Terephthalic Acid Copolyesters Containing Tetramethylcyclobutanediol for High-Performance Plastics

There is a need for high-performance applications for terephthalic acid (TPA) polyesters with high heat resistance, impact toughness, and optical clarity. Bisphenol A (BPA) based polycarbonates and polyarylates have such properties, but BPA is an endocrine disruptor. Therefore, new TPA polyesters that are less hazardous to health and the environment are becoming popular. Tetramethylcyclobutanediol (TMCD) is a difunctional monomer that can be polymerized with TPA and other diols to yield copolyesters with superior properties to conventional TPA polyesters. It has a cyclobutyl ring that makes it more rigid than cyclohexanedimethanol (CHDM) and EG. Thus, TMCD containing TPA copolyesters can have high heat resistance and impact strength. TPA can be made from abundantly available upcycled polyethylene terephthalate (PET). Therefore, this review discusses the synthesis of monomers and copolyesters, the impact of diol composition on material properties, molecular weight, effects of photodegradation, health safety, and substitution of cyclobutane diols for future polyesters.     

Dielectric relaxation studies on a three component fully aromatic copolyester

The family of aromatic copolyesters based on the hydroxybenzoic acid (HBA) unit has been studied extensively by a number of groups. In particular the copolyesters of HBA and 2,6‐hydroxynaphthoic acid (HNA) have received much of attention due to their superior physical properties. This paper, however, describes some detailed dielectric studies on a related fully aromatic copolyester, poly(p‐oxybenzoate‐co‐p‐phenylene isophthalate), known simply as HIQ. This polymer is of particular interest because it can be solvent cast in an amorphous form, with no apparent crystallinity or frozen liquid crystalline texture and subsequently annealed, to increase the amount of crystalline and frozen liquid crystalline material. Dielectric measurements were therefore made on tape and film samples with differing morphologies produced by different processing histories. Measurements were made from 1 Hz to 10 kHz over the temperature range ?100 °C to 150 °C. A low temperature γ relaxation is observed which appears to be similar in nature to that which is observed in copolymers of HBA and HNA. An intermediate temperature β process is seen in isotropic samples which has a much higher activation energy than that found in HBA/HNA polyesters for example. The intensity of this process, which is not seen in mechanical measurements on highly oriented samples, increases on annealing and it is therefore suggested that the process is the glass transition of the liquid crystalline phase, though why the process is not seen in mechanical measurements on oriented samples is unclear. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Joint Adsorption of Organic Anions on Passive Iron

The adsorption of anions of 3-hydroxy-2-naphthoic acid (HNA) from a borate buffer of pH 7.4 on the surface of iron oxidized at 0.0 V is studied by the ellipsometry technique coupled with electrochemical measurements and is described by the Frumkin isotherm. The joint adsorption of anions of HNA and mepheneamino acid (MAA) is studied at high concentrations at 0.2 V. As opposed to low concentrations of the mixture components (when joint adsorption on passive iron increases), at a high coverage by one of these, this effect is absent. At a high concentration of one component, adding identical amount of the other makes no impact on the coverage by the former. The joint adsorption of anions of HNA and N-phenylanthranilic acid on passive iron is studied at 0.0 and 0.2 V; the relevant isotherms and adsorption constants are obtained. Variations in the ellipsometric angle during adsorption of MAA and its mixture with HNA are examined.     

Novel thermotropic esters‐based polymers with broad nematic processing windows

In this study, a new series of semiflexible liquid crystalline (LC) polyesters and poly(ester‐amide)s were synthesized and characterized. Polymers based on 4‐hydroxybenzoic acid (4‐HBA), 6‐hydroxy‐2‐naphthoic acid (HNA), suberic acid (SUA), and sebacic acid (SEA) were modified with hydroquinone (HQ) and different concentrations of 4‐acetamidophenol (AP) to obtain a polyester and two poly(ester‐amide)s, respectively. All polymers were successfully prepared using conventional melt‐condensation techniques. The polymers were characterized by inherent viscosity measurements, SEC, hot‐stage polarizing microscopy, DSC, and TGA. The mechanical behavior was investigated using DMTA and tensile testing. All linear polymers have T_gs in the range of 50–80 °C and melt between 120 and 150 °C. Our polymers display good thermooxidative stabilities (5% wt loss at ～ 400 °C) and exhibit homogeneous nematic melt behavior over a wide temperature range (ΔN ～ 250 °C). The liquid crystal phase was lost when high concentrations of nonlinear monomers such as 3‐HBA (>27 mol %) and resorcinol (RC) (>23 mol %) were incorporated. The LC polyester based on 4‐HBA/HNA/HQ/SUA/SEA could easily be processed into good quality films and fibers. The films display good mechanical properties (E′ ～ 4 GPa) and high toughness, that is, ～ 15% elongation at break, at room temperature. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 46: 6565–6574, 2008     

The dielectric properties of liquid-crystal random copolyesters of 4-hydroxybenzoic acid and 2-hydroxy 6-naphthoic acid

Dielectric measurments made from 1 Hz to 10 kHz and from -80 to 150°C on random copolyesters of 4-hydroxybenzoic acid (HBA) and 2-hydroxy 6-naphthoic acid (HNA) reveal three relaxation processes at low frequencies rather than the two seen at audio frequencies. The higher temperature α process is similar to a glass transition, with a high activation energy ～ 170 kcal/mol, but the two lower temperature processes are identified as local mode processes associated with the HNA and HBA moieties, respectively. It is shown that the observed value of the permittivity above the glass transition is lower than that which would be expected for ester groups rotating freely about the local chain axis, and it is suggested that this may be due to several factors including immobilization of dipoles in the crystalline regions, correlated motion of dipoles, and librational rather than rotational motion.     

Thermal degradation of environmentally degradable poly(hydroxyalkanoic acid)s

Aliphatic polyesters have attracted industrial attention as environmentally degradable thermoplastics to be used for a wide range of applications. Besides intensive studies on the biodegradability of aliphatic polyesters, understanding of the thermal stability has importance for processing, application, and recycling. The details of thermal degradation processes of five types of aliphatic polyesters; namely, poly(L-lactide), poly(3-hydroxybutyric acid), poly(4-hydroxybutyric acid), poly(delta-valerolactone), and poly(epsilon-caprolactone), were investigated by means of several thermoanalytical techniques under both isothermal and non-isothermal conditions. In this feature article, the thermal degradation behaviors of aliphatic polyesters with different numbers of carbon atoms in the main chain of the monomeric unit are reviewed. In addition, the effects of chain-end structure and residual metal compounds on the thermal degradation processes of aliphatic polyesters consisting of hydroxyalkanoic acid monomeric units are presented. Schemes of thermal degradation reaction of poly(hydroxyalkanoic acid)s.     

A study of molecular motion in a liquid-crystalline copolyester by broad-line nuclear magnetic resonance

Broad-line nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) measurements have been carried out for the proton resonance in an oriented liquid-crystalline copolyster prepared from 4-hydroxybenzoic acid (HBA) and 2-hydroxy-6-naphthoic acid (HNA). The Second moments were determined as a function of the angle γ between the specimen orientation direction and the static magnetic field. The low-temperature NMR results are consistent with a rigid structure of random copolymer chains arranged on a hexagonal lattice. As the temperature is raised the NMR signal changes and can be modeled very satisfactorily by considering that there is free rotation of the benzene ring residues about the 1-4 substitution direction. At more elevated temperatures the observed NMR spectra are consistent with rotation of both HBA and HNA groups.     

Synthesis and Thermal Behavior of Polyesters Derived from 1,3‐Propanediol and Various Aromatic Dicarboxylic Acids

Abstract

Seven aromatic dicarboxylic acids were esterified by melt polycondensation in two steps with 1,3‐propanediol (1,3‐PDO) in the presence of tetrabutoxytitanium as catalyst. The acids used were: terephthalic (TPA), isophthalic (IPA), naphthalene‐2,6‐dicarboxylic (2,6‐NDA), naphthalene‐1,4‐dicarboxylic (1,4‐NDA), biphenyl‐4,4^′‐dicarboxylic (4,4^′‐BPDA), diphenylsulfone‐4,4^′‐dicarboxylic (4,4^′‐DPSDA), and pyridine‐2,6‐dicarboxylic acid (2,6‐PDA). In the first step, the esterification reaction was monitored, by measuring the distilled water. The prepared oligomers were polycondensated in a second step under high vacuum using the same catalyst as before. The received poly(propylene dicarboxylate)s were characterized by viscometry, carboxyl end‐group content (CC), color measurement, and were studied by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). From this study, the above polyesters could be classified to three classes: (a) easily crystallizing polyesters derived from TPA and 2,6‐PDA, (b) slow crystallizing polyesters derived from IPA and 2,6‐NDA, and (c) amorphous polyesters derived from 1,4‐NDA, 4,4^′‐BPDA, and 4,4^′‐DPSDA.     

Nonenzymatic synthesis of RNA and DNA oligomers on hexitol nucleic acid templates: the importance of the A structure.

Hexitol nucleic acid (HNA) is an analogue of DNA containing the standard nucleoside bases, but with a phosphorylated 1,5-anhydrohexitol backbone. HNA oligomers form duplexes having the nucleic acid A structure with complementary DNA or RNA oligomers. The HNA decacytidylate oligomer is an efficient template for the oligomerization of the 5'-phosphoroimidazolides of guanosine or deoxyguanosine. Comparison of the oligomerization efficiencies on HNA, RNA, and DNA decacytidylate templates under various conditions suggests strongly that only nucleic acid double helices with the A structure support efficient template-directed synthesis when 5'-phosphoroimidazolides of nucleosides are used as substrates.     

New polymer syntheses. XCVI. Star-shaped LC-polyesters derived from β-(4-hydroxyphenyl)propionic acid and 4-hydroxybenzoic acid

Star-shaped polyesters were prepared by polycondensation of tetraacetoxyspirobis(indane) and a 1 : 1 mixture of silylated β-(4-acetoxyphenyl)propionic acid and silylated 4-acetoxybenzoic acid. The lengths of the star arms were systematically varied, and the influence of the star center on the stability of the nematic phase was studied. It was found that on the average more than 10 monomer units per star arm are required to stabilize a homogeneous LC-phase. Furthermore, a second class of star-shaped polyesters consisting of β-(4-hydroxyphenyl)propionic acid (HPPA), 4-hydroxybenzoic acid (HBA), and 6-hydroxy-2-naphthoic acid (HNA) was prepared. This ternary copolyester proved to reduce the crystallinity but to stabilize the LC-character. A homogeneous nematic melt was obtained with 6 monomer units per star arm. This interpretation is based on optical microscopy which provides a static picture of the biphasic situation. Therefore, a preliminary study of the melt rheology was included, which proved that the typical LC-character of the melt was detectable ateven shorter star arms due to the shear orientation. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 36: 1387–1395, 1998     

Interaction between poly[(R)-3-hydroxybutyrate] depolymerase and biodegradable polyesters evaluated by atomic force microscopy

Adsorption of PHB depolymerase from Ralstonia pickettii T1 to biodegradable polyesters such as poly[(R)-3-hydroxybutyrate] (PHB) and poly(l-lactic acid) (PLLA) was investigated by atomic force microscopy (AFM). The substrate-binding domain (SBD) with histidines within the N-terminus was prepared and immobilized on the AFM tip surface via a self-assembled monolayer with a nitrilotriacetic acid group. Using the functionalized AFM tips, the force-distance measurements for polyesters were carried out at room temperature in a buffer solution. In the case of AFM tips with immobilized SBD and their interaction with polyesters, multiple pull-off events were frequently recognized in the retraction curves. The single rupture force was estimated at approximately 100 pN for both PLLA and PHB. The multiple pull-off events were recognized even in the presence of a surfactant, which will prevent nonspecific interactions, but reduced when using polyethylene instead of polyesters as a substrate. The present results provide that the PHB depolymerase adsorbs specifically to the surfaces of polyesters and that the single unbinding event evaluated here is mainly associated with the interaction between one molecule of SBD and the polymer surface.     

一种新型阻燃抗熔滴共聚酯的合成及表征

双酚A与碳酸乙烯酯反应得到改性单体双(羟乙基)双酚A(BHEEB),BHEEB与对苯二甲酸、乙二醇及阻燃剂[(6-氧代-6H-二苯并[c,e][1,2]氧磷杂己环-6-基)甲基]丁二酸(DDP)通过无规共聚合成了一种新型阻燃共聚酯PBPET.用1H-NMR、ICP-AES对共聚酯的结构进行了表征,用热重分析(TGA)、氧指数(LOI)测定、垂直燃烧测试等对共聚酯的热稳定性、阻燃性和熔滴行为进行了研究.结果表明,BHEEB可以提高共聚酯的热稳定性,含5 mol%BHEEB与4.8 mol%DDP的共聚酯P4.8B5PET,其TGA测试中600℃下氮气氛残炭(wt6R00)可达18.0%.燃烧测试表明,P4.8B5PET的LOI值可达37.0,垂直燃烧达V-0级,并且改性单体BHEEB的引入还能有效地改善聚酯燃烧时的熔滴行为.     

Kinetic analysis of the melt acidolytic (Co) polycondensation of fully aromatic polyesters

Experiments to determine the initial reaction rate constants of acidolytic (co)polycondensations of fully aromatic polyesters were conducted in the melt. The initial reaction rate was determined by constant monitoring of the evolution of acetic acid. Both homo-polycondensation of p-acetoxybenzoic acid (pAcBA) and copolycondensation of 2 parts pAcBA, 1 part p,p'-bisacetoxybiphenyl (BAcBP), and 1 part terephthalic acid (TPA) were studied in a batch reactor under nonisothermal conditions. Next to this, the effect of the presence of the catalyst N-methylimidazole (NMI) on the (co)polycondensations was checked. From the series of experiments it was concluded that the reactivities of acetoxy groups of pAcBA and BAcBP were equal. Furthermore, it was found that the catalyst NMI showed an accelerating effect in the homo- and copolycondensations, thereby acting as a “conventional catalyst.” The postulated reaction mechanism for the (co)polycondensations is in accordance with the reaction mechanism for acidolysis of esters by carboxylic acids as suggested by Loncrini. The reactivity of TPA could not be determined by the method used because of the poor solubility of TPA in the reaction mixture. © 1992 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Wholly aromatic thermotropic liquid crystalline polyesters of 3,3′-bis(phenyl)-4,4′-biphenol with 4,4′-benzophenone dicarboxylic acid

A series of wholly aromatic, thermotropic polyesters, derived from 3,3′-bis(phenyl)-4,4′-biphenol (DPBP), nonlinear 4,4′-benzophenone dicarboxylic acid (4,4′-BDA), and various linear comonomers, were prepared by the melt polycondensation reaction and characterized for their thermotropic properties by a variety of experimental techniques. The homopolymer of DPBP with 4,4′-BDA had a fusion temperature (T_f) at 265°C, exhibited a nematic phase, and had a liquid crystalline range of 105°C. All of the copolyesters of DPBP with 4,4′-BDA and either 30 mol % 4-hydroxybenzoic acid (HBA), 6-hydroxy-2-naphthoic acid (HNA), or 50 mol % terephthalic acid (TA), 2,6-naphthalenedicarboxylic acid (2,6-NDA) had low T_f values in the range of 220–285°C, exhibited a nematic phase, and had accessible isotropization transitions (T_i) in the range of 270–420°C, respectively. Their accessible T_i values would enable one to observe a biphase structure. Each of the copolymers with HBA or HNA had a much broader range of liquid crystalline phase. In contrast, each of the copolymers with TA or 2,6-NDA had a relatively narrow range of liquid crystalline phase. Each of these polyesters had a glassy, nematic morphology that was confirmed with the DSC, PLM, WAXD, and SEM studies. As expected, they had higher glass transition temperatures (T_g) in the range of 161–217°C than those of other liquid crystalline polyesters, and excellent thermal stabilities (T_d) in the range of 494–517°C, respectively. Despite their noncrystallinity, they were not soluble in common organic solvents with the exception that the homopolymer and its copolymer with TA had limited solubility in CHCl₃. However, they were soluble in the usual mixture of p-chlorophenol/1,1,2,2-tetrachloroethane (60/40 by weight) with the exception of the copolymer with 2,6-NDA. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 35: 769–785, 1997     

Relaxation processes in oriented liquid crystalline polymers

A review is presented of research on oriented thermotropic liquid crystalline polymers undertaken at Leeds University. A range of main-chain polyesters has been studied based on 1,4-hydroxybenzoic acid and 2,6-hydroxynaphthoic acid as the primary monomers. By using a combination of dynamic mechanical, dielectric and NMR measurements insight has been gained into the molecular motions associated with the three principal relaxation processes. The behaviour in tension, for stresses parallel and perpendicular to the principal orientation direction, has been related to that in shear by use of mechanical models.     

Fully aromatic thermotropic liquid crystalline polyesters of 3-phenyl-4,4′-biphenol with 4,4′-benzophenone dicarboxylic acid

A series of fully aromatic, thermotropic polyesters, derived from 3-phenyl-4,4′-biphenol (MPBP), nonlinear 4,4′-benzophenone dicarboxylic acid (4,4′-BDA), and various other comonomers was prepared by the melt polycondensation method and characterized for their thermotropic liquid crystalline behavior by a variety of experimental techniques. The homopolymer of MPBP with 4,4′-BDA had a fusion temperature (T_f) at 240°C, exhibited a nematic liquid crystalline phase, and had a narrow liquid crystalline range of 60°C. All of the copolyesters of MPBP with 4,4′-BDA and either 30 mol % 4-hydroxybenzoic acid (HBA), 6-hydroxy-2-naphthoic acid (HNA) or 50 mol % terephthalic acid (TA), 2,6-naphthale-nedicarboxylic acid (2,6-NDA) and low T_f values in the range of 210–230°C, exhibited a nematic phase, and had accessible isotropization transitions (T_i) in the range of 320–420°C, respectively. As expected, each of them had a broader range of liquid crystalline phase than the homopolymer. They had a “frozen” nematic, glassy order as determined with the wide-angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD) studies. The morphology of each of the “as-made” polyesters had a fibrous structure as determined with the scanning electron microscopy (SEM), which arises because of the liquid crystalline domains. Moreover, they had higher glass transition temperatures (T_g) in the range of 167–190°C than those of other liquid crystalline polyesters, and excellent thermal stabilities (T_d) in the range of 500–533°C, respectively. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Nonenzymatic template-directed reactions on altritol oligomers, preorganized analogues of oligonucleotides

Altritol nucleic acids (ANAs) are RNA analogues with a phosphorylated D-altritol backbone. The nucleobase is attached at the 2-(S)-position of the carbohydrate moiety. We report that ANA oligomers are superior to the corresponding DNA, RNA, and HNA (hexitol nucleic acid) in supporting efficient nonenzymatic template-directed synthesis of complementary RNAs from nucleoside-5'-phosphoro-2-methyl imidazolides. Activated ANA and HNA monomers do not oligomerize efficiently on DNA, RNA, HNA, or ANA templates.     

Laterally linked mesogens in main chain polymers

The syntheses of liquid-crystalline main chain polyesters with laterally linked mesogens are presented. The terminal groups of the mesogens and the spacers fixation of mesogens, the polyesters with 1,4-di(p-alkoxybenzoyloxy)benzenes 1,4-di(p-alkoxybenzolyloxy)benzenes, 2,5-di(p-alkoxyphenyl)pyrimidines or a 4,4'-bis(p-ethoxyphenylazo)biphenyl derivative. Despite the unusual bilateral fixation of mesogens, the polyesters with 1,4-di(p-alkoxybenzoyloxy)benzenes show mainly monotropic phases which were found to be nematic in investigations with the polarizing microscope, in DSC measurements, temperature-dependent measurements of the Kerr constant and X-ray diffraction experiments. The monotropic nematic character remains when varying the terminal groups of the mesogen as well as the length of the n-alkanedioic acid spacer. However, when the spacer is branched, crystallization can be disturbed effectively and a stable nematic phase can be obtained. All of the polyesters with only 2,5-di(p-alkoxyphenyl)-pyrimidines as mesogens are amorphous. The reason probably lies in the unsymmetric 4,6-substitution of the pyrimidine ring. In contrast to this, oligomers with a 4,4'-bis(p-ethoxyphenylazo)biphenyl derivative show broad, predominantly enantiotropic nematic phases with relatively high clearing temperatures. With the knowledge gained about relations between structure and properties, especially of polyesters with 1,4-(p-alkoxybenzoyloxy)benzenes as mesogens, polyesters with this mesogenic group but with various architectures have been compared. Speculations about possible arrangements of the structural elements have been included to explain the phase behaviour of the polyesters with laterally fixed mesogens.     

FDCA基聚酯的合成、性能及应用研究进展

生物质资源是一种储量丰富的可再生资源。生物质资源的高效利用不仅具有非常巨大的经济和生态价值,而且对新能源与生物基合成材料的可持续发展战略具有重大意义。由植物纤维素等生物质材料经生物或者简单化学过程处理,可获得丰富的生物基单体2,5-呋喃二甲酸(FDCA)。FDCA可用于生物基聚酯材料的合成。FDCA系列聚酯材料性能优异,可作为由石油基单体对苯二甲酸(PTA)而合成的芳香族聚酯材料(例如PET)的一种潜在的高性能生物可降解替代材料。本文简要说明了生物基单体FDCA的物性及制备方法,并重点阐述了包括聚呋喃二甲酸乙二酯(PEF)与聚呋喃二甲酸丁二酯(PBF)等一系列FDCA基聚酯材料的合成及性质,同时对FDCA基聚酯材料的应用进展进行了简要介绍,最后对FDCA基聚酯生物基合成材料的发展前景作了初步展望。     

Synthesis and characterization of liquid crystalline copolyester of 4-hydroxy-2,3,5,6-tetrafluorobenzoic acid with 6-hydroxy-2-naphthoic acid

4-Hydroxy-2,3,5,6-tetrafluorobenzoic acid/6-hydroxy-2-naphthoic acid copolymers (FHBA/HNA copolymer) with different copolymer compositions were prepared and the influence of FHBA residue on the thermal properties and structures of the copolymers were investigated. Introduction of FHBA decreased the crystal/nematic phase transition temperatures(T_CNs) of the FHBA/HNA copolymers. T_CNs of the copolymers were in the temperature range between 200 and 250°C, depending on the copolymer composition. They are approximately 40°C lower than those of 4-hydroxybenzoic acid/HNA copolymers. FHBA/HNA copolymers exhibited low crystallinity, and annealing treatment hardly influenced the crystalline natures. FHBA residue possibly interferes with the recrystallization during annealing. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 36 : 413–419, 1998