Synthesis and Structural Characterization of Sequential Structure and Crystallization Properties for Hydrophilic...

Area of Science:

• Polymer Science
• Materials Chemistry

Background:

• Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is a widely used polyester with limitations in hydrophilicity.
• Chemical modification offers a route to enhance PET properties for diverse applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize a hydrophilic copolyester of PET (ENCDP-X) through copolymerization and blending.
• To investigate the structural, thermal, and crystallization properties of the modified PET.
• To evaluate the effect of TiO2 content on the copolyester's performance.

Main Methods:

• Chemical modification involving copolymerization and blending of PET with sodium isophthalate-5-sulfonate (SIPE), polyethylene glycol (PEG), 2,2-dimethyl-1,3-propanediol (NPG), and TiO2.
• Structural characterization using techniques to determine sequential structure, crystallization, and thermal properties.
• Non-isothermal kinetic analysis to verify conclusions on thermal performance.

Main Results:

• Successful synthesis of ENCDP-X copolyester with embedded comonomers.
• Random copolymer structure confirmed with a high degree of randomness (0.99).
• Modified PET showed decreased glass transition temperature (Tg), melting point (Tm), crystallinity (Xc), and degradation temperature, but increased cold crystallization temperature (Tc).
• Increasing TiO2 content enhanced thermal performance, aiding processing and application.
• The copolyester exhibited superior hydrophilicity compared to pure PET.

Conclusions:

• The synthesized ENCDP-X copolyester demonstrates a balance of modified thermal properties and enhanced hydrophilicity.
• The incorporation of TiO2 positively influences the thermal stability and processability of the copolyester.
• This modified PET offers potential for advanced material applications requiring improved surface properties and thermal characteristics.