Open Access

ARTICLE

Synthesis and Characterization of Interpenetrating Polymer Networks (IPNs) from Acrylated Soybean Oil and a-Resorcylic Acid: Part 1. Kinetics of Network Formation

Bernal Sibaja^1,2,3, Camila Pereira Matheus^1,2, Ricardo Ballestero Mendez^1,2, J. R. Vega-Baudrit³, Maria L. Auad^*,1,2

1 Chemical Engineering Department, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA
2 Center for Polymer and Advanced Composites (CPAC), Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA
3 National Laboratory of Nanotechnology (LANOTEC), San José, Costa Rica

*Corresponding author:

Journal of Renewable Materials 2017, 5(3-4), 231-240. https://doi.org/10.7569/JRM.2017.634113

Abstract

Interpenetrating polymer networks (IPNs) using an epoxy phase synthesized from chemically modified α-resorcylic acid, and an acrylate phase employing acrylated soybean oil are the main focus of this study. Part 1 details the epoxidation of α-resorcylic acid with epichlorohydrin in alkaline medium, as well as the study of the polymerization and network formation of the generated epoxy-acrylate interpenetrated systems. The epoxy content of the epoxidized α-resorcylic acid was measured by means of a titration using HBr in acetic acid solution, and the functionalization was studied by FTIR. From the obtained results, mainly calorimetry and gel time determination, it was clear that each phase is affected by the presence of the other, altering the rate and extent at which each individual reaction takes place; and that the two noncompeting reactions (step and free radical polymerizations) occurred at very close temperatures, with a very small gap of around 10 °C between the onsets of the reactions. This evidence leads to the conclusion that the IPNs are formed by a simultaneous process in which both of the networks are formed at approximately the same temperature.

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