Uday Konwar

Mesua ferrea L. Seed Oil-Based Highly Branched Polyester Resins

Highly branched polyester resins with different amounts of trimellitic anhydride (B3 monomer) and pre-polyester diol (A2 monomer) of Mesua ferrea L. seed oil, phthalic and maleic anhydrides have been synthesized. The effect of branching of the synthesized polyester resins on physical properties such as acid values, saponification values, iodine values, etc. and rheological characteristics have been studied. The extent of reaction (P) and average degree of polymerization (DP) with respect to the acid value were determined for these resinification reactions. Performance characteristics such as impact resistance, gloss, scratch hardness, chemical resistances, etc. of the cured resins have been investigated.

Epoxy-Modified Mesua ferrea L. Seed-Oil-Based Polyester/Clay Nanocomposites

The nanocomposites of epoxy-modified Mesua ferrea L. seed-oil-based polyester resin were designed with 0-5 wt% loadings of organophillic montmorrilonite (OMMT). X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, and scanning electron microscopy studies revealed very good dispersion of OMMT with exfoliated structure in the matrix. The effects of OMMT on the curing, thermal, mechanical, and rheological behaviors of the nanocomposites were also investigated. Two times’ improvement in tensile strength, 2 kg increment in scratch hardness, and 68°C enhancement in thermal degradation temperature were obtained for the nanocomposites with 5 wt% OMMT loading compared to pristine polyester.