Synthesis, Physical Properties, and Biodegradability of Biobased Poly(butylene succinate-co-butylene oxabicyclate)

Furfural, a compound easily manufactured from hemicellulose on the global scale, has gained attention as a second-generation biomass resource. The synthesis of oxabicyclodicarboxylic anhydride (OBCA) from furfural alone and its polymerization with diol to form the biobased and biodegradable polyoxabicyclate (POBC) make OBCA a novel biobased monomer building block. To control the physical properties of POBC, we synthesized a copolyester of butanediol (BD), succinic anhydride (SAh), and OBCA. The structures of the resultant poly(butylene succinate-co-butylene oxabicyclate) (P(BS-co-BO)) polymers were studied using H-1 and C-13 NMR spectrometry, size-exclusion chromatography, thermal gravimetric analysis, differential scanning calorimetry, and wide-angle X-ray diffraction analysis. Physical properties of the melt-pressed films were examined by tensile strength testing, and the hydrolyzability of P(BS-co-BO)s was evaluated using a clear zone formation method with bacteria. To examine the environmental biodegradability of P(BS-co-BO), the biochemical oxygen demand for degrading their constituents was measured using the mixed inoculum method.