Polybutylene adipate terepthalate (PBAT) is a random copolymer (themoplast) of a copolyester of adipic acid, 1,4-butanediol and terephthalic acid (from dimethyl terephthalate). Among the biodegradable plastics, PBAT has one of the highest shares in global production (European-Bioplastics, 2022). It is mainly used as foil for packaging and in agriculture as it has similar properties like low-density PE. The co-aliphatic-aromatic polyester is produced by a random polymerization of terephthalic acid and adipic acid with 1,4-butanediol. Its aliphatic components make it easier to be biodegraded by microbial enzymes belonging to the group of carboxylesterases, lipases and cutinases. The polymer can also be found under the names poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) and polybutyrate-adipate-terephthalat or simply polybutyrate.

Please cite the database by referring to: P.C.F. Buchholz, H.L. Zhang, P. Perez-Garcia, L-L. Nover, J. Chow, W. R. Streit, J. Pleiss (2022);Plastics degradation by hydrolytic enzymes: the Plastics-Active Enzymes Database - PAZy, https://doi.org/10.1002/prot.26325