acid Derived Biopolyester Blends and Their Application to Preserve Fresh Pasta

The present study reports on the development by thermoforming of highly sustainable trays based on a bilayer structure composed of paper substrate and a film made of a blend of partially bio-based poly(butylene succinate) (PBS) and poly(butylene succinate-co-adipate) (PBSA). The incorporation of the renewable succinic acid derived biopolyester blend film slightly improved the thermal resistance and tensile strength of paper, whereas its flexural ductility and puncture resistance were notably enhanced. Furthermore, in terms of barrier properties, the incorporation of this biopolymer blend film reduced the water and aroma vapor permeances of paper by two orders of magnitude, while it endowed the paper structure with intermediate oxygen barrier properties. The resultant thermoformed bilayer trays were, thereafter, originally applied to preserve non-thermally treated Italian artisanal fresh pasta, "fusilli calabresi" type, which was stored under refrigeration conditions for 3 weeks. Shelf-life evaluation showed that the application of the PBS-PBSA film on the paper substrate delayed color changes and mold growth for 1 week, as well as reduced drying of fresh pasta, resulting in acceptable physicochemical quality parameters within 9 days of storage. Lastly, overall migration studies performed with two food simulants demonstrated that the newly developed paper/PBS-PBSA trays are safe since these successfully comply with current legislation on plastic materials and articles intended to come into contact with food.

Recent advances in the development of green furan ring-containing polymeric materials based on renewable plant biomass

Fossil resources are rapidly depleting, forcing researchers in various fields of chemistry and materials science to switch to the use of renewable sources and the development of corresponding technologies. In this regard, the field of sustainable materials science is experiencing an extraordinary surge of interest in recent times due to the significant advances made in the development of new polymers with desired and controllable properties. This review summarizes important scientific reports in recent times dedicated to the synthesis, construction and computational studies of novel sustainable polymeric materials containing unchanged (pseudo)aromatic furan cores in their structure. Linear polymers for thermoplastics, branched polymers for thermosets and other crosslinked materials are emerging materials to highlight. Various polymer blends and composites based on sustainable polyfurans are also considered as pathways to achieve high-value-added products.

Recent Progress on Bio-Based Polyesters Derived from 2,5-Furandicarbonxylic Acid (FDCA)

The big challenge today is the upgrading of sustainable materials to replace miscellaneous ones from petroleum resources. Thus, a generic bio-based building block lays the foundation of the huge bio-market to green economy. 2,5-Furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA), a rigid diacid derived from lignocellulose or fructose, represents a great potential as a contender to terephthalic acid (TPA). Recently, studies on the synthesis, modification, and functionalization of bio-based polyesters based on FDCA have attracted widespread attention. To apply furanic polyesters on engineering plastics, packaging materials, electronics, etc., researchers have extended the properties of basic FDCA-based homo-polyesters by directional copolymerization and composite preparation. This review covers the synthesis and performance of polyesters and composites based on FDCA with emphasis bedded on the thermomechanical, crystallization, barrier properties, and biodegradability. Finally, a summary of what has been achieved and the issues waiting to be addressed of FDCA-based polyester materials are suggested.

A Review on Properties and Application of Bio-Based Poly(Butylene Succinate)

Researchers and companies have increasingly been drawn to biodegradable polymers and composites because of their environmental resilience, eco-friendliness, and suitability for a range of applications. For various uses, biodegradable fabrics use biodegradable polymers or natural fibers as reinforcement. Many approaches have been taken to achieve better compatibility for tailored and improved material properties. In this article, PBS (polybutylene succinate) was chosen as the main topic due to its excellent properties and intensive interest among industrial and researchers. PBS is an environmentally safe biopolymer that has some special properties, such as good clarity and processability, a shiny look, and flexibility, but it also has some drawbacks, such as brittleness. PBS-based natural fiber composites are completely biodegradable and have strong physical properties. Several research studies on PBS-based composites have been published, including physical, mechanical, and thermal assessments of the properties and its ability to replace petroleum-based materials, but no systematic analysis of up-to-date research evidence is currently available in the literature. The aim of this analysis is to highlight recent developments in PBS research and production, as well as its natural fiber composites. The current research efforts focus on the synthesis, copolymers and biodegradability for its properties, trends, challenges and prospects in the field of PBS and its composites also reviewed in this paper.

Tuning the Properties of Furandicarboxylic Acid-Based Polyesters with Copolymerization: A Review

Polyesters based on 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA) are a new class of biobased polymers with enormous interest, both from a scientific and industrial perspective. The commercialization of these polymers is imminent as the pressure for a sustainable economy grows, and extensive worldwide research currently takes place on developing cost-competitive, renewable plastics. The most prevalent method for imparting these polymers with new properties is copolymerization, as many studies have been published over the last few years. This present review aims to summarize the trends in the synthesis of FDCA-based copolymers and to investigate the effectiveness of this approach in transforming them to a more versatile class of materials that could potentially be appropriate for a number of high-end and conventional applications.

Furanoate-Based Nanocomposites: A Case Study Using Poly(Butylene 2,5-Furanoate) and Poly(Butylene 2,5-Furanoate)-co-(Butylene Diglycolate) and Bacterial Cellulose

Polyesters made from 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA) have been in the spotlight due to their renewable origins, together with the promising thermal, mechanical, and/or barrier properties. Following the same trend, (nano)composite materials based on FDCA could also generate similar interest, especially because novel materials with enhanced or refined properties could be obtained. This paper presents a case study on the use of furanoate-based polyesters and bacterial cellulose to prepare nanocomposites, namely acetylated bacterial cellulose/poly(butylene 2,5-furandicarboxylate) and acetylated bacterial cellulose/poly(butylene 2,5-furandicarboxylate)-co-(butylene diglycolate)s. The balance between flexibility, prompted by the furanoate-diglycolate polymeric matrix; and the high strength prompted by the bacterial cellulose fibres, enabled the preparation of a wide range of new nanocomposite materials. The new nanocomposites had a glass transition between −25–46 °C and a melting temperature of 61–174 °C; and they were thermally stable up to 239–324 °C. Furthermore, these materials were highly reinforced materials with an enhanced Young’s modulus (up to 1239 MPa) compared to their neat copolyester counterparts. This was associated with both the reinforcing action of the cellulose fibres and the degree of crystallinity of the nanocomposites. In terms of elongation at break, the nanocomposites prepared from copolyesters with higher amounts of diglycolate moieties displayed higher elongations due to the soft nature of these segments.

Synthesis and Characterization of Renewable Polyester Coil Coatings from Biomass-Derived Isosorbide, FDCA, 1,5-Pentanediol, Succinic Acid, and 1,3-Propanediol

Biomass-derived polyester coatings for coil applications have been successfully developed and characterized. The coatings were constituted by carbohydrate-derived monomers, namely 2,5-furan dicarboxylic acid, isosorbide, succinic acid, 1,3-propanediol, and 1,5-pentanediol, the latter having previously been used as a plasticizer rather than a structural building unit. The effect of isosorbide on the coatings is widely studied. The inclusion of these monomers diversified the mechanical properties of the coatings, and showed an improved performance against common petrochemical derived coatings. This research study provides a range of fully bio-derived polyester coil coatings with tunable properties of industrial interest, highlighting the importance of renewable polymers towards a successful bioeconomy.