Synthesis and characterization of 1,3-bis(2-hydroxyethoxy) benzene based saturated and unsaturated polyesters

Polyesterification of adipic acid and maleic anhydride with 1,3-bis(2-hydroxyethoxy)benzene (HER) in the presence of toluene-4-sulphonic acid was carried out using melt condensation technique. The structural characterization of the synthesized polyesters had been carried out using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR) spectroscopic methods. The thermal properties of the polyesters were studied using differential thermal analysis (DTA) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The activation energies for the thermal degradation of the polyesters were calculated by the method of Dharwadkar and Kharkhanavala and discussed. The char residue value at 600 °C indicated maleic anhydride based polyester is thermally more stable compared to the adipic acid based polyester. The mechanism of degradation of these polyesters is discussed.