Enzymatic Polymerization of Furan-2,5-Dicarboxylic Acid-Based Furanic-Aliphatic Polyamides as Sustainable Alternatives to Polyphthalamides

Biomacromolecules. 2015 Nov 9;16(11):3674-85. doi: 10.1021/acs.biomac.5b01172. Epub 2015 Oct 12.

Abstract

Furan-2,5-dicarboxylic acid (FDCA)-based furanic-aliphatic polyamides can be used as promising sustainable alternatives to polyphthalamides (semiaromatic polyamides) and be applied as high performance materials with great commercial interest. In this study, poly(octamethylene furanamide) (PA8F), an analog to poly(octamethylene terephthalamide) (PA8T), is successfully produced via Novozym 435 (N435)-catalyzed polymerization, using a one-stage method in toluene and a temperature-varied two-stage method in diphenyl ether, respectively. The enzymatic polymerization results in PA8F with high weight-average molecular weight (M̅(w)) up to 54000 g/mol. Studies on the one-stage enzymatic polymerization in toluene indicate that the molecular weights of PA8F increase significantly with the concentration of N435; with an optimal reaction temperature of 90 °C. The temperature-varied, two-stage enzymatic polymerization in diphenyl ether yields PA8F with higher molecular weights, as compared to the one-stage procedure, at higher reaction temperatures. MALDI-ToF MS analysis suggests that eight end groups are present in the obtained PA8F: ester/amine, ester/ester, amine/amine, acid/amine, ester/acid, acid/acid, ester/amide, and no end groups (cyclic). Compared to PA8T, the obtained PA8F possesses a similar Tg and similar crystal structures, a comparable Td, but a lower Tm.

MeSH terms

  • Biocompatible Materials / chemistry*
  • Dicarboxylic Acids / chemistry*
  • Enzymes, Immobilized
  • Fungal Proteins
  • Furans / chemistry*
  • Hot Temperature
  • Lipase / chemistry
  • Molecular Weight
  • Nylons / chemistry*
  • Polymerization
  • Polymers / chemistry*
  • Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization

Substances

  • Biocompatible Materials
  • Dicarboxylic Acids
  • Enzymes, Immobilized
  • Fungal Proteins
  • Furans
  • Nylons
  • Polymers
  • 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid
  • Novozyme 435
  • Lipase