Polymerization of Epoxidized Soybean Oil with Maleinized Soybean Oil and Maleic Anhydride Grafted Polypropylene Mixtures

In this study, maleinized soybean oil triglycerides (SOMA) were reacted with epoxidized soybean oil triglycerides (ESO) to give plant oil-based thermoset polymers. To increase fracture toughness of the product, different amounts of SOMA was replaced by maleic anhydride grafted polypropylene (MMPP) (Epolene E43, maleate content 2.9%, M-n = 3900 and Polybond 3200, maleate content 1%, M-n = 1,10,000). The improvement in mechanical properties was monitored. The characterizations of the products were done by DMA, DSC, TGA, and IR spectroscopy. ESO-SOMA and ESO-SOMA-MMPP polymers are crosslinked rigid infusible polymers. ESO-SOMA-MMPP(E43) and ESO-SOMA-MMPP(PB3200) showed a phase change at 146 and 169 degrees C, respectively, probably due to the melting transition of the MMPP backbone. Storage moduli of the two polymers at 35 degrees C were 54.6 and 246.1 MPa, respectively. Storage moduli and the impact strength of the polymers increased with MMPP content and with MMPP molecular weight. (C) 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 118: 3311-3317, 2010