Controllable Synthesis of Furan-Based Poly(ester amide)s and Its Study on Adhesive and Aggregation-Induced Emission Properties

Dimethyl 2,5-furandicarboxylate (DMFDCA) derived from carbohydrate refining has served as a crucial building block in the preparation of high-performance polymers. Herein, we not only chose biomass-derived monomers but employed an eco-friendly continuous flow approach to synthesize furan-based poly(ester amide)s (PEAs). The results showed that as the feed ratio between DMFDCA and 1,3-diamino-2-propanol (DP) increased, an increasing amount of ester bonds was observed, thereby resulting in a lower glass transition temperature because of the decrease of cross-linking density and hydrogen bond density. PEAs displayed strong cohesion and interfacial adhesion due to the existence of multiple hydrogen bonds formed by ester, amide, and hydroxyl groups, which demonstrated its potential applicability in hot melt adhesive. Moreover, hydrogen-bond-mediated supramolecular interactions and photoinduced charge transfer within PEAs chains induced blue fluorescence. The as-prepared PEAs had a high affinity for Zn²⁺, Fe³⁺, and Cd²⁺ ions with a highly linear response between intensity and concentration, offering a material for the detection of metal ions.