TUNABLE ENZYMATIC DEGRADATION OF ECO-FRIENDLY PBS-BASED COPOLYESTERS

摘要

Poly (butylene succinate) (PBS) has been a very important class of bio-based and biodegradable polymer and attracting lots of attention stemming from its high mechanical properties. However, a slow biodegradation of PBS restricts its widespread industrial applications due to its high degree of crystallinity. It is known that enzymatic degradation is associated with chemical structure, solid-state morphology (i.e. crystallinity degree), molecular weight and so forth. In this view, PBS-based copolyesters were synthesized through a melt polycondensation process and characterized with 1HNMR spectroscopy. Enzymatic degradation was carried out by utilizing lipase from candida rugose. By modifications of compositions' ratios, enzymatic degradation, mechanical properties and thermal properties oAdf PBS-based copolyesters can be tuned within a wide range. The combined analysis of the enzymatic degradation rate and solid-state structure of a series of PBS-based copolyesters would be presented. PBS-based copolyesters with tunable enzymatic degradation show promise as a substitute of non-biodegradable plastics in agriculture industry.