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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Peoria, Illinois » National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research » Bio-oils Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #285549
Title: Fluoroantimonic acid hexahydrate (HSbF6-6H2O) catalysis: The ring-opening polymerization of epoxidized soybean oil

Author
item Liu, Zengshe - Kevin
item Biswas, Atanu

Submitted to: Applied Catalysis A: General
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/23/2012
Publication Date: 2/9/2013
Citation: Liu, Z., Biswas, A. 2013. Fluoroantimonic acid hexahydrate (HSbF6-6H2O) catalysis: The ring-opening polymerization of epoxidized soybean oil. Applied Catalysis A: General. 453:370-375.

Interpretive Summary: In this research, we discovered that chemically modified soybean oil (epoxidized soybean oil) could be converted to biodegradable polymers by a super acid catalyst. The catalyst can be easily neutralized by base solution washing. It is a clean reaction. The development of new uses for soybean oil is eagerly needed in order to prevent price decreases due to oversupply. The prepared soybean oil-based polymers will be converted to detergents for personal care and health care applications by this method.

Technical Abstract: Ring-opening polymerization of epoxidized soybean oil (ESO) catalyzed by a super acid, fluroantimonic acid hexahydrate (HSbF6-6H2O), in ethyl acetate was conducted in an effort to develop useful biodegradable polymers. The resulting polymerized ESO (SA-RPESO) were characterized by using infrared (IR) spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), 1H-NMR, 13C-NMR, solid state 13C-NMR, and gel permeation chromatography (GPC). The results indicated that ESO was effectively polymerized by fluoroantimonic acid and formed polymers with relatively high crosslink density. Glass transition temperatures of these polymers ranged from -15°C to -21°C. TGA results showed the SA-PESO polymers were thermally stable at temperatures up to 200°C. Decomposition of the polymers was found to occur at temperatures greater than 350°C. GPC results indicated the extracted soluble substances from SA-PESO polymers were oligomers of ESO. These soybean oil-based polymers will be functionalized to hydrogels and explored for their application in the personal and health care areas.