POLY(1,3-PROPYLENE SUCCINATE)

• CAS: 28158-21-6
• Catalog Number: ACM28158216
• Category: Main Products
• Molecular Weight: 194.18
• Molecular Formula: C7H14O6
• Synonyms: POLY(1,3-PROPYLENE SUCCINATE)
• Appearance: Granular solid

Case Study

Poly(1,3-Propylene Succinate): A Bio-Based Platform for High-Performance Shape Memory Polyurethanes

Pattamaprom, Cattaleeya, et al. ACS omega 5.8 (2020): 4058-4066.

The development of smart materials, such as temperature-sensitive shape memory polymers, demands a sustainable and high-performance foundation. This study highlights how Poly(1,3-Propylene Succinate) (PPS) glycol serves as an effective bio-based soft segment to meet this need.
In this application, PPS polyols with varying molecular weights were utilized in a solvent-free, one-shot synthesis with 1,4-butanediol and methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI) to create thermoplastic polyurethanes (TPUs). The PPS component forms the soft segment matrix of the polymer, which is critical for enabling the shape memory effect. The research specifically investigated the impact of the PPS soft segment's molecular weight on the final material's properties while keeping the hard segment content constant.
Key Performance:
· Enhanced Mechanical Properties: TPUs incorporating higher molecular weight PPS (PPS-4000) demonstrated superior performance, achieving a tensile strength of 64.13 MPa and a Shore A hardness of 90A. This represents a significant improvement over TPUs made with lower molecular weight PPS (PPS-1000).
· Excellent Shape Memory Behavior: All synthesized PPS-based TPUs exhibited outstanding shape memory capabilities. They demonstrated a shape fixation rate of >99% and a recovery rate of >86% in the initial cycle, with recovery improving to ~95% in subsequent cycles when programmed at an appropriate temperature.
· Sustainable and Practical Synthesis: The use of 100% bio-based PPS, derived from resources like cornstalk, provides an eco-friendly alternative. The employed one-shot, solvent-free polymerization method is both industrially viable and environmentally benign.

Poly(1,3-Propylene Succinate) for Advanced Drug Delivery Micelles

Luan, Huacheng, et al. Reactive and Functional Polymers 141 (2019): 9-20.

Effective drug delivery systems require carriers that can self-assemble into stable nanoparticles, control the release of therapeutics, and safely biodegrade. This study demonstrates how Poly(1,3-Propylene Succinate) (PPS) serves as a versatile, bio-based hydrophobic segment to create such advanced polymeric micelles.
Using bio-based PPS diols of varying molecular weights as the hydrophobic core and poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) as the hydrophilic shell, well-defined triblock and multi-block polyurethane copolymers were synthesized. In aqueous solutions, these amphiphilic copolymers spontaneously self-assembled into core-shell micelles, with the PPS block forming the encapsulated inner core. The structure and properties of these micelles were systematically tuned by altering the molecular weight and content of the PPS segment.
Key Performance: Both architectures formed near-spherical core-shell micelles in water (triblock diameters 17-64 nm; multi-block 24-71 nm). Increasing bio-PPS content lowered CMCs (triblock: 7.22 → 0.77 mg/L; multi-block: 2.85 → 1.79 mg/L) and altered hydrogen bonding and Tg. Under enzymatic conditions (8 weeks) degradation pathways differed by architecture-PEG detachment in triblocks and ester cleavage in PPS blocks for multi-blocks-yielding faster degradation for lower PPS content and multi-block samples. DOX-loaded micelles exhibited controlled release (>40% from triblock and >50% from multi-block after 75 h) with accelerated release upon lipase addition; unloaded micelles were non-cytotoxic while DOX formulations showed expected, concentration-dependent cytotoxicity to HeLa cells. These features make bio-PPS-based PU micelles promising, tunable platforms for biodegradable, biobased drug-delivery systems.

Poly(1,3-Propylene Succinate) for Advanced 3D-Printed Skin Tissue Scaffolds

Afghah, Ferdows, et al. Biomedical Materials 15.3 (2020): 035015.

A key limitation of common biomaterials, such as polycaprolactone (PCL), is their high processing temperature and slow degradation rate. This study demonstrates how incorporating Poly(1,3-Propylene Succinate) (PPSu) into a block copolymer creates a next-generation material that overcomes these barriers.
In this application, PPSu was synthesized with ε-caprolactone to form a PCL-PPSu block copolymer. This material was then used to 3D print porous scaffolds, with silver nitrate integrated to impart antimicrobial functionality. The inclusion of the PPSu segment fundamentally altered the material's properties to better meet the requirements of skin tissue engineering.
Key Performance:
· Enhanced Printability and Processing: The PCL-PPSu copolymer exhibited a significantly lower processing temperature than pure PCL, enabling 3D printing of structures with well-defined, interconnected porosity. This lower temperature window is crucial for potentially incorporating temperature-sensitive bioactive agents in the future.
· Superior Degradation and Bioactivity: Scaffolds demonstrated accelerated hydrolytic and enzymatic degradation rates compared to PCL, allowing for better-tuned scaffold resorption in vivo. The material also showed improved hydrophilicity.
· Effective Antimicrobial Action without Cytotoxicity: The incorporation of 1% (wt/wt) silver nitrate within the PCL-PPSu matrix significantly reduced microbial adhesion for tested pathogens, including E. coli and C. albicans. Critically, this effective antimicrobial concentration showed no cytotoxicity to human dermal fibroblast cells, confirming its biocompatibility.