Semi-bio-based aromatic polyamides from 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid: toward high-performance polymers from renewable resources

2,5-Furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA) is a promise bio-based building block for construction of high-performance polymers because it is structurally similar to petroleum-based aromatic diacids. This paper described the preparation and characterizations of a series of aromatic furanic polyamides from FDCA and various aromatic diamines by direct polycondensation under optimized conditions. The chemical structures and molecular weight of polyamides were investigated by FT-IR, NMR and GPC measurements. Solubility tests demonstrated the good solubility of polymers in organic solvents, which was attributed to the disrupted hydrogen bonds among amide groups by furan rings as confirmed by FTIR characterization of model polymers. DSC, TGA, tensile testing and DMA measurements demonstrated the good thermal and mechanical properties of furanic polyamides, and these properties varied with different polymer structures. The thermal decomposition kinetics of furanic polyamides was also investigated and compared to their petroleum-based counterparts to get more insight into the thermal behaviors of furanic polyamides.