Polymer networks derived from curing of epoxidised linseed oil: influence of different catalysts and anhydride hardeners

Epoxidised linseed oil was cured with anhydrides. The reactions were catalysed with different types of tertiary amines and imidazoles. 2-Methylimidazole leads to very interesting properties. The effects of steric factors and of the rigidity of the diester segment formed due to the extent of conversion of anhydride groups and on the network's properties were observed. Thus, the thermosets obtained with phthalic anhydride and methyl-endomethylenetetrahydrophthalic anhydride hardeners have a lower crosslinking density than those obtained with cis-1,2,3,6-tetrahydrophthalic anhydride. The effects of the epoxidised triglyceride structure, made of aliphatic chains, on the network's properties were also examined. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.