Exploring Next-Generation Engineering Bioplastics: Poly(alkylene furanoate)/Poly(alkylene terephthalate) (PAF/PAT) Blends

Niki Poulopoulou; Nejib Kasmi; Maria Siampani; Zoi N Terzopoulou; Dimitrios N Bikiaris; Dimitris S Achilias; Dimitrios G Papageorgiou; George Z Papageorgiou

doi:10.3390/polym11030556

Exploring Next-Generation Engineering Bioplastics: Poly(alkylene furanoate)/Poly(alkylene terephthalate) (PAF/PAT) Blends

Polymers (Basel). 2019 Mar 23;11(3):556. doi: 10.3390/polym11030556.

Authors

Niki Poulopoulou¹, Nejib Kasmi², Maria Siampani³, Zoi N Terzopoulou⁴, Dimitrios N Bikiaris⁵, Dimitris S Achilias⁶, Dimitrios G Papageorgiou⁷, George Z Papageorgiou⁸

Affiliations

¹ Chemistry Department, University of Ioannina, P.O. Box 1186, 45110 Ioannina, Greece. nikki_p@windowslive.com.
² Laboratory of Polymer Chemistry and Technology, Department of Chemistry, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, GR-541 24 Thessaloniki, Macedonia, Greece. nejibkasmi@gmail.com.
³ Chemistry Department, University of Ioannina, P.O. Box 1186, 45110 Ioannina, Greece. mariasiampani16@gmail.com.
⁴ Laboratory of Polymer Chemistry and Technology, Department of Chemistry, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, GR-541 24 Thessaloniki, Macedonia, Greece. terzoe@gmail.com.
⁵ Laboratory of Polymer Chemistry and Technology, Department of Chemistry, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, GR-541 24 Thessaloniki, Macedonia, Greece. dbic@chem.auth.gr.
⁶ Laboratory of Polymer Chemistry and Technology, Department of Chemistry, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, GR-541 24 Thessaloniki, Macedonia, Greece. axilias@chem.auth.gr.
⁷ School of Materials and National Graphene Institute, University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PL, UK. dimitrios.papageorgiou@manchester.ac.uk.
⁸ Chemistry Department, University of Ioannina, P.O. Box 1186, 45110 Ioannina, Greece. gzpap@uoi.gr.

Abstract

Polymers from renewable resources and especially strong engineering partially aromatic biobased polyesters are of special importance for the evolution of bioeconomy. The fabrication of polymer blends is a creative method for the production of tailor-made materials for advanced applications that are able to combine functionalities from both components. In this study, poly(alkylene furanoate)/poly(alkylene terephthalate) blends with different compositions were prepared by solution blending in a mixture of trifluoroacetic acid and chloroform. Three different types of blends were initially prepared, namely, poly(ethylene furanoate)/poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PEF/PET), poly(propylene furanoate)/poly(propylene terephthalate) (PPF/PPT), and poly(1,4-cyclohenedimethylene furanoate)/poly(1,4-cycloxehane terephthalate) (PCHDMF/PCHDMT). These blends' miscibility characteristics were evaluated by examining the glass transition temperature of each blend. Moreover, reactive blending was utilized for the enhancement of miscibility and dynamic homogeneity and the formation of copolymers through transesterification reactions at high temperatures. PEF⁻PET and PPF⁻PPT blends formed a copolymer at relatively low reactive blending times. Finally, poly(ethylene terephthalate-co-ethylene furanoate) (PETF) random copolymers were successfully introduced as compatibilizers for the PEF/PET immiscible blends, which resulted in enhanced miscibility.

Keywords: dynamic homogeneity; poly(alkylene 2,5-furandicarboxylate)s; poly(alkylene terephthalate)s; polymer blends; reactive blending.