Polyethylene 2,5-furandicarboxylate

Polyethylene 2,5-furandicarboxylate, also named poly(ethylene 2,5-furandicarboxylate), polyethylene furanoate and poly(ethylene furanoate) and generally abbreviated as PEF, is a polymer that can be produced by polycondensation of 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA) and ethylene glycol. As an aromatic polyester from ethylene glycol it is a chemical analogue of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and polyethylene naphthalate (PEN). PEF has been described in (patent) literature since 1951,[2] but has gained renewed attention since the US department of energy proclaimed its building block, FDCA, as a potential bio-based replacement for purified terephthalic acid (PTA) in 2004.[3]

Polyethylene 2,5-furandicarboxylate
Names
Other names
Polyethylene furanoate; Polyethylene furandicarboxylate; Poly(ethylene furanoate)
Identifiers
Properties
(C8H6O5)n
Molar mass Variable
Density 1.43 g/cm3[1]
Melting point 195–265 °C (383–509 °F; 468–538 K)[1]
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa).
Infobox references

Benefits over PET

One life-cycle assessment showed that replacing PTA in the production of PET by bio-based FDCA for the production of PEF has a potential for significant reductions in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and non-renewable energy use (NREU).[4] Furthermore, PEF exhibits an intrinsically higher gas barrier for oxygen,[5] carbon dioxide[6] and water vapor[7] than PET and can therefore be considered an interesting alternative for packaging applications such as bottles, films and food trays.

References
  1. "PEF". Avalon Industries.
  2. US 2551731 A, Polyesters from heterocyclic components, 1951
  3. Top Value Added Chemicals from Biomass
  4. A.J.J.E. Eerhart et al., Replacing fossil based PET with biobased PEF; process analysis, energy and GHG balance, Energy Environ. Sci., 2012
  5. S.K. Burgess et al., Oxygen sorption and transport in amorphous poly (ethylene furanoate), Polymer, 2014
  6. S.K. Burgess et al., Carbon Dioxide Sorption and Transport in Amorphous Poly (ethylene furanoate), Macromolecules, 2015
  7. S.K. Burgess et al., Water sorption in poly (ethylene furanoate) compared to poly (ethylene terephthalate). Part 2: Kinetic sorption, Polymer, 2014
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