Creation of strong and tough plastics from sustainable and biorenewable resources is a significant challenge in polymer science. This challenge is further complicated when attempting to make these materials using an economically viable process, which is often hindered by the production and availability of chemical feedstocks and the efficiency of the monomer synthesis. Herein, we report the synthesis and characterization of a strong thermoplastic made from 2,3-dihydrofuran (DHF), a monomer made in one step from 1,4-butanediol, a bioalcohol already produced on the plant scale. We developed a green, metal-free cationic polymerization to enable the production of poly(2,3-dihydrofuran) (PDHF) with molecular weights of up to 256 kg/mol at room temperature. Characterization of these polymers showed that PDHF possesses high tensile strength and toughness (70 and 14 MPa, respectively) comparable to commercial polycarbonate, high optical clarity, and good barrier properties to oxygen, carbon dioxide, and water. These properties make this material amenable to a variety of applications, from food packaging to high strength windows. Importantly, we have also developed a facile oxidative degradation process of PDHF, providing an end-of-life solution for PDHF materials.

中文翻译：

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聚（2,3-二氢呋喃）：通过室温阳离子聚合合成的强效、可生物再生和可降解的热塑性塑料

从可持续和生物可再生资源中制造坚固耐用的塑料是聚合物科学的一项重大挑战。当试图使用经济可行的工艺制造这些材料时，这一挑战变得更加复杂，这通常受到化学原料的生产和可用性以及单体合成效率的阻碍。在这里，我们报告了由 2,3-二氢呋喃 (DHF) 制成的强热塑性塑料的合成和表征，这是一种由 1,4-丁二醇一步制得的单体，1,4-丁二醇是一种已经在工厂规模生产的生物醇。我们开发了一种绿色、无金属的阳离子聚合反应，能够在室温下生产分子量高达 256 kg/mol 的聚 (2,3-二氢呋喃) (PDHF)。这些聚合物的表征表明，PDHF 具有与商业聚碳酸酯相当的高拉伸强度和韧性（分别为 70 和 14 MPa）、高光学透明度以及对氧气、二氧化碳和水的良好阻隔性能。这些特性使这种材料适用于从食品包装到高强度窗户的各种应用。重要的是，我们还开发了一种简便的 PDHF 氧化降解工艺，为 PDHF 材料提供了一种报废解决方案。