POLY(TRIACONTAMETHYLENE TRIACONTANEDIOATE) AS POLYETHYLENE ANALOG - PROPERTIES AND ENZYMATIC DEGRADATION

Diethyl triacontanedioate (CH3CH2O2C(CH2)(28)CO2CH2CH3) and triacontan e-1,30-diol (HO(CH2)(30)OH) were prepared and condensed to synthesize poly(triacontamethylene triacontanedioate) (PTRM). The properties of P TRM were compared with those of commercial low density polyethylene (L DPE), and enzymatic degradation of the PTRM was investigated. PTRM sho wed not only high melting point of 113 degrees C and a thermal stabili ty comparable to LDPE. The elongation at break is low (about 5%) and t he tensile strength is around 12.5 MPa, higher than that of LDPE. The small contact angles indicate that PTRM has good wettability compared with LDPE. The increase of total organic carbon by Rhizopus arrhizus l ipase and the resulting change of surface morphology confirmed that PT RM is biodegradable.