| Affiliation: | 1. Chair of Chemical Materials Science, Department of Chemistry, University of Konstanz, Universitätsstraße 10, 78457 Konstanz, Germany;2. Chair of Chemical Materials Science, Department of Chemistry, University of Konstanz, Universitätsstraße 10, 78457 Konstanz, Germany These authors contributed equally to this work.;3. Microbial Ecology and Limnic Microbiology, Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Universitätsstraße 10, 78457 Konstanz, Germany;4. BASF SE, PMD/GB—B001, Carl-Bosch-Strasse 38, 67056 Ludwigshafen am Rhein, Germany |
| Abstract: | We report a novel polyester material generated from readily available biobased 1,18-octadecanedicarboxylic acid and ethylene glycol possesses a polyethylene-like solid-state structure and also tensile properties similar to high density polyethylene (HDPE). Despite its crystallinity, high melting point (Tm=96 °C) and hydrophobic nature, polyester-2,18 is subject to rapid and complete hydrolytic degradation in in vitro assays with isolated naturally occurring enzymes. Under industrial composting conditions (ISO standard 14855-1) the material is biodegraded with mineralization above 95 % within two months. Reference studies with polyester-18,18 (Tm=99 °C) reveal a strong impact of the nature of the diol repeating unit on degradation rates, possibly related to the density of ester groups in the amorphous phase. Depolymerization by methanolysis indicates suitability for closed-loop recycling. |
