Abstract: Poly(ethylene 2,5-furandicarboxylate)(PEF) was directly and successfully synthesized via the direct esterification method(PTA method) starting from 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid(FDCA) and ethylene glycol(EG), in which stannous oxalate was chosen as catalyst. Effect of the molar ratio of FDCA to EG(1∶12~1∶2.0), dosage of stannous octanoate(0.3×10-3~5×10-3 mol/mol FDCA), esterification temperature(180~220 ℃), polycondensation temperature(220~250 ℃) and dosage of trimethyl phosphate(1×10-4~3×10-3 mol/mol FDCA) on the esterification and polycondensation processes were studied in details. The optimized process conditions were found to be:n(FDCA)∶n(EG)=1∶1.6, stannous oxalate dosage is 1×10-3 mol/mol FDCA, polycondensation temperature is 240 ℃, polycondensation time is 480 min and trimethyl phosphate dosage is 3×10-4 mol/mol FDCA. The results of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy(FTIR) and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy(1H NMR) confirmed the expected PEF structure.

Key words: poly(ethylene furandicarboxylate), furandicarboxylic acid, direct esterification method, renewable resources