Poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) Polyester Synthesis Process and Product Development

Poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) is a well-known aliphatic-aromatic biodegradable random co-polyester that is structurally composed of a chemical unit of butylene adipate and butylene terephthalate. It can be synthesized by a polycondensation reaction in the melt stage. However, the synthesis process is very much complicated because it requires a high esterification temperature as well as a vacuum to achieve a suitable molecular weight for different grade industrial applications. Additionally, the synthesis process gives the various side reactions that associate depolymerization with hydrolytic degradation, the color of polymer, tetrahydrofuran formation, etc. This short literature review deals with the various methods development of poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) synthesis for commercial scale. Moreover, different grades of its synthesis are also investigated with chain extenders, branching agents, chemical functionalization and in-situ incorporation of nanocomposites.