Bio-Degradable Polyesters with Rigid Cyclic Diester from Camphor and Tartaric Acid

• Published in: Journal of polymers and the environment Vol. 30; no. 8; pp. 3463 - 3473
• Main Authors: Kang, Ju Hui, Sim, Su Ji, Lee, Joon Hyuk, Lee, Sangkug, Suh, Dong Hack
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Springer US 01.08.2022; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Biodegradability; Biodegradation; Camphor; Chemistry; Chemistry and Materials Science; Degradability; Degradation; Diesters; Diols; environment; Environmental Chemistry; Environmental Engineering/Biotechnology; Environmental risk; esters; Fruits; Glass transition temperature; glycols; hydrolysis; Industrial Chemistry/Chemical Engineering; Materials Science; Nitrogen; Original Paper; Polyester resins; Polyesters; Polymer Sciences; Polymerization; Polymers; Sustainable materials; Tartaric acid; Thermal stability; Thermodynamic properties; Thermoplastic resins; thermoplastics; Transition temperatures; Vacuum distillation; Polyesters; Cyclic diester; Tartaric acid; Biodegradability; Camphor
• ISSN: 1566-2543; 1572-8919; 1572-8919
• DOI: 10.1007/s10924-022-02439-9

Despite their excellent, useful, and stable properties, thermoplastics are constantly subject to environmental risks because of their low degradability under thermal, chemical, and mechanical stresses. To overcome the aforementioned issues, we hereby introduce an eco-friendly camphor (Ct) cyclic diester. The Ct diester is designed as a monomer, including a ketal group from the Ct, and shows high thermal stability via a rigid spiro-ring and a bridged bicyclic structure. A series of polyester was synthesized using the Ct diester, including various types of diols and dimethyl terephthalate. PETxCty copolyesters showed appropriate thermal stability up to 414 °C and a high glass transition temperature. This thermal behavior led to amorphous regions as the Ct diester content increased. Regarding the proportion of the Ct diester in the polyester, it was sensitive to hydrolysis and contributed to the degradation of the polyester in acid buffer conditions. Graphical Abstract