Furan-based polymers are renewable alternatives for traditional fossil-based polymers, therefore carrying enormous potential for improved sustainability. Many aspects of these novel polymers still need to be investigated more comprehensively for full appreciation of their applicability. Here, the degradation of furan-based polymers including poly(butylene furanoate), poly(butylene bifuranoate), and three random copolyesters thereof were investigated under artificial weathering conditions for up to 300 h. This included simultaneous exposure of film samples to ultraviolet light, high humidity, and elevated temperature. Poly(ethylene terephthalate) was used as a reference material. Both the pristine and weathered samples were characterized using infrared spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, and dynamic mechanical analysis, among others. According to the infrared measurements, the exposed surfaces of the films had undergone severe chemical changes. Indications of covalent cross-linking after exposure to ultraviolet light were found in differential scanning calorimetry, dynamic mechanical analysis, and dissolution experiments. The nature of the cross-linking mechanisms and exact structure of the formed degradation products remain unclear. It is concluded that polyesters derived from both 2,5-furandicarboxylic and 2,2′-bifuran-5,5′-dicarboxylic acids are relatively labile when exposed to UV light. The latter monomer appears especially labile, probably in part because of its broader and elevated UV absorbance. Simple oven-aging in air indicated that crosslinking also occurred in the absence of UV, but the overall chemical degradation was stronger in the weathering conditions. In the more easily crystallizable samples, the aging-induced crystallization played an important role in the final physical properties.

呋喃基聚合物是传统化石基聚合物的可再生替代品，因此具有提高可持续性的巨大潜力。这些新型聚合物的许多方面仍需要更全面地研究，以充分了解它们的适用性。在这里，在长达 300 小时的人工风化条件下，研究了呋喃基聚合物的降解，包括聚（呋喃酸丁二醇酯）、聚（呋喃二丁二醇酯）及其三种无规共聚酯。这包括将胶片样品同时暴露于紫外线、高湿度和高温下。聚（对苯二甲酸乙二醇酯）用作参考材料。使用红外光谱、差示扫描量热法和动态力学分析等对原始样品和风化样品进行了表征。根据红外测量，薄膜的暴露表面发生了严重的化学变化。在差示扫描量热法、动态力学分析和溶解实验中发现了暴露于紫外线后发生共价交联的迹象。交联机制的性质和形成的降解产物的确切结构仍不清楚。得出的结论是，衍生自 2,5-呋喃二甲酸和 2,2'-二呋喃-5,5'-二甲酸的聚酯在暴露于紫外线时相对不稳定。后一种单体似乎特别不稳定，部分原因可能是其更广泛和更高的紫外线吸收率。在空气中简单的烘箱老化表明在没有紫外线的情况下也发生了交联，但在风化条件下整体化学降解更强。