Hyperbranched Polyesters

Polymers are widely used as additives in a wide array of applications in order to modify the physical properties of the system. Polymers are traditionally made from petroleum-based feedstocks and are not biodegradable, leading to potential unintended consequences. Concerns over the effects of plastic use and waste on the environment has created a growing interest in biodegradable and renewable alternatives. Polyesters are a degradable alternative, owing to the hydrolysable ester bonds present in their backbone. Functionalised polyesters can be made from 1,3-dioxolan-4-one (DOX) monomers via ring-opening polymerization with unique topologies. This project aims to make biodegradable polymers with useful rheological properties by ROP of functionalised DOX monomers through hyperbranched polymerisations. It is thought this molecular architecture will give rise to good viscosity-modifying properties.