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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 #243578
Title: Synthesis and characterization of the intrinsic properties of Milkweed polyhydroxy fatty acids

Author
item Harry O Kuru, Rogers
item Mohamed, Abdellatif
item Gordon, Sherald
item Xu, Jingyuan - James
item SHARMA, BRAJENDRA - Pennsylvania State University

Submitted to: Journal of the American Oil Chemists' Society
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/31/2009
Publication Date: 2/3/2010
Citation: Harry O Kuru, R.E., Mohamed, A., Gordon, S.H., Xu, J., Sharma, B.K. 2010. Synthesis and characterization of the intrinsic properties of Milkweed polyhydroxy fatty acids. Journal of the American Oil Chemists' Society. 87(6):681-688.

Interpretive Summary: Milkweed oil is a unique renewable resource with potential in a variety of applications. In the search for expanded uses of milkweed oil, we have converted the virgin oil to derivatives with enhanced stability and functional properties. This paper describes the synthesis and physical characterization of the new product from the oil using various characterization techniques. Assessment of the information elicited from the observed physical behavior tests indicate that this material has additive potential in biodegradable plastics and gels for industrial and pharmaceutical applications.

Technical Abstract: Seed oils consist mainly of triglycerides, that is, they comprise a unit of glycerol backbone esterified with three acyl groups (usually C16-C18) which may be saturated or unsaturated with one or more olefinic functionalities per acyl group. Very rarely do seed oils contain additional functional groups, such as hydroxyls as in castor and lesquerella seeds. Milkweed seed oil follows the natural triglyceride patterns, but with a difference in being highly poly olefinic. This character allows for the introduction of different reactive groupings into the structure of the oil so as to be amenable to tailoring to a variety of uses. We have synthesized the polyhydroxy fatty acids from the polyoxirane triglyceride of milkweed oil using in situ peroxy acid epoxidation, followed by acidolysis of the epoxy derivative and, finally, saponification of the polyhydroxy triglyceride for glycerol removal. A study of the physical characteristics, flow and stability of the resulting hydroxylated fatty acids using FTIR, NMR, DSC, Rheometry, and TGA indicate a stable material with unique properties that would be useful as additives in many applications.