One-step method of plant oil direct transesterification, for synthesis of new vinyl monomers from sunflower, linseed, soybean, and olive oil has been recently developed in our group. Rate of plant oil-based monomers (POBM) homopolymerization, where chain propagation coexists with chain transfer on monomer, depends on the POBM chemical structure, and is determined primarily by unsaturation amount in plant oil triglycerides. Stable latexes containing up to 70 wt% of bio-based content were synthesized using miniemulsion copolymerization of POBM with methyl methacrylate and styrene.This study shows feasibility of latex synthesis with renewable POBMs as basic constituents of the latex polymers, with the improved thermal and mechanical properties. The unsaturation amount in the triglycerides’ fatty acids was utilized as a criterion in studying biobased latex properties, including influence of variation in monomer feed unsaturation amount on crosslink density of latex films and, consequently, on polymer properties. In order to vary unsaturation amount in a broader range, new acrylic monomer was synthesized from hydrogenated soybean oil (HSBM, with no unsaturation). Various amounts of HSBM were added into the monomer feed to study if changes in feed unsaturation amount result in variation of crosslink density (network structure), leading to a variation in mechanical and thermal properties of crosslinked latex films. Structural and architectural similarity of HSBM molecules and long-side chain petroleum-based monomers that form polymer crystals (octadecyl acrylate, vinyl stearate, etc.) can be an additional feature in considering the properties of high POBM-based latexes.The observed mechanical properties of latex films can be explained in terms of crosslink density, but also the specifics of chemical structure of saturated HSBM used in combination with POBM and styrene in monomer feed.<br/><br/>

High biobased content latexes from plant oil-based vinyl monomers in miniemulsion

255th National Meeting (2018)

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