Our first paper of 2023 with the title "Poly(hexylene vanillate): Synthetic Pathway and Remarkable Properties of a Novel Alipharomatic Lignin-Based Polyester" has just been published in ACS Suctainable Chemistry and Engineering (IF: 9.22) ! As part of our work on biobased vanillate polysters, we studied the strucrural, thermal and mechanical features of poly(hexylene vanillate).
The study of these biobased polyesters are part of the work for the Fur4SustainCOST action, which aims to identify and support solutions for the successful market introduction of sustainable, furan-based products. Finally, the Fur4Sustain action is an open platform for collaboration and networking, fostering the development of intersectorial knowledge. BikiarisLab has a prominent role in the project, as leader of Working Group 2 and an important number of publications that resulted from collaborations in the context of the project. Via the Fur4Sustain action, our PhD, Eleftheria Xanthopoulou, had the unique opportunity to strengthen their international collaborations. More specifically, Eleftheria was the holder of a Virtual Mobility Grant and a Short term Scientific mission Grant that allowed her to built a collaboration with Dr Nathanaël Guigo of University of Nice Sophia Antipolis aiming on the in-depth characterization of the crystallization properties of polyesters.
More information on Fur4Sustain and the role of BikiarisLab can be found here!
Abstract
The negative environmental effects of conventional polymeric materials have intensified the research toward the production of biobased counterparts. Vanillic acid (VA), a vanillin oxidation product, is a relatively new and most promising aromatic monomer for the synthesis of biobased polyesters. In this work, the synthesis of a new, high molecular weight alipharomatic polyester, poly(hexylene vanillate) (PHV), using 4-(6-hydroxyethoxy)-3-methoxybenzoic acid via a two-stage melt polycondensation method is reported. The success of the polymerization was confirmed using nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR) and Fourier-transformed infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), while the number-average molecular weight (Mn) was estimated by size-exclusion chromatography (SEC). Moreover, the thermal behavior of PHV was determined with differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and insights on the thermal stability and degradation mechanism of PHV were given. The mechanical and thermomechanical properties of the synthesized material were investigated, revealing a thermoplastic elastomer behavior, with elastic recovery at room temperature, associated with the formation of a mesophase status. Finally, rheological tests were applied, indicating that PHV is easily processable and fully recoverable upon yielding and flow cessation.
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Acknowledgments
This publication is based upon work from COST Action FUR4Sustain, CA18220, supported by COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology).