Physicochemical Properties of Jatropha Oil-Based Polyol Produced by a Two Steps Method

Area of Science:

• Polymer Chemistry
• Green Chemistry
• Materials Science

Background:

• Vegetable oils are increasingly explored as renewable feedstocks for chemical synthesis.
• Polyols derived from plant oils offer a sustainable alternative to petroleum-based polyols in polyurethane production.
• Jatropha oil, a non-edible source, presents a viable option for polyol synthesis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize jatropha oil-based polyol (JOL) from non-edible jatropha oil.
• To investigate the optimal conditions for epoxidation of jatropha oil.
• To characterize the physicochemical and rheological properties of the synthesized JOLs and their precursors.

Main Methods:

• Two-step synthesis involving epoxidation of jatropha oil followed by oxirane ring opening.
• Optimization of epoxidation parameters: reaction temperature, molar ratio, and reaction time.
• Characterization of epoxidized jatropha oil (EJO) and JOLs, including oxirane oxygen content (OOC), hydroxyl number, molecular weight, and viscosity.
• Synthesis of aqueous polyurethane dispersion using JOL and monitoring urethane formation via FTIR.

Main Results:

• Optimized epoxidation yielded epoxidized jatropha oil (EJO) with 4.3% oxirane oxygen content (OOC).
• Synthesized JOLs exhibited hydroxyl numbers ranging from 138-217 mgKOH/g.
• EJOs and JOLs were liquid with number average molecular weights (Mn) of 834–1457 g/mol and 1349–2129 g/mol, respectively.
• JOLs displayed Newtonian behavior and low viscosity (430–970 mPas).
• Successful synthesis of aqueous polyurethane dispersion from JOL was confirmed by FTIR.

Conclusions:

• Jatropha oil can be effectively converted into polyols suitable for polyurethane production.
• The synthesized JOLs possess favorable physicochemical and rheological properties for industrial use.
• This research highlights the potential of jatropha oil as a sustainable and cost-effective feedstock for bio-based polyols.