Author
Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Proceedings Publication Acceptance Date: 10/22/2013 Publication Date: 11/13/2013 Citation: Liu, Z. 2013. Plant oil-based polymers prepared in green media and functionalized into useful materials. Proceedings of 2013 First International Biobased Macromolecule Material Forum, November 13-15, 2013, Ningbo, China. p. 78-79. Interpretive Summary: Technical Abstract: The conversion of plant oils to polymers has attracted renewed attention in recent years in order to replace or augment the traditional petro-chemical based polymers and resins. This is due to concern for the environment, waste disposal, and depletion of fossil and non renewable feedstocks. In this study, the polymerization of soybean oil (SBO) and epoxidized soybean oil (ESO) in carbon dioxide (CO2) media (subcritical and supercritical conditions) catalyzed by Lewis acid were reported. The resulting polymers were characterized by modern analytical methods such as FTIR, 1H-NMR, 13C-NMR, and solid state 13C-NMR spectroscopies, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and gel permeation chromatography (GPC). Those polymers obtained could be functionalized into bio-based hydrogels and surfactants for medical and industrial applications. |