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Types of Step-Growth Polymers: Polyesters01:20

Types of Step-Growth Polymers: Polyesters

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The introduction of polyesters has brought major development to the textile industry. The wrinkle-free behavior of polyester blends has eliminated the need for starching and ironing clothes.
Polyesters are commonly prepared from terephthalic acid and ethylene glycol; the crude product is known as poly(ethylene terephthalate) or PET. However, polyesters are synthesized industrially by transesterification of dimethyl terephthalate with ethylene glycol at 150 °C. The two reactants and the...
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Polymers02:34

Polymers

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The word polymer is derived from the Greek words “poly” which means “many” and “mer” which means “parts”. Polymers are long chains of molecules composed of repeating units of smaller molecules, known as monomers. They either occur naturally, such as DNA and proteins, or can be constructed synthetically, like plastics. They have varied structural characteristics, such as linear chains, branched chains, or complex networks, that contribute to the...
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Polymer Classification: Architecture01:14

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Polymers are classified as linear or branched on the basis of their chain architecture. The polymer chains in linear polymers have a long chain-like structure with minimal to no branching at all. Even if a polymer features large substituent groups on the monomer, which appear as branches to the skeleton, it is not considered a branched polymer. A branched polymer contains secondary polymer chains that arise from the main polymer chain. The branching occurs when the polymer growth shifts from...
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Step-Growth Polymerization: Overview01:03

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Step-growth or condensation polymerization is a stepwise reaction of bi or multifunctional monomers to form long-chain polymers. As all the monomers are reactive, most of the monomers are consumed at the early stages of the reaction to form small chains of reactive oligomers, which then combine to form long polymer chains in the late stages. Hence, the reaction has to proceed for a long time to achieve high molecular weight polymers.
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Characteristics and Nomenclature of Copolymers01:24

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Copolymers are the products obtained from the polymerization of multiple monomer species. So, in a polymer chain itself, there can be multiple repeating units that come from different monomers. The process of synthesizing a polymer from different monomer species is called copolymerization. When two monomers are involved, the polymer is known as a bipolymer. Polymers with three and four monomers are termed terpolymers and quaterpolymers, respectively. Figure 1 depicts the copolymerization of...
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The conversion of alkenes to macromolecules called polymers is a reaction of high commercial importance. The structure of the polymer is defined by a repeating unit, while the terminal groups are considered insignificant. The average degree of polymerization represents the number of repeating units in the polymer molecule and is denoted by the subscript n.
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Degradable and Recyclable Polyesters from Multiple Chain Length Bio- and Waste-Sourceable Monomers.

Taylor F Nelson1, Dario Rothauer1, Michael Sander2

  • 1Department of Chemistry, University of Konstanz, Universitätstrasse 10, 78457, Konstanz, Germany.

Angewandte Chemie (International Ed. in English)
|September 7, 2023
PubMed
Summary

Polyesters from mixed-length dicarboxylic acids (DCAs) exhibit high-density polyethylene-like structures and ductility. These sustainable materials are biodegradable and recyclable, offering a promising alternative to conventional plastics.

Keywords:
BiodegradabilityClosed-Loop RecyclingLong-Chain PolyestersMultiple Chain LengthWaste Plastic Upgrading

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Area of Science:

  • Polymer Chemistry
  • Materials Science
  • Sustainable Chemistry

Background:

  • Monomers from waste or biomass often exist as mixtures of varying chain lengths.
  • Catalytic oxidation of polyethylene waste produces mixtures of dicarboxylic acids (DCAs).
  • Polyesters synthesized from mixed-chain-length monomers are understudied.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate polyesters synthesized from mixtures of linear aliphatic dicarboxylic acids (DCAs) with varied chain length distributions.
  • To characterize the structural, mechanical, thermal, and degradation properties of these novel polyesters.

Main Methods:

  • Synthesis of polyesters using mixed DCA monomer distributions.
  • Solid-state structure analysis.
  • Mechanical testing (e.g., tensile testing).
  • Thermal analysis (melting and crystallization points).
  • Biodegradation studies using 13C-labelled polyesters.
  • Methanolysis for depolymerization analysis.

Main Results:

  • Polyesters adopted high-density polyethylene-like solid-state structures.
  • Materials demonstrated significant ductility (E_t = 610 MPa), suitable for injection molding and extrusion.
  • Melting and crystallization points lacked odd-even effects due to unfavorable dipole alignment.
  • Rapid mineralization observed in soil biodegradation studies.
  • Methanolysis confirmed suitability for closed-loop recycling.

Conclusions:

  • Polyesters derived from mixed-length DCAs offer a viable route to high-performance, sustainable materials.
  • These polymers exhibit desirable mechanical properties and processability.
  • The materials are biodegradable and recyclable, contributing to a circular economy.