Synthesis of Bio-Based Polyester Resins for Vat Photopolymerization 3D Printing

Driven by environmental considerations, the scientific community has directed great effort towards the synthesis of new materials derived from renewable resources. However, for photocurable resins, most commercially available building blocks still rely on petroleum-based precursors. Herein, we present a simple synthesis route for bio-based acrylate-modified polyester resins, whose viscosity is sufficiently low for processing them with vat photopolymerization 3D printing. The established synthesis route enables the gradual substitution of fossil-based raw materials with bio-based alternatives. The acid number, color and viscosity of the bio-based acrylic resins are characterized and photocurable formulations are prepared by adding a radical photoinitiator. The photopolymerization kinetics, and thermomechanical and mechanical properties of the photopolymers are investigated as a function of the resin structure and benchmarked against a commercially available petroleum-based counterpart. Finally, the processability of the new bio-based resins via digital light processing 3D printing is demonstrated and test specimens are successfully 3D printed with a resolution in the millimeter range.

Synthesis and characterization of biobased thermoplastic polyester elastomers containing Poly(butylene 2,5-furandicarboxylate)

A series of sustainable and reprocessible thermoplastic polyester elastomers P(BF-PBSS)s were synthesized using dimethyl-2,5-furandicarboxylate, 1,4-butanediol, and synthetic low-molecular-weight biobased polyester (PBSS). The P(BF-PBSS)s contain poly(butylene 2,5-furandicarboxylate) (PBF) as their hard segment and PBSS as their soft segment. The microstructures of the P(BF-PBSS)s were confirmed by nuclear magnetic resonance, demonstrating that a higher content of the soft segment was incorporated into P(BF-PBSS)s with higher PBSS content. Interestingly, dynamic mechanical analysis indicated that P(BF-PBSS)s comprised two domains: crystalline PBF and a mixture of amorphous PBF and PBSS. Consequently, the microphase separations of P(BF-PBSS)s were mainly induced by the crystallization of their PBF segments. More importantly, the thermal, crystallization, and mechanical properties could be tailored by tuning the PBSS content. Our results indicate that the as-prepared P(BF-PBSS)s are renewable, thermally stable, and nontoxic, and have good tensile properties, indicating that they could be potentially applied in biomedical materials.

A series of sustainable and reprocessible thermoplastic polyester elastomers P(BF-PBSS)s were synthesized using dimethyl-2,5-furandicarboxylate, 1,4-butanediol, and synthetic low-molecular-weight biobased polyester (PBSS).

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.

Biobased copolyesters: synthesis, crystallization behavior, thermal and mechanical properties of poly(ethylene glycol sebacate-co-ethylene glycol 2,5-furan dicarboxylate)

A series of biobased copolyesters, poly(ethylene sebacate-co-ethylene 2,5-furandicarboxylate) (PESF), were synthesized from available biobased ethylene glycol (EG), sebacic acid (SA) and 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA).

Role of cis-1,4-cyclohexanedicarboxylic acid in the regulation of the structure and properties of a poly(butylene adipate-co-butylene 1,4-cyclohexanedicarboxylate) copolymer

cis-PBC plays both rigid and flexible roles in a PBAC copolymer, a copolymer that could be considered as a triblock random copolyester.

New unsaturated copolyesters based on 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid and their crosslinked derivatives

The synthesis and characterisation of a novel family of unsaturated polyesters (UPs) and their crosslinked resins (UPRs), based on 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA), are reported.

Biobased copolyesters from renewable resources: synthesis and crystallization kinetics of poly(propylene sebacate-co-isosorbide sebacate)

The thermal properties and crystallization kinetics of a novel bio-based poly(propylene sebacate-co-isosorbide sebacate) copolyesters are explored.