Biobased Thermoplastic Poly(ester urethane) Elastomers Consisting of Poly(butylene succinate) and Poly(propylene succinate)

In this study, a series of biobased and biodegradable thermoplastic poly(ester urethane)s (PEUs) with different compositions were synthesized via chain extension reaction of dihydroxyl terminated poly(propylene succinate) (HO-PPS-OH) and poly(butylene succinate) (HO-PBS-OH) with 4,4′-methylenediphenyl diisocyanate (MDI) as a chain extender. The thermal behaviors of PEUs were characterized by differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). All the PEUs showed a single glass transition temperature shifting with compositions; only one melting peak was observed when the feeding weight ratio of PPS to PBS was less than 8:2, and the crystallization ability of the PEUs decreased gradually with the increase in PPS content. The tensile and tensile hysteresis tests suggest that the PEUs showed the tensile behaviors of elastomers when the weight ratios of PPS/PBS were 7/3, 6/4, and 5/5, and the tensile hysteresis value and Young’s modulus increased with increase in PBS content. The tensile strength and elongation at break of the three PEU elasomers exceeded 37 MPa and 1600%. Enzymatic ( Candida rugosa lipase) hydrolysis study showed that the degradation rate increased with PPS fraction, according to the weight loss measurement and scanning electron microscopy observations.