We are more than happy to share with you that our paper " Poly(ethylene furanoate-co-ethylene vanillate) biobased copolymers: Impact of the incorporation of vanillic acid units in poly (ethylene furanoate)" was published in European Polymer Journal (IF 5.546).
In the present work, a series of poly(ethylene furanoate-co-ethylene vanillate) copolymers were synthesized for the first time, by melt polycondensation. We were indeed interested in studying whether a partial replacement of furanic moieties by vanillic groups, containing a benzene ring, could contribute to enhance PEF properties, similarly to terephthalic acid in PEF/PET copolymers. A series of poly(ethylene furanοate) / poly(ethylene vanillate) copolymers (PEFV) with various PEF/PEV ratios) was thus prepared. The successful synthesis was verified by infrared (FTIR) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopies. The synthesized copolymers were further characterized by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), while their thermal degradation was studied by pyrolysis-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (Py-GC/MS). Finally, the effect of copolymerization on the mechanical properties was analyzed by nanoindentation.
This publication is based upon work from COST Action FUR4Sustain, CA18220, supported by COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology). Τhe Fur4Sustain action is an open platform for collaboration and networking, fostering the development of intersectoral 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.
Abstract
Biobased materials have acquired a high interest as a response to the environmental concerns of consumers as well as a solution to the pressing issue of dwindling fossil resources our society is facing. In the present study, five biobased copolymers of poly(ethylene vanillate) (PEV) and poly(ethylene furanοate) (PEF) have been synthesized by bulk polymerization for the first time. The aim was to explore whether PEF properties could be improved by copolymerization with PEV, a more recent but equally promising biobased polyester. The obtained copolymers were thoroughly characterized to assess the impact of the presence of PEV. More specifically, the molecular structure of the synthesized copolymers was characterized by nuclear magnetic spectroscopy and infrared spectroscopy, while their thermal behavior was examined by differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetric analysis. In complement, the mechanism of thermal degradation was studied by pyrolysis coupled with gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. Finally, their mechanical properties were investigated by nanoindentation. (full text available here)