| 초록 |
CO2 can be utilized in polymer synthesis either as a monomer or as a raw material. A representative example is CO2/propylene oxide copolymerization. We have developed a very efficient catalyst for this copolymerization, stimulating commercial trial. The CO2/propylene oxide copolymer, poly(1,2-propylene carbonate) (PCC) exhibits attractive properties such as biodegradability, transparency, adhesiveness and green flammability, but it is an amorphous polymer with low Tg (~40 oC), which inhibits its widespread use. A related aliphatic polycarbonate, poly(1,4-butylene carbonate) (PBC), can be synthesized by condensation of 1,4-butandiol and dimethyl carbonate. Dimethyl carbonate is a bulk chemical synthesized using CO2 as a raw material in Korea. PBC is a biodegradable semicrystalline polymer with Tm ~60 oC. Through incorporating some terephthalate units in PBC backbone, the Tm value increases above 100 oC. The resulting polymer, (poly(1,4-butylene carbonate-co-terephthalate), PBCT) exhibits thermal and mechanical properties similar to those of the commercial LLDPE with biodegradability advantage. |
