Abstract
Poly(butylene succinate) (PBS) prepolymers were prepared by the condensation polymerization of 1,4-butanediol (1,4-BD) and succinic atid (SCA) in the presence of titanium (VI) isoproxide(TPI) catalyst. The PBS prepolymers reacted with 1,4-BD or SCA to obtain hydroxyl or carboxylic acid group terminated PBS. High molecular weight linear or branched PBS was synthesized by a coupling reaction between hydroxyl and carboxylic acid group terminated PBS, or by a branching reaction between carboxylic acid group terminated PBS and glycerol as a branching agent. The weight average molecular weight of the prepared linear or branched PBS was in the range of 100,000-220,000. Both melting point and thermal stability of the high molecular weight linear and branched PBSs were somewhat higher than those of general PBS. From a tensile behavior by Instron test, modulus, tensile strength and elongation at break improved with increase in the molecular weight of the prepared PBS through the coupling or the branching reaction. In particular, the high molecular weight linear PBS had about 2.5 times higher value in modulus than the branched one.