2,5-Furandicarboxylic Acid-Based Polyesters: Structural Design, Property Tuning, and Diverse Applications

High Resolution Image Download MS PowerPoint Slide Bio-based materials have emerged as a central research focus in polymer science, driven by the dual pressures of fossil resource depletion and escalating environmental pollution. Recent advances are overcoming technical barriers in the large-scale production of bio-based 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA). Compared with petroleum-derived poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET), poly(ethylene 2,5-furandicarboxylate) (PEF), which is a representative FDCA-based polyester, exhibits a higher glass-transition temperature ( T g ) and superior gas-barrier properties. Owing to their inherent advantages, including high rigidity, strong intermolecular interactions, lower processing temperatures, and tunable mechanical properties, FDCA-based copolyesters have attracted extensive research interest in their synthesis and fabrication for diverse applications, such as packaging, elastomers, engineering plastics, fibers, and films. This review presents a comprehensive summary of progress in enhancing the overall performance of FDCA-based copolyesters, encompassing heat resistance, strength and toughness, elastic recovery, degradability, and crystallization behavior. It emphasizes the unique structural contributions of FDCA to polyester properties while discussing how copolymer properties can be tailored by varying the comonomer types. Additionally, the review outlines the properties of FDCA-based homopolyesters synthesized with different diols and further elaborates on the performance of copolyesters prepared via copolymerization with diols, dicarboxylic acids, hydroxy acids, and polyethers. The objective of this review is to systematically delineate the developmental landscape of FDCA-based copolyesters and facilitate a deeper, more widespread understanding of this promising class of bio-based materials.