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Overview / Routes / PEF and furan polyesters

Furanic polyester · FOCUS

PEF and furan polyesters

Poly(ethylene furanoate) from 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid and ethylene glycol, and its furanoate relatives.

Scope: FDCA/FDME + MEG; PEF copolymers and blends; also PBF, PTF and PPF.

What it is

Poly(ethylene furanoate) (PEF) is the furan analogue of PET. Burgess et al. describe it as a fully biosourced alternative to PET with greatly improved barrier properties.

Nakajima et al. classify PEF as a new bio-based polymer, as opposed to upgraded biodegradable polyesters (PLA, PHA) and drop-in analogues (bio-PET).

Chemistry summary

Burgess et al. attribute PEF's lower gas permeability to suppressed furan ring-flipping, which slows diffusion, rather than to lower gas solubility.

feedstock

5-Hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF)

Sugar-derived platform chemical; oxidation gives FDCA.

O=Cc1ccc(CO)o1

PubChem CID 237332 · source

monomer

2,5-Furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA)

Diacid of PEF and other furanoate polyesters.

OC(=O)c1ccc(o1)C(=O)O

PubChem CID 76720 · source

monomer

Dimethyl 2,5-furandicarboxylate (FDME)

Diester alternative to FDCA for transesterification routes to PEF.

COC(=O)c1ccc(o1)C(=O)OC

PubChem CID 303530 · source

monomer

Ethylene glycol (MEG)

Diol of PEF and PET; can be fossil- or bio-based.

OCCO

PubChem CID 174 · source

n
repeat unit

Poly(ethylene 2,5-furandicarboxylate) (PEF)

Repeat unit of PEF. Hydrolysis gives ethylene glycol and FDCA.

*OCCOC(=O)c1ccc(o1)C(*)=O

verified via eg + fdca · source

monomer

1,3-Propanediol

Diol of poly(trimethylene furanoate) (PTF).

OCCCO

PubChem CID 10442 · source

monomerfossil/drop-in benchmark

Terephthalic acid

Fossil/drop-in benchmark: the PET diacid that FDCA replaces in PEF.

OC(=O)c1ccc(cc1)C(=O)O

PubChem CID 7489 · source

Drawn from SMILES with RDKit and verified against PubChem. Full structure library →

Synthesis and production

Eerhart et al. model PEF production in three units - fructose from corn starch, conversion of fructose into furanics, and oxidation to FDCA followed by polymerisation with ethylene glycol.

Property profile

Burgess et al. report greatly improved barrier and attractive thermal and mechanical properties relative to PET. Specific values belong in the property table only with a quote and DOI.

Sourced property table (ND where no value is quoted) →

End-of-life profile

Each attribute is recorded separately and never inferred from another.

Bio-based originCan be fully bio-based when both FDCA and ethylene glycol are bio-based (Burgess et al.). Grade-specific content must be measured.
BiodegradabilityNot assessed here.
CompostabilityNot assessed here.
RecyclabilityNot assessed here; compatibility with PET recycling streams is an open question for the tracker.

Key players

None listed. Organisations are named here only when a checked development or cited source names them.

Typical applications
bottles and films (barrier packaging, research and pilot)

Open challenges

  • Scale-up of FDCA and polymer production; cost against PET.
  • Climate footprint depends on feedstock and system boundary (Eerhart et al. model cradle-to-grave cases).

Cross-cutting: Barrier properties · Scale-up, capacity vs real output · Cost per kg resin and per finished part · Comparable climate footprint · End of life & recyclability streams

Quoted support for this page (4)
  • can provide a fully biosourced alternative to PET with greatly improved barrier properties and attractive thermal and mechanical properties [Burgess 2014]
  • the drastic permeability reduction results from a decrease in diffusion coefficient caused by a hindrance in furan ring-flipping [Burgess 2014]
  • new biobased polymers such as poly(ethylene 2,5-furandicarboxylate) (PEF) [Nakajima 2017]
  • the oxidation to the monomer 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA) and polymerization with ethylene glycol (EG) into PEF [Eerhart 2012]

Each quote is re-checked against the published abstract in CI.

Monthly track

October 2026 in progress · scanned through 2026-10-20

No checked developments.

Machine-triaged leads (15)
machine-triagedNew chemistryOct 2026· Polymer Degradation and Stabilityjournaltitle only

Fully renewable and chemically recyclable copolyesters derived from 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid and 2,5-tetrahydrofurandimethanol with enhanced mechanical, gas barrier and UV-shielding properties

The record reports fully renewable, chemically recyclable copolyesters derived from 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid and 2,5-tetrahydrofurandimethanol.
“Fully renewable and chemically recyclable copolyesters derived from 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid and 2,5-tetrahydrofurandimethanol” (title)
doi:10.1016/j.polymdegradstab.2026.112270
machine-triagedFormulation / application15 Oct 2026· Polymerjournaltitle only

Internal plasticization of poly(ethylene 2,5-furandicarboxylate) by a bio-based 1,12-dodecanediol: tuning a brittle furanoate polyester into a ductile, high-barrier material

A bio-based 1,12-dodecanediol is used to internally plasticize poly(ethylene 2,5-furandicarboxylate), reported as turning a brittle furanoate polyester into a ductile, high-barrier material.
“Internal plasticization of poly(ethylene 2,5-furandicarboxylate) by a bio-based 1,12-dodecanediol” (title)
doi:10.1016/j.polymer.2026.130972
machine-triagedNew route7 Oct 2026· Polymerjournal

Acid-etched TiO2 nanoparticles for catalytic synthesis of high-quality bio-based PECF copolyesters

Acid-etched nano-TiO2 was used as catalyst to synthesise bio-based poly(ethylene-co-cyclohexanedimethylene furanoate) copolyesters with higher molecular weight and reduced yellowing than a conventional catalyst.
“nano-TiO 2 catalysts with different loadings and HCl etching conditions were employed for the catalytic synthesis of PECF copolyesters” (abstract)
doi:10.1016/j.polymer.2026.130943
machine-triagedNew chemistry1 Oct 2026· ChemRxivpreprint

Bio-based furan- and bifuran-containing dilinoleic dimethacrylates: synthesis, photocuring, and network properties

Two dilinoleic dimethacrylates with furan or bifuran cores were synthesised from furandicarboxylate diesters and photocured into crosslinked networks, with cell viability measured.
“two bio-based photocurable dilinoleic derivatives incorporating either a furan or bifuran core were synthesized and comparatively evaluated” (abstract)
doi:10.26434/chemrxiv.10002026/v3
machine-triagedNew route5 Oct 2026· Materials Today Communicationsjournal

Spectral-architectural tuning of Au–Pd nanocatalysts for on-demand photocatalytic HMF oxidation

Zirconia-supported Au–Pd alloy and core–shell nanocatalysts were compared for photo-assisted oxidation of HMF, showing wavelength-dependent selectivity toward FDCA.
“The selective oxidation of biomass-derived 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) into high-value intermediates and 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA)” (abstract)
doi:10.1016/j.mtcomm.2026.116309
machine-triagedNew route5 Oct 2026· ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineeringjournal

Stabilized 5-Hydroxymethylfurfural Oxidase and Kinetics-Guided Feeding Mitigate Substrate Inhibition in Resting-Cell 2,5-Furandicarboxylic Acid Production

Stabilized HMF oxidase variants plus kinetics-guided feeding relieved substrate inhibition and gave high-yield FDCA production from HMF in a 3 L reactor.
“converted 231.5 mM cumulative HMF input to 214.8 mM FDCA in a 3 L stirred-tank reactor over 72 h, giving a 92.8% molar yield” (abstract)
doi:10.1021/acssuschemeng.6c08214
machine-triagedNew route5 Oct 2026· bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory)preprint

Iterative computational bioprospecting of hydroxymethylfurfural oxidases combining molecular simulation and machine learning

Computational bioprospecting across four rounds identified natural hydroxymethylfurfural oxidases with improved activity for oxidising FFCA to FDCA, a PEF monomer step.
“The enzymatic oxidation of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) to 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA) is a key step in the sustainable production of polyethylene furanoate (PEF)” (abstract)
doi:10.64898/2026.09.29.755274

September 2026

supplier announcementScale or supplyEvidence-checked, not yet signed28 Sept 2026

Avantium produces first FDCA batch at its Delfzijl Flagship Plant

Avantium reported that all major process units were commissioned (7 Sep) and that the first batch of FDCA was produced at its FDCA Flagship Plant in Delfzijl (28 Sep). Commercial sales are expected toward the end of 2026, subject to start-up and product qualification.

Evidence record
polymer family
PEF (FDCA monomer for poly(ethylene furanoate))
feedstock
Plant-based sugars (supplier statement; crop and region not stated in the September releases)
synthesis route
YXY Technology - catalytic conversion of plant-based sugars into FDCA (supplier description)
research location
Not disclosed
production site
Delfzijl, the Netherlands
target region
Not disclosed
demonstrated stage
industrial
plans
Ramp-up toward commercial sales expected at the end of 2026; Avantium "continues to expect ramp-up to full design capacity to take place over a period of 12-24 months following plant start-up" (28 Sep). The 7 Sep release said "approximately 24 months". Licensing: 17 capacity reservation agreements for future licensed facilities (30 Sep); these are potential capacity, not production.
residual fossil
Not disclosed
feedstock availability
Not disclosed
eol constraints
Not disclosed in the September releases
main barrier
Product qualification and ramp-up from batch to continuous operation.
missing evidence
Design capacity (an undated Avantium product page says "thousands of tons of FDCA annually", retrieved after the cutoff - not recorded as a value); actual output; FDCA quality vs customer specification; feedstock origin and certification; LCA boundary for the 88 % GHG claim on Avantium's product page (retrieved after cutoff, boundary not stated); third-party verification of PET-stream recyclability claims.
next question
Has the plant moved from batch to continuous operation, and have first commercial deliveries started by end-2026?
trl
Not reported
capacity
Not disclosed commissioned · nameplate, not output
cost
Not disclosed
climate
Not disclosed
Bio-based origin
Plant-based sugars (supplier statement)
the YXY ® Technology that catalytically converts plant-based sugars into FDCA (furandicarboxylic acid)
Measured bio-based carbon
Not disclosed
Mass-balance attribution
Not disclosed
Biodegradability (environment)
Not disclosed
Compostability
Not disclosed
Recyclability
Not disclosed

Sources

Machine-triaged leads (28)
machine-triagedNew route8 Sept 2026· European Polymer Journaljournal

Entropically driven enzymatic ring-opening polymerization of biobased poly(alkylene furanoate)s and ω-pentadecalactone-based copolyesters

Enzymatic ring-opening polymerization of cyclic alkylene furanoate oligomers gives high-molecular-weight biobased furan polyesters and random copolyesters with ω-pentadecalactone.
“yielding high-molecular-weight semicrystalline poly(alkylene furanoate)s with excellent thermal stability” (abstract)
doi:10.1016/j.eurpolymj.2026.115075
machine-triagedFormulation / application1 Sept 2026· ACS Applied Polymer Materialsjournal

Study of Transesterification Reaction in Copolymers of Poly(ethylene terephthalate) and Poly(ethylene furanoate) Using Reactive Extrusion

Reactive extrusion produced PET/PEF copolymers with 10 and 30 wt% PEF; zinc acetate accelerated transesterification and oriented 30% PETF films showed improved oxygen barrier.
“PETF copolymers containing 10 and 30 wt % poly(ethylene furanoate) (PEF) were produced via reactive extrusion” (abstract)
doi:10.1021/acsapm.6c01061
machine-triagedNew chemistry21 Sept 2026· Journal of Polymer Sciencejournal

Bio‐Based Aliphatic‐Aromatic Random Copolyesters Derived From 2,5‐Furandicarboxylic Acid: From Crystalline Thermoplastics to High‐Elongation Flexible Plastics

FDCA, neopentyl glycol and glutaric acid were melt-polycondensed into random furanoate copolyesters whose behaviour shifts from rigid thermoplastics to flexible plastics with up to 917% elongation.
“the maximum elongation at break reaching 917% (PNGF20)” (abstract)
doi:10.1002/pola.70342
machine-triagedNew route1 Sept 2026· ChemSusChemjournal

A Solvent-Free Approach for the Mechanochemical Upcycling of Bio- and Fossil-Based Polyesters Into Value-Added Chemicals and Bio-Based Plasticizers.

A solvent-free mechanochemical method with sodium methoxide converted PEF, PBF, PLA and PET into transesterification and amidation products, and converted PEF into furanate plasticizers.
“PEF was converted into bio-based plasticizers, including diethylhexyl furanate (DEHF) and diisoamyl furanoate (DIAF) in excellent yields” (abstract)
doi:10.1002/cssc.70975
machine-triagedNew route22 Sept 2026· Reports of NAS RAjournal

Green Furanics after the 5-(Hydroxymethyl)furfural Bottleneck: Carbon-Efficient Transformations of Biomass into Molecular Complexity, Functional Materials and Circular Chemical Platforms

Review covers carbon-efficient catalytic conversion of carbohydrates through HMF to furanic monomers including FDCA, and discusses PEF scale-up and circular furan-based materials.
“encompassing HMF electrooxidation, paired electrolysis, PEF scale-up, earth-abundant catalysis, furan-core editing, and circular materials” (abstract)
doi:10.54503/0321-1339-2026.126.2-7

References

  1. Burgess S.K., Leisen J.E., Kraftschik B.E. et al. (2014). Chain Mobility, Thermal, and Mechanical Properties of Poly(ethylene furanoate) Compared to Poly(ethylene terephthalate). Macromolecules. doi:10.1021/ma5000199 research
  2. Sousa A.F., Vilela C., Fonseca A.C. et al. (2015). Biobased polyesters and other polymers from 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid: a tribute to furan excellency. Polymer Chemistry. doi:10.1039/C5PY00686D review
  3. Papageorgiou G.Z., Tsanaktsis V., Bikiaris D.N. (2014). Synthesis of poly(ethylene furandicarboxylate) polyester using monomers derived from renewable resources: thermal behavior comparison with PET and PEN. Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys.. doi:10.1039/c4cp00518j research
  4. Eerhart A.J.J.E., Faaij A.P.C., Patel M.K. (2012). Replacing fossil based PET with biobased PEF; process analysis, energy and GHG balance. Energy & Environmental Science. doi:10.1039/c2ee02480b research
  5. van Putten R.J., van der Waal J.C., de Jong E. et al. (2013). Hydroxymethylfurfural, A Versatile Platform Chemical Made from Renewable Resources. Chemical Reviews. doi:10.1021/cr300182k review
  6. Nakajima H., Dijkstra P., Loos K. (2017). The Recent Developments in Biobased Polymers toward General and Engineering Applications: Polymers that are Upgraded from Biodegradable Polymers, Analogous to Petroleum-Derived Polymers, and Newly Developed. Polymers. doi:10.3390/polym9100523 review
  7. Gandini A., Lacerda T.M., Carvalho A.J.F. et al. (2016). Progress of Polymers from Renewable Resources: Furans, Vegetable Oils, and Polysaccharides. Chemical Reviews. doi:10.1021/acs.chemrev.5b00264 review

Full literature list →