Synthesis of Poly(butylene succinate) Copolymer Including 2,5-Furandicarboxylate

Poly(butylene succinate) copolymerized with 2,5-furandicarboxylate was produced from succinic acid, 1,4-butanediol and dibutyl 2,5-furandicarboxylate in the presence of titanium tetraisopropoxide. The molecular weight, molecular weight distribution, thermal properties and mechanical properties of these polymers were measured. Copolymers of high molecular weight were obtained when a small amount of dibutyl 2,5-furandicarboxylate was included, but the molecular weight decreased with increasing amount of dibutyl 2,5-furandicarboxylate. The reactivity of dibutyl ester of dibutyl 2,5-furandicarboxylate was low. The copolymer containing 1 mol% of 2,5-furandicarboxylate showed a break strain that reached 733%, though the number-average molecular weight and thermal properties of the copolymer were almost the same as those of the homopolymer.