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Burelo M, Martínez A, Hernández-Varela JD, Stringer T, Ramírez-Melgarejo M, Yau AY, Luna-Bárcenas G, Treviño-Quintanilla CD. Recent Developments in Synthesis, Properties, Applications and Recycling of Bio-Based Elastomers. Molecules 2024; 29:387. [PMID: 38257300 PMCID: PMC10819226 DOI: 10.3390/molecules29020387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2023] [Revised: 12/25/2023] [Accepted: 12/25/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
In 2021, global plastics production was 390.7 Mt; in 2022, it was 400.3 Mt, showing an increase of 2.4%, and this rising tendency will increase yearly. Of this data, less than 2% correspond to bio-based plastics. Currently, polymers, including elastomers, are non-recyclable and come from non-renewable sources. Additionally, most elastomers are thermosets, making them complex to recycle and reuse. It takes hundreds to thousands of years to decompose or biodegrade, contributing to plastic waste accumulation, nano and microplastic formation, and environmental pollution. Due to this, the synthesis of elastomers from natural and renewable resources has attracted the attention of researchers and industries. In this review paper, new methods and strategies are proposed for the preparation of bio-based elastomers. The main goals are the advances and improvements in the synthesis, properties, and applications of bio-based elastomers from natural and industrial rubbers, polyurethanes, polyesters, and polyethers, and an approach to their circular economy and sustainability. Olefin metathesis is proposed as a novel and sustainable method for the synthesis of bio-based elastomers, which allows for the depolymerization or degradation of rubbers with the use of essential oils, terpenes, fatty acids, and fatty alcohols from natural resources such as chain transfer agents (CTA) or donors of the terminal groups in the main chain, which allow for control of the molecular weights and functional groups, obtaining new compounds, oligomers, and bio-based elastomers with an added value for the application of new polymers and materials. This tendency contributes to the development of bio-based elastomers that can reduce carbon emissions, avoid cross-contamination from fossil fuels, and obtain a greener material with biodegradable and/or compostable behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuel Burelo
- Institute of Advanced Materials for Sustainable Manufacturing, Tecnologico de Monterrey, Queretaro 76130, Mexico;
| | - Araceli Martínez
- Escuela Nacional de Estudios Superiores, Unidad Morelia, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Antigua Carretera a Pátzcuaro No. 8701, Col. Ex. Hacienda de San José de la Huerta, Morelia 58190, Michoacán, Mexico;
| | | | - Thomas Stringer
- School of Engineering and Sciences, Tecnologico de Monterrey, Queretaro 76130, Mexico; (T.S.); (M.R.-M.)
| | | | - Alice Y. Yau
- Department of Analytical and Environmental Chemistry, Southwest Research Institute, 6220 Culebra Road, San Antonio, TX 78238, USA;
| | - Gabriel Luna-Bárcenas
- Institute of Advanced Materials for Sustainable Manufacturing, Tecnologico de Monterrey, Queretaro 76130, Mexico;
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Burelo M, Hernández-Varela JD, Medina DI, Treviño-Quintanilla CD. Recent developments in bio-based polyethylene: Degradation studies, waste management and recycling. Heliyon 2023; 9:e21374. [PMID: 37885729 PMCID: PMC10598529 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e21374] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2023] [Revised: 10/11/2023] [Accepted: 10/20/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Nowadays, the tendency to replace conventional fossil-based plastics is increasing considerably; there is a growing trend towards alternatives that involve the development of plastic materials derived from renewable sources, which are compostable and biodegradable. Indeed, only 1.5 % of whole plastic production is part of the small bioplastics market, even when these materials with a partial or full composition from biomass are rapidly expanding. A very interesting field of investigation is currently being developed in which the disposal and processing of the final products are evaluated in terms of reducing environmental harm. This review presents a compilation of polyethylene (PE) types, their uses, and current problems in the waste management of PE and recycling. Particularly, this review is based on the capabilities to synthesize bio-based PE from natural and renewable sources as a replacement for the raw material derived from petroleum. In addition to recent studies in degradation on different types of PE with weight loss ranges from 1 to 47 %, the techniques used and the main changes observed after degradation. Finally, perspectives are presented in the manuscript about renewable and non-renewable polymers, depending on the non-degradable, biodegradable, and compostable behavior, including composting recent studies in PE. In addition, it contributes to the 3R approaches to responsible waste management of PE and advancement towards an environmentally friendly PE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuel Burelo
- Institute of Advanced Materials for Sustainable Manufacturing, Tecnologico de Monterrey, Monterrey, 64849, Nuevo Leon, Mexico
| | - Josué David Hernández-Varela
- Institute of Advanced Materials for Sustainable Manufacturing, Tecnologico de Monterrey, Monterrey, 64849, Nuevo Leon, Mexico
| | - Dora I. Medina
- Institute of Advanced Materials for Sustainable Manufacturing, Tecnologico de Monterrey, Monterrey, 64849, Nuevo Leon, Mexico
| | - Cecilia D. Treviño-Quintanilla
- Institute of Advanced Materials for Sustainable Manufacturing, Tecnologico de Monterrey, Monterrey, 64849, Nuevo Leon, Mexico
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Cruz-Morales JA, Gutiérrez-Flores C, Zárate-Saldaña D, Burelo M, García-Ortega H, Gutiérrez S. Synthetic Polyisoprene Rubber as a Mimic of Natural Rubber: Recent Advances on Synthesis, Nanocomposites, and Applications. Polymers (Basel) 2023; 15:4074. [PMID: 37896318 PMCID: PMC10610710 DOI: 10.3390/polym15204074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2023] [Revised: 09/23/2023] [Accepted: 09/23/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Up to now, rubber materials have been used in a wide range of applications, from automotive parts to special-design engineering pieces, as well as in the pharmaceutical, food, electronics, and military industries, among others. Since the discovery of the vulcanization of natural rubber (NR) in 1838, the continuous demand for this material has intensified the quest for a synthetic substitute with similar properties. In this regard, synthetic polyisoprene rubber (IR) emerged as an attractive alternative. However, despite the efforts made, some properties of natural rubber have been difficult to match (i.e., superior mechanical properties) due not only to its high content of cis-1,4-polyisoprene but also because its structure is considered a naturally occurring nanocomposite. In this sense, cutting-edge research has proposed the synthesis of nanocomposites with synthetic rubber, obtaining the same properties as natural rubber. This review focuses on the synthesis, structure, and properties of natural and synthetic rubber, with a special interest in the synthesis of IR nanocomposites, giving the reader a comprehensive reference on how to achieve a mimic of NR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jorge A. Cruz-Morales
- Facultad de Química, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Apartado Postal 70-360, Cuidad Universitaria, Coyoacán, Ciudad de México 04510, Mexico;
| | - Carina Gutiérrez-Flores
- Investigadora por México, CONAHCYT, Laboratorio Nacional de Análisis y Síntesis Ecológica (LANASE) y Escuela de Desarrollo Sustentable de la Universidad Autónoma de Guerrero (UAGro), Carretera Acapulco-Zihuatanejo Km 106 +900. Col. Las Tunas, Tecpan de Galeana 40900, Guerrero, Mexico;
| | - Daniel Zárate-Saldaña
- Departamento de Química, Instituto de Educación Media Superior de la Ciudad de México, Plantel Melchor Ocampo, Calle Rosario S/N Col. Santa Catarina, Azcapotzalco, Cuidad de México 02250, Mexico;
| | - Manuel Burelo
- Institute of Advance Materials for Sustainable Manufacturing, Tecnologico de Monterrey, Monterrey 64849, Nuevo Leon, Mexico
| | - Héctor García-Ortega
- Departamento de Química Orgánica, Facultad de Química, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México 04510, Mexico
| | - Selena Gutiérrez
- Facultad de Química, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Apartado Postal 70-360, Cuidad Universitaria, Coyoacán, Ciudad de México 04510, Mexico;
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Stelescu MD, Sonmez M, Alexandrescu L, Nituica M, Gurau DF, Georgescu M. Structure and properties of blends based on vulcanized rubber waste and styrene–butadiene–styrene thermoplastic elastomer. J RUBBER RES 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s42464-022-00187-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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Burelo M, Gutiérrez S, Treviño-Quintanilla CD, Cruz-Morales JA, Martínez A, López-Morales S. Synthesis of Biobased Hydroxyl-Terminated Oligomers by Metathesis Degradation of Industrial Rubbers SBS and PB: Tailor-Made Unsaturated Diols and Polyols. Polymers (Basel) 2022; 14:polym14224973. [PMID: 36433100 PMCID: PMC9692933 DOI: 10.3390/polym14224973] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2022] [Revised: 11/11/2022] [Accepted: 11/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Biobased hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene (HTPB) was successfully synthesized in a one-pot reaction via metathesis degradation of industrial rubbers. Thus, polybutadiene (PB) and poly(styrene-butadiene-styrene) (SBS) were degraded via metathesis with high yields (>94%), using the fatty alcohol 10-undecen-1-ol as a chain transfer agent (CTA) and the second-generation Grubbs−Hoveyda catalyst. The identification of the hydroxyl groups (-OH) and the formation of biobased HTPB were verified by FT-IR and NMR. Likewise, the molecular weight and properties of the HTPB were controlled by changing the molar ratio of rubber to CTA ([C=C]/CTA) from 1:1 to 100:1, considering a constant molar ratio of the catalyst ([C=C]/Ru = 500:1). The number average molecular weight (Mn) ranged between 583 and 6580 g/mol and the decomposition temperatures between 134 and 220 °C. Moreover, the catalyst optimization study showed that at catalyst loadings as low as [C=C]/Ru = 5000:1, the theoretical molecular weight is in good agreement with the experimental molecular weight and the expected diols and polyols are formed. At higher ratios than those, the difference between theoretical and experimental molecular weight is wide, and there is no control over HTPB. Therefore, the rubber/CTA molar ratio and the amount of catalyst play an important role in PB degradation and HTPB synthesis. Biobased HTPB can be used to synthesize engineering design polymers, intermediates, fine chemicals, and in the polyurethane industry, and contribute to the development of environmentally friendly raw materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuel Burelo
- Institute of Advanced Materials for Sustainable Manufacturing, Tecnologico de Monterrey, Queretaro 76146, Mexico
- Correspondence: (M.B.); (S.G.); (C.D.T.-Q.)
| | - Selena Gutiérrez
- Facultad de Química, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad Universitaria, Coyoacán, Ciudad de México 04510, Mexico
- Correspondence: (M.B.); (S.G.); (C.D.T.-Q.)
| | - Cecilia D. Treviño-Quintanilla
- Institute of Advanced Materials for Sustainable Manufacturing, Tecnologico de Monterrey, Queretaro 76146, Mexico
- Correspondence: (M.B.); (S.G.); (C.D.T.-Q.)
| | - Jorge A. Cruz-Morales
- Facultad de Química, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad Universitaria, Coyoacán, Ciudad de México 04510, Mexico
| | - Araceli Martínez
- Escuela Nacional de Estudios Superiores, Unidad Morelia, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Antigua Carretera a Pátzcuaro No. 8701, Col. Ex. Hacienda de San José de la Huerta, Morelia 58190, Michoacán, Mexico
| | - Salvador López-Morales
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Materiales, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad Universitaria, Coyoacán, Ciudad de México 04510, Mexico
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Burelo M, Gaytán I, Loza-Tavera H, Cruz-Morales JA, Zárate-Saldaña D, Cruz-Gómez MJ, Gutiérrez S. Synthesis, characterization and biodegradation studies of polyurethanes: Effect of unsaturation on biodegradability. CHEMOSPHERE 2022; 307:136136. [PMID: 36028127 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2022.136136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2021] [Revised: 08/02/2022] [Accepted: 08/17/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The presence of unsaturation in the main chain of the polymer promotes the biodegradation process. To elucidate this hypothesis, one unsaturated polyurethane (PUU) and another saturated polyurethane (PUS) were synthesized and then biodegraded, and evidence was found to support this hypothesis. The polyurethanes were synthesized by a polycondensation reaction with yields up to 97%. It is important to note that both polyurethanes were constituted only by the recalcitrant hard segment and showed low crystallinity and molecular weight. Spectroscopic, thermal, and chromatographic techniques were used for physical and structural characterization. Both polyurethanes were biodegraded by the BP8 microbial community and the Cladosporium tenuissimum A3.I.1 fungus during a two-month period. A postbiodegradation characterization revealed the detriment of properties in both materials, indicating successful biodegradation. As a general trend, more efficient biodegradation was observed by the Cladosporium tenuissimum fungus A3.I.1 than by the BP8 microbial community. Specifically, with the fungus, the infrared analysis showed a decrease in the characteristic bands as well as the appearance of new carboxylic acid signals (approximately 1701 cm-1), suggesting the enzymatic cleavage of the urethane group. By comparison to polyurethanes, PUU showed superior biodegradation; using the fungus, a 51% decrease in molecular weight (Mw) for PUU was achieved, in contrast with 36% achieved for PUS. Despite the low crystallinity and molecular weight, the determining factor in biodegradation was the presence of unsaturations along the main chain. Thus, a more efficient oxidative attack is carried out by microorganisms on double bonds. The novel PUU showed similar biodegradation to the known polyester-type PU with highly hydrolysable groups. Consequently, PUU represents a green alternative to conventional polyurethanes and is a key material to achieve biorecycling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuel Burelo
- Laboratorio de Química Sostenible, Departamento de Química Analítica, Facultad de Química, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Apartado Postal 70-360, Ciudad Universitaria, Coyoacán, 04510, Ciudad de México, Mexico.
| | - Itzel Gaytán
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Facultad de Química, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México. Ave. Universidad 3000. Col. UNAM. Coyoacán, 04510, Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - Herminia Loza-Tavera
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Facultad de Química, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México. Ave. Universidad 3000. Col. UNAM. Coyoacán, 04510, Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - Jorge A Cruz-Morales
- Laboratorio de Química Sostenible, Departamento de Química Analítica, Facultad de Química, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Apartado Postal 70-360, Ciudad Universitaria, Coyoacán, 04510, Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - Daniel Zárate-Saldaña
- Laboratorio de Química Sostenible, Departamento de Química Analítica, Facultad de Química, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Apartado Postal 70-360, Ciudad Universitaria, Coyoacán, 04510, Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - M Javier Cruz-Gómez
- Departamento de Ingeniería Química, Facultad de Química, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México. Ave. Universidad 3000. Col. UNAM. Coyoacán, 04510, Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - Selena Gutiérrez
- Laboratorio de Química Sostenible, Departamento de Química Analítica, Facultad de Química, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Apartado Postal 70-360, Ciudad Universitaria, Coyoacán, 04510, Ciudad de México, Mexico.
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Sadek EM, Ahmed SM, El-Nashar DE, Mansour NA. Effect of modified graphite nanoflakes on curing, mechanical and dielectric properties of nitrile rubber nanocomposites. Polym Bull (Berl) 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s00289-021-03916-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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Zhang Z, Zhang Y, Li J, Hassan AA, Wang S. Accelerated liquefaction of vulcanized natural rubber by thermo-oxidative degradation. Polym Bull (Berl) 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s00289-021-03580-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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