Synthesis of a biodegradable polyesteramide

The increasing presence of microplastics and microfibres in our natural environment is a growing societal concern. Research points to the possibility of disrupting the biological ecosystem, such as the human endochrin system. The need for alternatives is obvious. One way to combat this problem is the use of biodegradable plastics. 

Reason

When considering yarn production, there are several biodegradable options commercially available. Polymers available in the market are mostly polyesters such as PLA, PHB and PBS.While biodegradability varies, what these types have in common is that their thermal and mechanical properties are surpassed by the more high-performance yarns, such as polyamides (PAs). PAs have these superior properties due to intramolecular interactions that are usually not formed in polyesters. However, 'polyamides generally lack biodegradability. 

Combining these two grades can yield a polymer with properties of both. These polyester amides (PEAs) can be matched with the biodegradability of polyesters and the high-performance mechanical and thermal properties of polyamides. This is something we want to achieve in the context of yarns.As such, this PEA should also be a spinable, so that the polymer can be processed into a multifilament yarn suitable for textile applications.