SYNTHESIS AND CHARACTERATION OF POLY (ETHYLENE 2,5-FURANDICARBOXYLATE)

Abstract

Poly(ethylene 2, 5-furandicarboxylate) (PEF) was synthesized via direct esterification method based on 2, 5-furanicarboxylica acid and ethylene glycol. Stannous oxalate was used as catalyst. The results showed that the direct esterification method was a straightforward and convenient effective way for preparing PEF. The results of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (H-1-NMR) confirmed the expected PEF structure. The results of Ubbelohde viscosity method and gel permeation chromatography (GPC) declared the relationship between intrinsic viscosities and weight-average molecular weight was [eta] = 2.82 x 10(-6) M-w (0.99) [dL/g, 25 degrees C, phenol-tetrachloroethane (1: 1, W/W)]; The results of differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) displayed that the glass transition (T-g) of PEF was 84 degrees C which was 16 K higher than that of poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) and the melting temperature (T-m) of PEF was 211 degrees C which was 43 K lower than that of PET. The results of thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) showed that the PEF was thermally stable up to 373 degrees C PEF had good thermal properties and was similar to that of PET. The results of coaxial cylinder viscometer showed that the PEF melt was a pseudoplastic Newtonian fluid and its Non-Newtonian index increased with decreasing of relative molecular weight and increasing of temperature. Non-Newtonian index was about 0.85 (melting temperature = 230 similar to 250 degrees C, rate of shear = 2.17 x 10(-2) similar to 1.14 x 10(2) s(-1)).