Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 5, 2025

Forming Micro-and Nano-Plastics from Agricultural Plastic Films for Employment in Fundamental Research Studies
Published on: July 27, 2022
Upcycling of Agricultural Waste Stream to High-Molecular-Weight Bio-based Poly(ethylene 2,5-furanoate)
Jukka Niskanen1, Riitta Mahlberg1, Nicolaas van Strien1
1VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland Ltd, Espoo, FI-02044, Finland.
Abstract:
Orange peel and sugar beet pulp contain large quantities of pectin, which can be turned via galactaric acid into furan dicarboxylic acid (FDCA) and its esters. In this work, we show the polymerisation of these FDCA esters into high-molecular-weight, 70-100 kg/mol, poly(ethylene 2,5-furanoate) (PEF). PEF is an emerging bio-based alternative for poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET), widely used in for example packaging applications. Closing the loop, we also demonstrated and confirmed that PEF can be hydrolysed by enzymes, which are known to hydrolyse PET, back into FDCA for convenient recycling and recovery of monomers.
Related Concept Videos
Types of Step-Growth Polymers: Polyesters
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...
Olefin Metathesis Polymerization: Overview
Ruthenium-based Grubbs catalyst is the most commonly used catalyst for olefin metathesis polymerization. Grubbs catalyst consists...
Free-Radical Chain Reaction and Polymerization of Alkenes

