ARS | Publication request: Ring-opening Polymerization of Epoxidized Soybean Oil

Submitted to: Journal of the American Oil Chemists' Society
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: November 11, 2009
Publication Date: March 18, 2010
Citation: Liu, Z., Erhan, S.Z. 2010. Ring-opening Polymerization of Epoxidized Soybean Oil. Journal of the American Oil Chemists' Society. 87:437-444.

Interpretive Summary: Natural oils are inexpensive renewable resources. Development of economically feasible industrial products from soybean oil is highly desirable because of increased public concern for a pollution-free environment, stricter government regulations and skyrocketing petroleum prices. The purpose of this work is to prepare biodegradable soybean oil based polymeric materials. The resulting polymers were characterized using different methods which indicate that these materials are highly crosslinked polymers. These materials could be used for personal and health care and in the coating and paints areas through chemical modifications.

Technical Abstract: Ring opening polymerization of epoxidized soybean oil (ESO) initiated by boron trifluoride diethyl etherate, (BF3•OEt2), in methylene chloride was conducted in an effort to develop useful biodegradable polymers. The resulting polymers (PESO) were characterized using Infrared (IR), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), 1H-NMR, 13C-NMR, solid state 13C-NMR and gel permeation chromatography (GPC). The results indicate that PESO materials are highly crosslinked polymers. They have glass transition temperatures ranging from -16 deg C to -48 deg C. TGA results shows the PESO polymers are thermally stable at temperatures up to 220 deg C. Decomposition temperature is found mainly after 340 deg C. GPC results indicate the extracted soluble substances from PESO polymers are ESO dimmers, trimmers and polymers with smaller molecular weight.