Addition Of Epoxidized Soybean Oil Research Articles

Epoxidized Soybean Oil Toughened Poly(lactic acid)/Lignin-g-Poly(lauryl methacrylate) Bio-Composite Films with Potential Food Packaging Application.

The application of lignin as a filler for poly (lactic acid) (PLA) is limited by their poor interfacial adhesion. To address this challenge, lignin-graft-poly(lauryl methacrylate) (LG-g-PLMA) was first blended with poly (lactic acid), and then epoxidized soybean oil (ESO) was also added to prepare PLA/LG-g-PLMA/ESO composite, which was subsequently hot pressed to prepare the composite films. The effect of ESO as a plasticizer on the thermal, mechanical, and rheological properties, as well as the fracture surface morphology of the PLA/LG-g-PLMA composite films, were investigated. It was found that the compatibility and toughness of the composites were improved by the addition of ESO. The elongation at break of the composites with an ESO content of 5 phr was increased from 5.6% to 104.6%, and the tensile toughness was increased from 4.1 MJ/m3 to 44.7 MJ/m3, as compared with the PLA/LG-g-PLMA composite without ESO addition. The toughening effect of ESO on composites is generally attributed to the plasticization effect of ESO, and the interaction between the epoxy groups of ESO and the terminal carboxyl groups of PLA. Furthermore, PLA/LG-g-PLMA/ESO composite films exhibited excellent UV barrier properties and an overall migration value below the permitted limit (10 mg/dm2), indicating that the thus-prepared biocomposite films might potentially be applied to environmentally friendly food packaging.

Development of a new rejuvenator for aged SBS modified asphalt binder

The objective of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of active reagents (i.e., methylene-bis(4-cyclohexylisocyanate) (HMDI) and 1,6-hexanediol diglycidyl ether (HDE)) and epoxidized soybean oil (ESO) in rejuvenating aged styrene-butadiene-styrene (SBS)-modified asphalt binder (SBSPAV) by promoting the interaction of aged binders with virgin asphalts. To achieve this objective, a multidisciplinary approach combining chemical and engineering methods was adopted. The chemical characterization of asphalt binders includes SARA fractionation (saturates, aromatics, resins and asphaltenes) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) tests. Rheological evaluation of the asphalt binders was utilized assessing fatigue, rutting, and thermal cracking resistance. The results indicated that the addition of ESO helped to adjust the low temperature performance of SBSPAV. Compared to SBS-modified asphalt (SBSMA), the low temperature relaxation modulus of ESO-rejuvenated asphalt has a 35.8% reduction. Whereas the addition of ESO alone could did not restore the performance of the SBSPAV. The addition of HMDI and ESO could improve the high-temperature performance of SBSPAV. Compared to SBSMA at 52 °C, the rutting factors of HMDI-rejuvenated asphalt with 0.5% and 1.0% were improved by 43.12% and 97.86%, respectively. According to the MSCR results, with a 1.0% content, the recovery rates of HDE-rejuvenated asphalt and HMDI-rejuvenated asphalt increased by 8.2% and −23.4%, respectively. The rejuvenated binders with HMDI showed better elastic recovery properties and permanent deformation resistance than the other studied binders. HMDI can increase the asphaltene content in rejuvenated asphalt, while HDE can increase the aromatic fraction content in rejuvenated asphalt, according to the SARA fraction results. The asphaltene content of 1.0% HMDI-rejuvenated asphalt increased by about 2.13%, and the aromatic content of 1.0% HDE-rejuvenated asphalt increased by about 3.46%. The FTIR results showed that HMDI chemically reacted with SBSPAV to form carbamate bonds with a stable chemical structure, and both HMDI and HDE could partially restore the broken chain structure of SBS. Overall, the results indicated that HMDI and HDE (combined with ESO) have the potential to be used to rejuvenate SBSPAV and that the recommended optimum contents for HMDI and HDE are 0.5%–1.0%.

Diffusibility Enhancement of Rejuvenator by Epoxidized Soybean Oil and Its Influence on the Performance of Recycled Hot Mix Asphalt Mixtures

Epoxidized soybean oil (ESO) was employed as a novel penetrant cooperating with a conventional rejuvenator (CR) for the recycling of reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP). The influence of ESO on the diffusibility and the regenerating effects of CR on RAP were investigated. The diffusibility testing result shows that the diffusibility of CR is enhanced by the addition of ESO because the epoxy group in ESO can facilitate asphaltene dispersion due to its high polarity, which simultaneously reduces the viscosity and improves the fluidity of aged bitumen so as to allow diffusion of the rejuvenator into the aged bitumen. Road performance testing of a recycled hot mix asphalt mixture (RHMA) indicates that the fatigue and cracking resistance properties as well as the water stability of RHMA containing CR can be improved by the addition of ESO due to the diffusibility enhancement of CR, which boosts the regenerating effect of CR on aged bitumen in RAP. The fatigue and cracking resistance properties as well as the water stability of the recycled hot mix asphalt mixture containing CR with 7 wt % ESO approximate those of the hot mix asphalt mixture composed of the same virgin aggregates and bitumen. Taking into account the rutting resistance decline versus the addition of ESO, the content of ESO should not exceed 7 wt % of the conventional rejuvenator.

Toughening of nanocelluose/PLA composites via bio-epoxy interaction: Mechanistic study

While PLA possesses modest to good strength and stiffness, broader application is hindered by its brittle nature. The aim of this study was to develop strong and tough polymeric materials from renewable biomaterials and understand the underlying interactions and mechanisms. Cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs) and epoxidized soybean oil (ESO) were compounded with poly(lactic acid) (PLA) to create a PLA-CNF-ESO tertiary nanocomposite system. Tensile and dynamic mechanical analyses were performed to see how variations in ESO and CNF content affect mechanical properties such as strength, modulus, ductility, and toughness. It was found that at low CNF levels (10wt%) the addition of ESO can improve the ductility of the nanocomposites 5- to 10-fold with only slight losses in strength and modulus, while at higher CNF levels (20 and 30wt%), ESO exhibited little effect on mechanical properties, possibly due to percolation of CNFs in the matrix, dominating stress transfer. Therefore, it is important to optimize CNF and ESO amounts in composites to achieve materials with both high strength and high toughness. Efforts have been made to understand the underlying mechanisms of the mechanical behavior of one class of these composites via thermal, dynamic mechanical, rheological, morphological, and Raman analyses.

A study of mechanical properties of biobased epoxy network: Effect of addition of epoxidized soybean oil and poly(furfuryl alcohol)

ABSTRACTA novel biobased thermoset interpenetrating network was introduced in this study. Epoxidized soybean oil (ESO) and poly(furfuryl alcohol) (PFA) were added to a commercial biobased epoxy resin. It was hypothesized that addition of ESO and PFA can decrease brittleness of bioepoxy resin and also increase biobased content. Mechanical properties of samples were evaluated using tensile and impact test. It was found that the addition of ESO and PFA increased notched Izod impact energy by 76.6%. This significant increase was related to incorporation of long flexible chains of ESO into the matrix. Hybridization of ESO and PFA in bioepoxy reduced tensile strength (around 70%), tensile modulus (around 90%), and glass transition temperature in comparison to neat bioepoxy. Tensile strength and modulus of hybridized system can be further improved by addition of natural fibers and the resultant composite may be considered as a good candidate for applications in which damping properties are important. Crosslink density was calculated using dynamic mechanical analysis and a decrease in crosslink density was observed in hybridized system. PFA domains were observed in the matrix using atomic force microscopy in peak force quantitative nano‐mechanical mode and it revealed inhomogeneity in the crosslinked structure. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2016, 133, 44352.

Mechanical and thermal properties of poly(lactic acid)/sugarcane bagasse fiber green composites

Poly(lactic acid)/sugarcane bagasse fiber (PLA/SCBF) composites were prepared using melt compounding followed by compression molding. Epoxidized soybean oil (ESO) was selected as plasticizer for the PLA/SCBF composites. SCBF was alkali-treated and ground into powder form with the size of approximately 100 μm (hereafter designated as SCBFP). The properties of the PLA composites were assessed using impact tests, field-emission scanning electron microscopy, and dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA). DMA results showed that the addition of SCBF increased the storage modulus of PLA and the effect is more pronounced for the one containing SCBFP. The impact strength of PLA/SCBF composites was improved significantly by the addition of ESO.

Integration of biobased functionalized feedstock and plastisol in epoxy resin matrix toward developing structural jute biocomposites with enhanced impact strength and moisture resistance properties

Epoxy resin matrix based on diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A (DGEBA) was modified with addition of epoxidized soybean oil (ESBO). Structural jute composites prepared with ESBO modified DGEBA resin showed a decrease in tensile strengths, owing to reduced cross linking density. Percentage elongation of the samples increased with addition of ESBO. An optimized composition was identified, at which the composite showed increase in tensile strength, modulus and elongation. Interestingly, impact strengths increased initially with incorporation of ESBO, but with further increase in ESBO, impact strengths decreased. Structural Jute composites were also prepared by incorporating polyvinyl (chloride) (PVC) plastisol into the modified matrix which showed an increase in both tensile and impact strengths. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT‐IR) analysis indicated the curing state of the composites. The spectrum peaks became increasingly stronger in the OH band with increasing ESBO quantities. This could be attributed to the hydrophilic nature of ESBO, a result that was well supported by the moisture absorption test. Although, water uptake capacity of ESBO/DGEBA modified matrix composites recorded increasing trend with increased ESBO content, with inclusion of plastisol, the water uptake values dropped. Composite with DGEBA/ESBO/plastisol modified matrix actually recorded water uptake capacity comparable to composite with neat DGEBA, possibly owing to improved interfacial adhesion and hydrophobic nature of PVC plastisol. POLYM. COMPOS., 37:391–397, 2016. © 2014 Society of Plastics Engineers

A toughened PLA/Nanosilica composite obtained in the presence of epoxidized soybean oil

ABSTRACTIn this manuscript, a toughened PLA/nanosilica composite with good storage stability was obtained in the presence of the epoxidized soybean oil (ESO). The composite was fabricated via a twin‐screw extruder, and characterized by the FTIR, selective distribution test, and SEM. The surface of nanosilica was modified by the ESO through the chemical bonding, and this rendered the nanosilica to selectively localize in ESO droplets in the composite. As a result, the PLA/nanosilica composite was changed from brittleness to ductility with the addition of ESO. For example, the elongation and notched impact strength of the PLA/silica/ESO nanocomposite with 5 wt % nanosilica and 15 wt % ESO were ∼42% and ∼11 KJ/m2, respectively, which were much higher than neat PLA or PLA/nanosilica composite without ESO. Furthermore, the change of the brittle fracture of PLA into ductile fracture was investigated by SEM micrographs in detail. A possible toughening mechanism was also proposed. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015, 132, 41220.

Large increase in actuated strain of HNBR dielectric elastomer by controlling molecular interaction and dielectric filler network

Titanium dioxide (TiO2) as the high-dielectric-constant filler and a nontoxic, renewable, and biodegradable epoxidized soybean oil (ESO) as the plasticizer were introduced into a hydrogenated nitrile-butadiene rubber (HNBR) matrix to form a dielectric elastomer (DE) with high actuated strain at a low electric field. The results showed that the actuated strain increased from 5.8% for pure HNBR to 13.6% for the 30 wt% ESO/(10 wt% TiO2/HNBR) composite. The increase in actuated strain was due to the increased dielectric constant by the addition of TiO2 and the weakened HNBR molecular interaction with the presence of ESO. In addition, the actuated strain of the 30 wt% ESO/(40 wt% TiO2/HNBR) composite increased by almost 170% over that of the 40 wt% TiO2/HNBR composite at 30 kV mm−1, mainly because of the breaking up of the TiO2 filler network by the addition of ESO, but the greatly weakened HNBR molecular interaction also played a role. The corresponding mechanism was proposed based on the interaction between HNBR and ESO. Furthermore, a relatively high tensile strength (about 6 MPa) was successfully achieved for the 30 wt% ESO/(40 wt% TiO2/HNBR) composite, a big advantage for the practical application of a DE. Our work demonstrated that a filler/polymer DE with a relatively high actuated strain and tensile strength could be successfully achieved by controlling the molecular interaction and dielectric filler network, which provides a new idea for the preparation of high performance DEs.

Impact-strength improvement of epoxy resins reinforced with a biodegradable polymer

Biobased epoxy materials were prepared from diglycidylether of bisphenol-A (DGEBA) and epoxidized soybean oil (ESO) with a thermally latent initiator. The effects of ESO content on the impact and adhesive strengths of the ESO-reinforced DGEBA epoxy system were investigated using several techniques and the mechanical properties of the DGEBA/ESO blends were studied by means of measurements of the flexural strength ( σ f) and elastic modulus ( E b). In the result, the Izod impact strength of the DGEBA/ESO blends was significantly improved with the addition of ESO, owing to high intermolecular interactions in the DGEBA/ESO blends. The adhesive lap shear strength was increased with increasing ESO content to 40 wt% ESO. The σ f and E b at low ESO contents showed similar values to those of the neat DGEBA.