Valorization of ethylene carbonate recovered from spent lithium-ion battery electrolytes: synthesis and properties of biodegradable poly ethylene succinate-co-ethylene glycol (PESG) copolyesters.

ABSTRACT: This study proposes a green closed-loop strategy aimed at valorizing ethylene carbonate (EC), a high-boiling organic component found in spent lithium-ion battery (LIB) electrolytes, into degradable polyester materials. First, EC was recovered through vacuum distillation at 150 °C and 0.09 MPa, yielding the target product with an 86.5% yield and 96.9% purity. Subsequently, benchmark polyester polyethylene glycol succinate (PES) was synthesized from EC and dimethyl succinate (DMSu) via a polycondensation reaction catalyzed by dibutyltin oxide (Bu₂SnO). The resulting material exhibited a viscosity of 0.42 dL g^-1, a thermal weight loss of 5% at 315 °C, and a glass transition temperature (T _g) of -9.5 °C. To further enhance the flexibility and biod

SUBMITTER: Liu H 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12851158 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature