Issue 34, 2021

Synthesis and melt-spinning of partly bio-based thermoplastic poly(cycloacetal-urethane)s toward sustainable textiles

Abstract

A rigid diol with a cyclic acetal structure was synthesized by facile acetalation of fructose-based 5-hydroxymethyl furfural (HMF) and partly bio-based di-trimethylolpropane (di-TMP). This diol (Monomer T) was copolymerized with potentially bio-based flexible polytetrahydrofuran and diisocyanates to prepare thermoplastic poly(cycloacetal-urethane)s. A modified one-step solution polymerization protocol resulted in relatively high molecular weights (Mn ∼ 41.5–98.9 kDa). All the obtained poly(cycloacetal-urethane)s were amorphous with tuneable glass transition temperatures up to 104 °C. Thermogravimetric analysis indicated that these polymers were thermally stable up to 253 °C and had a relatively high pyrolysis char residue, which may indicate potential inherent flame resistance. Melt rheology measurements were performed to determine a suitable processing window between 165–186 °C, after which the polymer was successfully melt-spun into ∼150 meters of homogeneous fibres at 185 °C. The resulting fibres could be readily hydrolysed under acidic conditions, resulting in partial recovery of the original chemical building blocks.

Graphical abstract: Synthesis and melt-spinning of partly bio-based thermoplastic poly(cycloacetal-urethane)s toward sustainable textiles

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
01 Apr. 2021
Accepted
06 Aug. 2021
First published
10 Aug. 2021
This article is Open Access
Creative Commons BY license

Polym. Chem., 2021,12, 4942-4953

Synthesis and melt-spinning of partly bio-based thermoplastic poly(cycloacetal-urethane)s toward sustainable textiles

N. Warlin, E. Nilsson, Z. Guo, S. V. Mankar, N. G. Valsange, N. Rehnberg, S. Lundmark, P. Jannasch and B. Zhang, Polym. Chem., 2021, 12, 4942 DOI: 10.1039/D1PY00450F

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