Synthesis, characterization and properties of poly(butylene succinate) reinforced by trimellitic imide units

A series of high molecular weight poly(butylene succinate) copolyester containing rigid imide units were synthesized in this paper. The chemical structure and composition of the copolyesters were determined by H-1 NMR spectroscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). Gel permeation chromatography (GPC) was employed to determine the molecular weight and molecular weight distribution. The differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) technique showed that the melting temperature (T-m) of the copolyester decreased slightly with the increment in trimellitic imide unit content. When the imide unit content was increased to 6.3 mol-%, it had an elongation at break of 510% (83% higher than that of PBS) and a tensile strength of 37 MPa (7% higher than that of PBS). The changes in mechanical properties of the copolyester might be owed to the compositive effects of spherulitic morphology and imide units.