Poly(butylene succinate) is an aliphatic polyester obtained by polycondensing succinic acid with 1,4-butanediol, and it is one of the few biodegradable polyesters that can be melt-processed on conventional equipment. Its melting point is close to that of low-density polyethylene, and its mechanical behaviour is comparable, which makes it a candidate replacement for packaging film [1]. The monomers can be produced by fermentation, so the whole chain can in principle be biobased rather than only biodegradable [2]. The crystallisation rate is slow, and nucleating agents or copolymerisation with adipate units are applied to raise the crystallinity and the processing speed [3]. The modulus is lower than that of poly(lactic acid), and blending the two is a common way to balance stiffness against toughness [4]. Hydrolysis under ambient conditions is slow, so industrial composting rather than a marine or soil environment is the realistic end-of-life route [5].
- aliphatic polyester
- succinic acid
- 1,4-butanediol
- melt processing
- crystallisation rate
- composting
- biobased monomer
References
- Hyun, Y.; Park, S.; Kwak, H.W.; Jin, H.J.; Biodegradation Behavior of Polybutylene Succinate Fibers in Simulated Seawater with Accelerating Degradation Conditions. Polymer Korea 2021, 45, 398-405, 10.7317/pk.2021.45.3.398.
- Zhou, T.; Liu, G.; Wang, M.; Liu, Y.; Zheng, L.; Synthesis and Properties of Polybutylene (Succinate)-b-poly(dimethylsiloxane) with Unprecedented Combined Performance and Functions. Biomacromolecules 2023, 24, 5951-5963, 10.1021/acs.biomac.3c00956.
- Kim, S.H.; Cho, J.Y.; Cho, D.H.; Jung, H.J.; Kim, B.C.; Bhatia, S.K.; Park, S.H.; Park, K.; Yang, Y.H.; Acceleration of Polybutylene Succinate Biodegradation by Terribacillus sp. JY49 Isolated from a Marine Environment. Polymers 2022, 14, 3978, 10.3390/polym14193978.
- Hu, T.; Wang, Y.; Ma, L.; Wang, Z.; Tong, H.; Biodegradation of polybutylene succinate by an extracellular esterase from Pseudomonas mendocina. International Biodeterioration & Biodegradation 2024, 195, 105910, 10.1016/j.ibiod.2024.105910.
- Fontana, L.; Esposito, M.; Mechanical properties and biodegradation of polylactic acid/polybutylene succinate blend films. International Journal of Advanced Chemistry Research 2025, 7, 161-164, 10.33545/26646781.2025.v7.i7c.536.