A new model substrate for cutinase hydrolyzing polyethylene terephthalate

This study aimed at comparatively investigating the enzymatic hydrolysis of a new model substrate water-soluble polyester (WSP) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) with cutinase. The changes of WSP solution properties were investigated by measuring pH value, alkali consumption, and specific viscosity. The results indicated that pH value of enzymatically treated WSP solution was decreased, causing an increase in alkali consumption. The decreases in specific viscosity and the glass transition temperature (T _g ) of WSP treated with cutinase indicate the decrease in its molecular weight as demonstrated in gel permeation chromatography analysis (GPC). Cutinase treatment resulted in an improvement of the hydrophilicity of PET fabrics, which was determined by dye uptake and water contact angle.