Polyethylene succinate

Tansengo, M. L. Tokiwa, Y. (1998). Thermophilic microbial degradation of polyethylene succinate. World Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology, 14, 133-8. 

Indeed most polymers are receptive to attack including cellulose nitrate, cellulose acetate, polycaprolactone, polyethylene succinate, polyethylene adipate, polyvinyl alcohol, polybutadiene, styrene butadiene, butyl acrylonitrile, butadiene acrylonitrile, polyester polyurethanes, polyacetate, polyglycollate, polydioxanone and Nylon 2,6. 

Poly(ethylene oxide) is a linear polymer containing the donor oxygen atoms in the main backbone. Some other similar systems known to function as polymer electrolytes include simple poly ethylene glycol (PEG) [145], end acetylated PEG [146], poly propylene oxide (PPO) [ 147-148], poly(/ -propiolactone) [149], polyethylene succinate) [150-151],poly (ethylene adipate) [152],poly (ethylene imine) [153] and poly (alkylene sulfide) [154], Many of these form metal salt complexes. However, conductivities of the order of 10 s S cm are observed only at high temperatures. Table 5 summarizes this data. 

Sky green Biodegradable polyethylene succinate/adipate for injection or extrusion Sukyong Industries... 

Lindstrom and co-workers [137] carried out a quantitative determination of low molecular weight compounds migrating from polybutylene adipate and polyethylene succinate during ageing by hydrolytic degradation in water and phosphate buffer. This was achieved by solid-phase extraction in combination with GC/mass spectrometry. Monomers detected include adipic acid, 1,4-butanediol, for the polyethylene adipate and succinic acid and 1,4-butanediol from polybutylene succinate. 

Fig. 2. A graph showing the temperature dependence of the nucleation rate for a series of different molecular weight fractions of polyethylene succinate. The molecular weight shown is the peak molecular weight as measured by GPC. mp 1,160, A 2,060, V 3,380, 4,660, o 6,670, 8,770, A 10,980, T 13,660, A 18,340, 21,210. Reprinted from Ref 23. Copyright (2002), with permission from Marcel Dekker, Inc.

Aliphatic polyesters derived from the polycondensation of diols with aliphatic dicarboxylic acids are another important class of synthetic biodegradable polymers. Since 1994, Showa Highpolymer in Japan has been producing a family of aliphatic polyesters known as Bionolle , obtained from butanediol and succinic acid to give polybutylene succinate (PBS), and the copolymer polybutylene succinate adipate (PBSA) obtained from butanediol, succinic acid and adipic acid. Polyethylene succinate (PES) was also produced. 

Another commercialised type of biodegradable aliphatic polyester is succinate-based. Showa Highpolymer in Japan produces a family of aliphatic polyesters known as Bionolle . Bionolle is produced from glycols and aliphatic dicarboxylic acids such as succinic acid or modified acids. The structures of two different types of succinate aliphatic polyesters, polybutylene succinate (PBSU) and polyethylene succinate (PESU) are shown in Figure 6.6. 

Currently, PBSU and polybutylene succinate adipate copolymer are commercially available and PESU and polyethylene succinate adipate copolymer are imder development but not yet commercial. Table 6.6 compares the basic properties of commercial grades of Bionolle ... 

Polyethylene succinate Polyethylene terephthalate Pseudomonas fluorescens lipase Polyglycolic acid Polyhydroxyalkanoate(s)... 

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