Castor-oil-based interpenetrating polymer networks: Synthesis and characterization

Castor oil was polymerized and crosslinked with sulfur or diisocyanates to form the vulcanized and urethane derivatives, respectively. Both types were swollen with a plastic-forming monomer plus crosslinker, and a second polymerization was carried out in situ. Polyblends were also made by emulsion polymerization of styrene and methyl methacrylate employing hydrolyzed castor oil as the soap. In all three polymerizations, a wide range of compositions was obtained. The resulting interpenetrating polymer networks were characterized using electron microscopy, modulus–temperature measurements, and stress–strain analysis. The polystyrene phase size of the castor oil–urethane/polystyrene IPN was shown to decrease with increased crosslinking of the castor oil component and with increased polystyrene contents. The modulus–temperature study showed two distinct glass transitions in all cases, with evidence of significant mixing of the two components in many cases. The stress–strain results show that some of the IPN's behave as reinforced, highly extensible elastomers at low polystyrene levels, and a rubber-toughened plastics at high levels of polystyrene or crosslinking.