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High Glass Transition Temperature Copolyesters from Biobased 2,5-Thiophenedicarboxylic Acid with Excellent Mechanical
Xianliang Jiang1,2, Xiaoqin Zhang1, Jin Zhu1
1Key Laboratory of Bio-Based Polymeric Materials of Zhejiang Province, Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ningbo 315201, China.
Biomacromolecules
|March 16, 2026
Summary
Researchers developed novel biobased copolyesters (PCBTh) for high-performance packaging. These materials exhibit enhanced thermal resistance and mechanical properties, offering a sustainable alternative to conventional plastics.
Area of Science:
- Polymer Chemistry
- Materials Science
- Sustainable Chemistry
Background:
- Thermally resistant polymers are crucial for packaging, electronics, and automotive industries.
- Synthesizing high glass transition temperature (Tg) polymers from biomass presents significant challenges.
- There is a growing demand for sustainable, biobased alternatives to petroleum-derived plastics.
Purpose of the Study:
- To synthesize and characterize novel biobased copolyesters (PCBTh) with enhanced thermal properties.
- To investigate the impact of incorporating rigid monomers on the properties of thiophenedicarboxylate copolyesters.
- To evaluate the potential of these biobased materials for high thermal resistance packaging applications.
Main Methods:
- Synthesis of biobased poly(cyclohexanedimethylene-co-2,2,4,4-tetramethyl-1,3-cyclobutylene thiophenedicarboxylate) (PCBTh) copolyesters via two-step melt polycondensation.
- Utilized biobased 2,5-thiophenedicarboxylic acid and varying molar percentages of 2,2,4,4-tetramethyl-1,3-cyclobutanediol.
- Comprehensive characterization of thermal resistance, thermal stability, mechanical properties, gas barrier properties, and optical transparency.
Main Results:
- The glass transition temperature (Tg) of PCBTh copolyesters was significantly enhanced from 71.4 °C to 102.5 °C with the incorporation of rigid 2,2,4,4-tetramethyl-1,3-cyclobutanediol (up to 50 mol %).
- Tensile modulus increased to 1650 MPa and tensile strength reached 53 MPa, with an elongation at break of 38%.
- Demonstrated good thermal stability and promising gas barrier properties.
Conclusions:
- The synthesized PCBTh copolyesters offer a viable route to high glass transition temperature, biobased materials.
- The incorporation of rigid cyclobutylene units effectively enhances the thermal and mechanical performance.
- These biobased copolyesters show significant potential for sustainable, high thermal resistance packaging applications.
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