Synthesis and properties of polyurethane networks derived from new soybean oil‐based polyol and a bulky blocked polyisocyanate

BACKGROUND: Developing vegetable oil‐based polyols for polyurethane manufacturing is becoming highly desirable for both economic and environmental reasons. Most vegetable oils do not bear hydroxyls naturally. The objective of this work was to prepare a new soybean oil‐based polyol with high functionality of hydroxyl groups and built‐in (preformed) urethane bonds. RESULTS: A facile and improved method was developed for the transformation of epoxidized soybean oil into carbonated soybean oil under ambient pressure of CO₂ gas, with tetrabutylammonium bromide/calcium chloride as catalyst/co‐catalyst couple. Ring‐opening reaction of the carbonated oil with ethanolamine led to the desired polyol. A one‐pack polyurethane system was prepared via combination of the polyol and a blocked polyisocyanate. The polyol and final polyurethanes were fully characterized, and their physical, mechanical, viscoelastic and electrical insulating properties were studied. CONCLUSION: The application of this newly developed soybean oil‐based polyol for preparation of electroinsulating casting polyurethanes was examined. The prepared soy‐based polyurethanes offered excellent thermal and electrical insulating properties. Also, tunable physical and chemical properties for the final polyurethanes were achieved by replacing part of the soybean oil‐based polyol with poly(propylene glycol) (M_n = 1000 g mol^?1). Copyright © 2008 Society of Chemical Industry     

High value polyurethane resins from rubber seed oil

Rubber seed oil having high free fatty acid content and high unsaturation was used to obtain high quality polyurethane resins through epoxidation and ring opening with methanol and free fatty acids. Two polyols prepared with free fatty acids and without were cured with modified methylene diphenyl diisocyanate to obtain strong, high modulus glassy polyurethanes. The effect of structure on thermal and mechanical properties was analyzed. This showed that the polyol with free fatty acid utilized to obtain a branched structure gave superior crosslinking density and mechanical properties. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry     

二乙醇胺开环环氧大豆油制备大豆多元醇及其性能表征

以大豆油、冰乙酸和过氧化氢为原料,硫酸为催化剂,合成了不同环氧值的环氧大豆油。再由合成的环氧大豆油与二乙醇胺在四氟硼酸作催化剂的条件下．通过开环加成反应制备了羟基值分别为261mgKOH／g、285mgKOH／g、312mgKOH／g、340mgKOH／g的4种大豆多元醇。用滴定法测定多元醇羟值,用傅立叶变换红外光谱、差示扫描量热法、热重分析法对多元醇进行了分析和表征。结果表明4种多元醇的熔点和热稳定性都随多元醇羟值增大而增大。     

Synthesis and Characterization of the Different Soy-Based Polyols by Ring Opening of Epoxidized Soybean Oil with Methanol, 1,2-Ethanediol and 1,2-Propanediol

Three soy-based polyols intended for application in polyurethanes were prepared by ring opening the epoxy groups in epoxidized soybean oil (ESO, 0.385 mol/100 g epoxy rings) with methanol, 1,2-ethanediol and 1,2-propanediol in the presence of tetrafluoroboric acid catalyst. The effect of the different opening reaction reagents, different low molecular weight alcohols, on the polyols was investigated by spectroscopic, chemical and physical methods. The viscosities, viscous-flow activation energies, molecular weight and melting point of the samples increased in the following order: polyol (3) > polyol (2) > polyol (1) > ESO [polyol (1); polyol (2) and polyol (3) represented the samples synthesized from the same epoxidized soybean oil generated by opening reactions with methanol, 1,2-ethanediol and 1,2-propanediol, respectively]. All the samples were crystalline solids below their melting temperature, displaying multiple melting point peaks. Compared with polyol (1), polyol (2) had a primary hydroxyl group, promoting the reactive activity of the polyol with isocyanates; polyol (3) contained large numbers of hydroxy groups, improving the properties of polyurethanes.     

大豆油衍生物及其在聚氨酯中的应用

介绍了作为天然可再生资源的大豆油的结构、组成及其大豆油衍生物的合成以及在异氰酸酯型聚氨酯和新型的非异氰酸酯型聚氨酯(NIPU)方面的应用。其中,大豆油衍生物包括环氧大豆油、羟基多元醇大豆油、环状碳酸酯和含噁唑烷酮环的预聚物等。由环氧大豆油合成的环状碳酸酯制备的新型非异氰酸酯型聚氨酯可改善传统异氰酸酯型聚氨酯的许多特性,具有较好的耐热性和耐化学品性能。     

Physical properties of water‐blown rigid polyurethane foams from vegetable oil‐based polyols

Fifty vegetable oil‐based polyols were characterized in terms of their hydroxyl number and their potential of replacing up to 50% of the petroleum‐based polyol in waterborne rigid polyurethane foam applications was evaluated. Polyurethane foams were prepared by reacting isocyanates with polyols containing 50% of vegetable oil‐based polyols and 50% of petroleum‐based polyol and their thermal conductivity, density, and compressive strength were determined. The vegetable oil‐based polyols included epoxidized soybean oil reacted with acetol, commercial soybean oil polyols (soyoils), polyols derived from epoxidized soybean oil and diglycerides, etc. Most of the foams made with polyols containing 50% of vegetable oil‐based polyols were inferior to foams made from 100% petroleum‐based polyol. However, foams made with polyols containing 50% hydroxy soybean oil, epoxidized soybean oil reacted with acetol, and oxidized epoxidized diglyceride of soybean oil not only had superior thermal conductivity, but also better density and compressive strength properties than had foams made from 100% petroleum polyol. Although the epoxidized soybean oil did not have any hydroxyl functional group to react with isocyanate, when used in 50 : 50 blend with the petroleum‐based polyol the resulting polyurethane foams had density versus compressive properties similar to polyurethane foams made from 100% petroleum‐based polyol. The density and compressive strength of foams were affected by the hydroxyl number of polyols, but the thermal conductivity of foams was not. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 2007     

Thermal and mechanical properties of cast polyurethane resin based on soybean oil

The soy polyols were prepared from epoxidation of soybean oil followed by ring opening of oxirane obtained by using methanol as the ring opener. Polyols of hydroxyl (OH) numbers ranging from 128 to 174 mg of KOH/g were obtained by the variation of epoxidation time of soybean oil. A novel cast polyurethane resin has been synthesized by these polyols and 2,4‐toluene diisocyanate. Swelling of networks in toluene showed that the sol fraction varies from 1.13 to 72.06%. The thermal and mechanical properties of cast resins were characterized by differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetric analysis. The results showed that the glass transition temperature increases with the increase of OH number and that the thermal stability of the resins was slightly decreased with the increasing OH number. The tensile strength at break increases with the increase of OH number. Polyols with OH number of 174 mg of KOH/g gave glassy polymers, whereas those below this value gave rubbers. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2009     

Thermal and mechanical properties of acrylated expoxidized‐soybean oil‐based thermosets

A series of epoxidized‐soybean oil (ESO) with different epoxyl content were synthesized by in situ epoxidation of soybean oil (SBO). The acrylated epoxidized‐soybean oil (AESO) was obtained by the reaction of ring opening of ESO using acrylic acid as ring opener. The acrylated expoxidized‐soybean oil‐based thermosets have been synthesized by bulk radical polymerization of these AESOs and styrene. The thermal properties of the resins were characterized by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermo‐gravimetric analysis (TG). The results showed that these resins possess high thermal stability. There were two glass transition temperature of each resin due to the triglycerides structure of the resins. The tensile strength and impact strength of the resins were also recorded, and the tensile strength and impact strength increased as the iodine value of ESO decreased. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2010     

Oligomeric Composition of Polyols From Fatty Acid Methyl Ester: The Effect of Ring‐Opening Reactants of Epoxide Groups

Commercial availability of fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) from palm oil targeted for biodiesel offers a good feedstock for the production of structurally well‐defined polyols for polyurethane applications. The effect of molecular weight (MW), odd and even carbon numbers, and the linear and branched structure reactants used in the ring‐opening reaction of epoxidized fatty acid methyl ester (E‐FAME) on the properties of polyols was investigated. Conversions of E‐FAME to PolyFAME polyols were confirmed by Fourier transform infrared analysis, oxirane oxygen content, and hydroxyl number. Gel permeation chromatography (GPC) calibrated against polyether polyols as a standard and vapor pressure osmometry were used for MW determination. GPC chromatograms of PolyFAME polyols clearly demonstrated the formation of oligomers during ring‐opening reactions. MW, and odd and even carbon numbers in a structure of linear diols and branched diol used in the syntheses of PolyFAME polyols did not have an effect on crystallinity, glass transition, or melt temperatures measured using Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). PolyFAME polyols ring‐opened with water, methanol, and 1,2‐propanediol contained secondary hydroxyl groups, whereas PolyFAME polyols ring‐opened with linear diols contained a mixture of primary and secondary hydroxyl groups. It was found that the concentration of primary hydroxyl groups increased significantly by increasing the number of carbons from C2 to C3 in the linear diols. The viscosity of PolyFAME polyols also increased with the MW of linear diols used in the E‐FAME ring‐opening reaction. These findings would be beneficial for formulators in choosing the most cost effective polyols for polyurethane formulations.     

Network structure and properties of polyurethanes from soybean oil

Vegetable oils are very heterogeneous materials with a wide distribution of triacylglycerol structures and double‐bond contents. The hydrogenation of epoxidized soybean oil (ESO) produces polyols having a functionality distribution related to that of soybean oil. Therefore, these polyols are convenient substances for studying the impact of structural heterogeneity on network formation and properties. Polyols of hydroxyl numbers ranging from 225 to 82 mg KOH/g and weight‐average functionalities ranging from 4.4 to 2.7 were obtained by the variation of the time of hydrogenation of ESO. An analysis of the functionality distribution in polyols shows that gel points with diisocyanates vary from 54 to 76% conversion. The molecular weights of the network chains of polyurethanes prepared from these polyols and diphenyl methane diisocyanate varied from 688 to 1993. Polyols with hydroxyl numbers above 200 mg KOH/g gave glassy polymers, whereas those below that value gave rubbers. The heterogeneity of polyols had a negative effect on the elastic properties only at low crosslinking densities. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 2007     

Polyurethane networks from formiated soy polyols: Synthesis and mechanical characterization

Polyurethanes can be prepared using polyols obtained from vegetable oils in natura, such as castor oil, or from functionalized vegetable oils, such as hydroxylated soybean oil. These polyurethanes have different valuable properties, determined by their chemical composition and cross-linking density. In this study, soy epoxy polyols with different OH contents were prepared through a one-step reaction using the method of in situ performic acid generation. Polyols with OH functionalities from 1.9 to 3.2 were reacted in bulk with different diisocyanates at a NCO/OH molar ratio of 0.8 and 60°C for 24 h. Mechanical properties of the polyurethanes were determined by dynamic mechanical thermal analysis, hardness (Shore A), and swelling measurements. Polymer networks with glass-transition temperatures (T _g ) from −13 to 48°C were obtained. We observed that the higher the OH functionality of the polyols, the higher the T _g and cross-linking density of the polyurethane network. The influence of diisocyanate structure (rigid or flexible chain), curing temperature, and curing reaction time on mechanical properties was also investigated.     

Synthesis of new polyester polyols from epoxidized vegetable oils and biobased acids

Biobased polyols were synthesized from reaction between epoxidized soybean oil and lactic, glycolic, or acetic acids. Polyols were characterized by NMR, alcohol and acid titration, and SEC. These analyses allowed to determine an average hydroxyl functionality between 4 and 5, with an oligomer content close to 50 wt%. Synthesized polyols were formulated with isocyanate to yield polyurethanes (PUs). Thermal and mechanical properties of obtained materials showed that synthesized polyols lead to rigid and brittle material with Young moduli higher than 900 N/mm² at RT and with T_g values around 50°C. Practical application: The products of the chemistry described in this contribution, i.e.: polyol from vegetable oils and lactic, glycolic, or acetic acids, provide biobased building blocks for further PUs syntheses by reaction with diisocyanates. The obtained PUs are partially biobased and may be applied as binders and coatings.     

Noncatalytic polymerization of ethylene glycol and epoxy molecules for rigid polyurethane foam applications

The study investigated an approach to incorporate modified epoxidized soy‐based vegetable oil polyol as a replacement for petroleum‐based polyether polyol and to substantially reduce the isocyanate loading in the rigid foam formulation. Noncatalytic polymerization of epoxidized bodied soybean oil and ethylene glycol (EG) was carried out in a closed batch reaction. Cleavage of the oxirane rings and hydroxyl group attachment at optimum conditions provided the desired polyol products. The polyols were characterized based on its hydroxyl numbers, acidity, viscosity, iodine number, and Gardner color index for quality purposes. Reactions of oxirane ring and EG were verified by spectroscopic FTIR. Crosslinking performance was evaluated by extractability analysis on the polyurethane (PU) elastomer wafers. Rigid foaming performed at 50 and 75% petroleum‐based polyether polyol replacements have shown excellent thermoinsulating and mechanical properties compared with epoxidized soybean oil (ESBO) alone or petroleum‐based polyether polyol alone. A reduction of up to 8% of the polymeric diphenylmethane diisocyanate was achieved using the synthesized ESBO‐EG‐based polyols. A higher average functionality polyol is key component to the reduction of isocyanate in PU synthesis. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2009     

Green polyurethane from dimer acid based polyether polyols: Synthesis and characterization

In this study, dimer acid (DA) obtained from waste soybean oil was used together with propylene oxide (PO) to obtain novel polyether polyols [prepolymers for polyurethanes (PUs)] through ring‐opening polymerization reaction. The average molecular weight of polyols was estimated by gel permeation chromatography and titration method. The substantial reaction between DA and PO was evident from FTIR and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Subsequently, the polyols were reacted with chain extender [ethylene glycol, (EG)] and 4, 4 ‐ Diphenylmethane diisocyanate (MDI) to prepare green PUs. The effect of molar ratio variation of EG and MDI with a fixed amount of polyols was estimated by measuring hydrophobicity and mechanical strength of PUs. The molar ratio such as 1 : 4 : 5.7 of polyol : EG : MDI was found to exhibit maximum hydrophobicity and improved mechanical strength that were comparable with typical PU sample prepared from commercially available polyol, such as polypropylene glycol. FTIR spectroscopic analysis confirmed the chemical changes and possible crosslinking in PUs. Thermalgravimetric analysis and differential scanning calorimetry analysis also showed substantial thermal stability of the green PUs. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015 , 132, 41410.     

Revisiting the Enzymatic Epoxidation of Vegetable Oils by Perfatty Acid: Perbutyric Acid Effect on the Oil with Low Acid Value

Enzymatic epoxidation of vegetable oils in the presence of free fatty acids has been well studied in recent years, by mainly using long chain fatty acids (e.g., stearic acid) as the active oxygen carrier. However, for the previous enzymatic processes, the acid value (AV) of final epoxidized oils using long chain fatty acids is high, and the free fatty acid is not easily removed in the post treatment with water. Aiming at developing a more sustainable process, enzymatic epoxidation of sunflower oil was revisited using different free fatty acids catalyzed by Novozym 435 (lipase B from Candida antarctica, provided by Novozymes, Bagsvaerd, Denmark). When long chain stearic acid was introduced into the epoxidation in toluene solvent, the epoxy oxygen group content (EOC) of 6.41 ± 0.19 % was obtained. Due to the poor water solubility of stearic acid, the AV of the final epoxidized oil product was very high (53.40 ± 1.34) after it was washed with water. Alternatively, current study shows that the epoxidation process using short chain butyric acid produced the final epoxidized oil with lower AV of 2.57 ± 0.11. When the enzymatic epoxidation of sunflower oil was optimized in the presence of butyric acid and Novozym 435, EOC of 6.84 ± 0.21 % was obtained, reaching an oxriane conversion of 96.4 ± 3.0 %. Therefore, introducing short chain butyric acid as an active oxygen carrier will provide an alternative to the present enzymatic epoxidation process and produce the desired epoxidized oil products with much lower AV only after simple water‐treatments, which will make the enzymatic epoxidation more attractive.     

Bio‐Based,Self‐Condensed Polyols

A new method for the synthesis of high‐molar‐mass (MM), bio‐based polyols for elastic polyurethanes is developed. This process is based on the self‐condensation of low MM polyols (M_n ≈ 1000) and vacuum removal of the resulting glycerol. Self‐condensation products are hyperbranched estolide polyols with average MMs close to 3000 and hydroxyl numbers in the range of 40–95 mg KOH g^?1. Three polyols, one with primary and two with secondary hydroxyls and different functionalities, are studied. The transesterification proceeded much faster with primary hydroxyls, leading to high‐viscosity products. The effect of functionality and reactivity of starting polyols on properties is discussed. Practical applications: The process is useful for upgrading the existing natural oil‐based polyols to higher MM, lower OH number and variable‐functionality polyols, for expanding application in the urethane field. The process is simple, involving just an oil‐based polyol, a catalyst, and heating under vacuum.     

Ring Opening of Epoxidized Soybean Oil with Compounds Containing Two Different Functional Groups

Epoxidized vegetable oils are desirable chemicals due to their eco‐friendly characteristics and their being a major source of many green products. Ring opening is one of the ways to convert these epoxidized oils to some new intermediates. The use of mono‐functional amines, alcohols, acid anhydrides and thioethers for epoxy ring opening has been reported in the literature. In this study, thioglycolic acid (TGA) bearing thiol and carboxylic acid as two different functional groups and methyl ester of thioglycolic acid (TGAME) were used. Currently, there is no reported literature describing epoxy ring opening using chemicals bearing two different functional groups simultaneously. In this way, two new polyols were synthesized, one with TGA (polyol 1) and one with TGAME (polyol 2). FTIR and ¹H‐ and ¹³C‐NMR spectroscopy confirmed that the ring was opened by the carboxylic acid group of TGA, and the thiol group was not involved in the ring opening whereas the ring was opened by the thiol group in the case of TGAME.     

Synthesis and characterization of cast resin based on different saturation epoxidized soybean oil

Acrylated epoxidized soybean oils (AESOs) with different level of saturation were obtained by the ring opening of different saturation epoxidized soybean oils using acrylic acid as the ring opener. AESO‐based thermosets have been synthesized by free radical polymerization of these AESOs and methyl methacrylate. The thermal properties of these resins were studied by differential scanning calorimetry and thermo‐gravimetric analysis. The results indicated that the thermal stability of these resins depends upon the epoxy value; the glass transition temperature increases with increasing of epoxy value. The tensile and impact strength of the resins were also studied, and indicated that tensile strength increases with increasing epoxy value, whereas impact strength decreases. The resulting thermosets ranged from elastomers to glassy polymers.     

Effects of unsaturation and different ring-opening methods on the properties of vegetable oil-based polyurethane coatings

A variety of vegetable oil-based, waterborne polyurethane dispersions have been successfully synthesized from different vegetable oil polyols exhibiting almost constant hydroxyl functionalities of 2.7 OH groups per molecule. The vegetable oil polyols, which have been prepared from vegetable oils with different fatty acid compositions (peanut, corn, soybean, and linseed oil), range in residual degree of unsaturation from 0.4 to 3.5 carbon–carbon double bonds per triglyceride molecule. The effects of residual unsaturation on the thermal and mechanical properties of the resulting polyurethane films have been investigated by dynamic mechanical analysis, differential scanning calorimetry, and thermal gravimetric analysis. Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF) has been used to accurately determine the molecular weight and mass distribution of the vegetable oil polyols. Higher residual unsaturation results in polyurethane films with increased break strength, Young's modulus, and toughness. This work has isolated the effect of unsaturation on vegetable oil-based polyurethane films, which has been neglected in previous studies. The effect of different oxirane ring opening methods (methanol, butanol, acetic acid, and hydrochloric acid) on the properties of the coatings has also been examined.     

Reactions of palm oil‐based mcl‐PHAs with epoxidized natural rubber

A palm oil‐based medium‐chain‐length polyhydroxyalkanoate (mcl‐PHA) was allowed to react with epoxidized natural rubber (ENR). There was no noticeable reaction at ambient temperature for short reaction times. However, after 30 min at 170°C, the mcl‐PHA underwent thermal degradation to generate carboxylic terminal groups that attacked the epoxy groups of the ENR. Evidence of the ring‐opening reaction was provided by both FTIR and ¹H‐NMR. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2010