New polymers from plant oil derivatives and styrene‐maleic anhydride copolymers

In this study, styrene maleic anhydride copolymer (SMA2000, Styrene : Maleic Anhydride 2 : 1) is grafted and/or crosslinked with epoxidized methyl oleate, epoxidized soybean oil, methyl ricinoleate (MR), castor oil (CO), and soybean oil diglyceride. Base catalyzed epoxy‐anhydride and alcohol‐anhydride polyesters were synthesized by using the anhydride on SMA, the epoxy or secondary alcohol groups on the triglyceride based monomers. The characterizations of the products were done by DMA, TGA, and IR spectroscopy. SMA‐epoxidized soy oil and SMA‐CO polymers are crosslinked rigid infusible polymers. SMA‐epoxidized soy oil and SMA‐CO showed T_g's at 70 and 66°C, respectively. Dynamic moduli of the two polymers were 11.73 and 3.34 Mpa respectively. SMA‐epoxidized methyl oleate, polystyrene‐co‐(maleic anhydride)]‐graft‐(methyl ricinoleate), and SMA‐soy oil diglyceride polymers were soluble and thermoplastic polymers and were characterized by TGA, GPC, DSC, NMR, and IR spectroscopy. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2010