Influence of chemical structure on physicochemical properties and thermal decomposition of the fully bio-based poly(propylene succinate-co-butylene succinate)s

In this work, two polyesters and four copolyesters were studied. All materials were synthesized to obtain the monomers dedicated for thermoplastic polyurethane elastomers. For this type of PUR, the monomers should characterize by appropriate selected physicochemical properties and macromolecular structure distribution, which depends on synthesis conditions. The study of chemical structure with extensive and knowledgeable analysis of formed macromolecules of synthesized bio-based copolyesters was conducted with the use of FTIR and H-1 NMR spectroscopy and MALDI-ToF mass spectrometry. The results allowed to propose the majority of probable chemical structures of macromolecules formed during synthesis. Moreover, the impact of the structure on the thermal stability of the obtained copolyesters was also determined with the use of thermogravimetric analysis. The temperature of the beginning of thermal decomposition equaled even 330 degrees C. Furthermore, the results of DSC-TG/QMS coupled method confirmed that all prepared polyesters degraded by a and beta-hydrogen bond scission mechanisms.