Synergistic toughening of biomass poly(ethylene furanoate) with CO2-derived poly(butylene carbonate) for sustainable materials

Poly(ethylene furanoate) (PEF) has garnered attention for its sustainability and superior mechanical properties, making it a promising candidate for biomedical applications. This study focused on enhancing the toughness and compatibility of PEF through innovative blending with CO 2 -derived poly(butyl carbonate) (PBC), addressing the inherent brittleness and limited biocompatibility of neat PEF. A PEF/PBC blend with 20% PBC exhibited a significant improvement in toughness, with elongation at break increasing by 67% and tensile strength maintaining at 61 MPa, outperforming conventional biomedical materials such as PLA and PEEK. Biocompatibility was systematically evaluated using MC3T3-E1 osteoblast precursor cells. Proliferation assays revealed a 45% increase in cell density over three days, while live/dead staining demonstrated high cellular viability (>95%), highlighting the blend's low cytotoxicity and supportive microenvironment for cell growth. Mechanistic investigations suggested that PBC enhanced interfacial adhesion and matrix flexibility, while the addition of ADR as a compatibilizer optimized phase distribution and further improved compatibility. These findings underscore the potential of PEF/PBC blends as bone defect replacement materials, offering a balance of mechanical robustness and biocompatibility. This study lays a foundation for further exploration of FDCA-based materials in advanced biomedical applications. • Biomass-sourced blend of PEF and CO 2 -based PBC improves mechanical performance. • Blend exhibits a Young’s modulus of 2.5 GPa, suitable for load-bearing bone repair. • MC3T3-E1 proliferation increased by 45% over three days, demonstrating cytocompatibility. • Over 95% osteoblast viability confirms the low cytotoxicity of PEF/PBC blends.