Characterization and degradation behavior of poly(butylene adipate‐co‐terephthalate)s

Random copolyesters based on 1,4‐butanediol and different ratios between adipic and terephthalic units were synthesized from thermal polycondensation of the appropriate mixture of monomers or by melt transesterification of the mixture of homopolymers. ¹H NMR spectroscopy makes feasible the study of the average block lengths of polymers once synthesized and after degradation in different media. Calorimetric data are reported, including those referred to the study of isothermal and nonisothermal crystallizations. Degradability of samples was evaluated by different methods including NMR and thermal analysis, evaluation of molecular weight by gel permeation chromatography or from intrinsic viscosity measures, scanning electron micrographs, and changes in mechanical properties. Distilled water at 70 °C acidic conditions provided by a pH 2.3 aqueous medium and enzymatic media containing lipases from Pseudomonas cepacia or Candida cylindracea were considered in this study. The degradability of the studied copolyesters strongly depends on the terephthalate content and the degradation media. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 40: 4141–4157, 2002