Oxidation Level and Glycidyl Ether Structure Determine Thermal Processability and Thermomechanical Properties of Arabinoxylan-Derived Thermoplastics
Journal article, 2021

Developing flexible, stretchable, and thermally processable materials for packaging and stretchable electronic applications from polysaccharide-based polymers contributes to the smooth transition of the fossil-based economy to the circular bioeconomy. We present arabinoxylan (AX)-based thermoplastics obtained by ring-opening oxidation and subsequent reduction (dA-AX) combined with hydrophobization with three different glycidyl ethers [n-butyl (BuGE), isopropyl (iPrGE), and 2-ethyl hexyl (EtHGE) glycidyl ether]. We also investigate the relationship between structural composition, thermal processing, and thermomechanical properties. BuGE- A nd iPrGE-etherified dA-AXs showed glass-transition temperatures (Tg) far below their degradation temperatures and gave thermoplastic materials when compression-molded at 140 °C. The BuGE (3 mol)-etherified dA-AX films at 19 and 31% oxidation levels show 244% (±42) and 267% (±72) elongation, respectively. In contrast, iPrGE-dA-AX samples with shorter and branched terminals in the side chains had a maximum of 60% (±19) elongation. No studies have reported such superior elongation of AX thermoplastic films and its relationship with molar substitution and Tg. These findings have implications on the strategic development of chemical modification routes using commercial polymer processing technologies and on fine-tuning structures and properties when specific polysaccharide-based polymers are used to engineer bio-based products for film, packaging, and substrates for stretchable electronic applications.

epoxide ring-opening etherification

oxidation

thermoplastic film

thermal processability

renewable resource

arabinoxylan

biomass-wheat bran

Author

Parveen Kumar Deralia

Chalmers, Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Applied Chemistry

Aline Maire Du Poset

Chalmers, Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Applied Chemistry

Anja Lund

Chalmers, Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Applied Chemistry

Anette Larsson

Chalmers, Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Applied Chemistry

Anna Ström

Chalmers, Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Applied Chemistry

Gunnar Westman

Chalmers, Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Chemistry and Biochemistry

ACS Applied Bio Materials

25766422 (eISSN)

Vol. 4 4 3133-3144

Subject Categories

Polymer Chemistry

Polymer Technologies

Textile, Rubber and Polymeric Materials

DOI

10.1021/acsabm.0c01550

More information

Latest update

1/3/2024 9