Anti-Ultraviolet Biobased Polyesters Synthesized by Acyclic Diene Metathesis Polymerization

Synthesis of copolymers using 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA) and isosorbide (IS) as renewable feedstocks remains a challenge in conventional melt polycondensation. Herein, acyclic diene metathesis (ADMET) polymerization of several kinds of alpha,omega-dienes containing an FDCA or IS moiety was performed under mild conditions to afford biobased polyesters with an unsaturated chain structure and tunable glass transition temperature between -40 and 34 degrees C. Meanwhile, FDCA-derived alpha,omega-diene was used as a comonomer to undergo inverse vulcanization with elemental sulfur, affording a polysulfide as the cross-linking agent suitable for modifying ADMET polyesters. The cross-linked polyesters showed improved mechanical properties and good reprocessability. Furthermore, the modified polyester composites exhibited excellent anti-ultraviolet (UV) performance with a high UV protection factor of 251 and maintained almost the original mechanical properties even after 72 h of UV light exposure. This work provided a practical approach for the high-value-added utilization of ADMET polyesters as sustainable functional materials.