Both academia and industry are currently devoting many efforts to develop high gas barrier bioplastics as substitutes of traditional fossil-based polymers. In this view, this contribution presents a new biobased aromatic polyester, i.e., poly(propylene 2,5-thiophenedicarboxylate) (PPTF), which has been compared with the furan-based counterpart (PPF). Both biopolyesters have been characterized from the molecular, thermo-mechanical and structural points of view. Gas permeability behavior has been evaluated with respect to 100% oxygen, carbon dioxide and nitrogen at 23 °C. In case of CO2 gas test, gas transmission rate has been also measured at different temperatures. The permeability behavior at different relative humidity has been investigated for both biopolyesters, the thiophen-containing sample demonstrating to be better than the furan-containing counterpart. PPF's permeability behavior became worse than PPTF's with increasing RH, due to the more polar nature of the furan ring. Both biopolyesters under study are characterized by superior gas barrier performances with respect to PEF and PET. With the simple synthetic strategy adopted, the exceptional barrier properties render these new biobased polyesters interesting alternatives in the world of green and sustainable packaging materials. The different polarity and stability of heterocyclic rings was revealed to be an efficient tool to tailor the ability of crystallization, which in turn affects mechanical and barrier performances.

Poly(propylene 2,5-thiophenedicarboxylate) vs. Poly(propylene 2,5-furandicarboxylate): Two examples of high gas barrier bio-based polyesters

Siracusa V.
;
2018-01-01

Abstract

Both academia and industry are currently devoting many efforts to develop high gas barrier bioplastics as substitutes of traditional fossil-based polymers. In this view, this contribution presents a new biobased aromatic polyester, i.e., poly(propylene 2,5-thiophenedicarboxylate) (PPTF), which has been compared with the furan-based counterpart (PPF). Both biopolyesters have been characterized from the molecular, thermo-mechanical and structural points of view. Gas permeability behavior has been evaluated with respect to 100% oxygen, carbon dioxide and nitrogen at 23 °C. In case of CO2 gas test, gas transmission rate has been also measured at different temperatures. The permeability behavior at different relative humidity has been investigated for both biopolyesters, the thiophen-containing sample demonstrating to be better than the furan-containing counterpart. PPF's permeability behavior became worse than PPTF's with increasing RH, due to the more polar nature of the furan ring. Both biopolyesters under study are characterized by superior gas barrier performances with respect to PEF and PET. With the simple synthetic strategy adopted, the exceptional barrier properties render these new biobased polyesters interesting alternatives in the world of green and sustainable packaging materials. The different polarity and stability of heterocyclic rings was revealed to be an efficient tool to tailor the ability of crystallization, which in turn affects mechanical and barrier performances.
2018
Biopolyesters; Gas barrier properties; Mechanical properties; Poly(propylene 2,5-furandicarboxylate); Poly(propylene 2,5-thiophenedicarboxylate); Thermal properties
File in questo prodotto:
File Dimensione Formato  
PPF PPTF polymers-10-00785.pdf

accesso aperto

Tipologia: Versione Editoriale (PDF)
Dimensione 2 MB
Formato Adobe PDF
2 MB Adobe PDF Visualizza/Apri

I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.

Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11769/366732
Citazioni
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.pmc??? 13
  • Scopus 73
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.isi??? 65
social impact