Abietic Acid Derivatives Combining Epoxy and Anhydride Functionalities: Self- and Co-Polymerization toward Fully...

Area of Science:

• Polymer Chemistry
• Materials Science
• Sustainable Chemistry

Background:

• Traditional thermosets rely on fossil fuels, posing environmental concerns.
• Development of biobased alternatives is crucial for sustainable materials.

Purpose of the Study:

• Synthesize novel dual-reactive monomers from abietic acid.
• Investigate their polymerization behavior and properties in thermosets.
• Develop high-performance, fully biobased thermosetting materials.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of epoxidized maleopimarate oleylamide (EMPOA) and epoxidized maleopimarate undecenamide (EMPUA).
• Self-polymerization studies of EMPOA and EMPUA.
• Copolymerization with biobased epoxides (vanillin, glycerol, vegetable oils).
• Characterization of resulting thermoset properties.

Main Results:

• EMPOA and EMPUA uniquely combine epoxy and anhydride functionalities.
• Successful synthesis of fully cross-linked thermosets via copolymerization.
• EMPOA exhibits excellent miscibility with epoxidized vegetable oils, enabling low-viscosity formulations.
• Epoxidized soybean oil (ESBO) acts as an effective reactive diluent, minimizing solvent use.
• Achieved gigapascal-range glassy-state moduli comparable to fossil-based thermosets.

Conclusions:

• EMPOA and EMPUA are promising dual-reactive monomers for advanced biobased thermosets.
• These monomers facilitate the creation of high-performance, sustainable materials.
• The developed materials offer a viable eco-friendly alternative to conventional thermosets.