Poly(butylene succinate-co-butylene adipate)
Properties and Applications
Poly(butylene succinate-co-butylene adipate) (PBSA) is a biodegradable, semi-crystalline polyester
produced by co-condensation of succinic and adipate acid with 1-4-butanediol. All three building blocks1 can be produced
either from renewable feedstock such as glucose and sucrose via fermentation or from petroleum-based feesstock.
PBSA is a very attractive biopolymer because its mechanical properties and service temperatures are comparable with those of
widely used polyolefins.2 In comparison with polylactic acid (PLA), one of
the most widely used biopolymers, it is
much more flexible and therefore, does not require plasticizers. It
also has a lower melting point (112°C vs ~160°C) and thus is easier
to process than PLA.
PBSA is one of the newer biopolymers and could be a cost-effective alternative to other biopolymers such as PLA, PBAT, and PHB. Possible applications include food packaging, mulch film, plant pots, hygiene products, fishing nets and fishing lines. It can be used as a matrix polymer or in combination with other bioolymers such as polylactic acid (PLA).