Exploring the Effect of Molecular Components on Hydrolysis-Resistance Performance and Hydrophilicity of Amphiphilic Poly(Ester-Block-Ether) Copolymers

In this study, four poly (ester-block-ether) copolymers were synthesized via the macromolecular transesterification method from different hydrophobic polyester segments prepared from precursors, dimethyl terephthalate (DMT), ethylene glycol (EG), dimethyl-5-hydroxyisophthalate (DHIP) and neopentyl glycol (NPG), and hydrophilic polyether, polyethylene glycol (PEG) or polyetheramine (PEA). The hydrolysis-resistance performance at alkaline condition and hydrophilicity of these four synthetic poly (ester-block-ether) copolymers were characterized by hydrolysis degree and water solubility with Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) and UV-Absorption Spectroscopy. The results showed that the hydrolysis degree and water solubility of poly (ester-block-ether) copolymers were mainly dominated by the molecular components, the molecular weights of polyester and polyether chains, and the connecting bonds between polyester and hydrophilic chains. The hydrolysis degree was listed from high to low: P(DHIP-NPG)-b-PEA, P(DMT-NPG)-b-PEA, P(DMT-EG)-b-PEA, then P(DMT-EG)-b-PEG. The P(DHIP-NPG)-b-PEA copolymer possesses the best hydrolysis-resistance performance, the hydrolysis degree of which reached only 4.1% after hydrolysis for 14 days, meanwhile, it showed excellent adsorption property on polyester fabrics and the surfaces of the treated fabrics exhibited well hydrophilicity. This study provides a light to explore novel poly (ester-block-ether) copolymers with well hydrolysis-resistance performance and high hydrophilicity through precisely constructing their molecular components, and further extend their potential applications in special auxiliaries and intermediates.