Xiaohua Kong

Fatty Acid-Derived Diisocyanate and Biobased Polyurethane Produced from Vegetable Oil: Synthesis, Polymerization, and Characterization

A new linear saturated terminal diisocyanate was synthesized from oleic acid via Curtius rearrangement, and its chemical structure was identified by FTIR, (1)H and (13)C NMR, and MS. The feasibility of utilizing this new diisocyanate for the production of polyurethanes (PUs) was demonstrated by reacting it with commercial petroleum-derived polyols and canola oil-derived polyols, respectively. The physical properties of the PUs prepared from fatty acid-derived diisocyanate were compared to those prepared from the same polyols with a similar but petroleum-derived commercially available diisocyanate: 1,6-hexamethylene diisocyanate. It was found that the fatty acid-derived diisocyanate was capable of producing PUs with comparable properties within acceptable tolerances. This work is the first that establishes the production of linear saturated terminal diisocyanate derived from fatty acids and corresponding PUs mostly from lipid feedstock.

Functional thermoplastics from linear diols and diisocyanates produced entirely from renewable lipid sources.

An unsaturated terminal diol, 1,18-octadec-9-endiol (ODEDO), and a saturated terminal diol, 1,9-nonanediol (NDO), were synthesized from oleic acid. The feasibility of utilizing these new diols for the production of thermoplastic polyurethanes (TPUs) was demonstrated by reacting them with a fatty acid-derived diisocyanate, 1,7-heptamethylene diisocyanate (HPMDI), and a commercially available petroleum-derived diisocyanate, 1,6-hexamethylene diisocyanate (HDI). One type of phase structure was obtained for both TPUs in this study, owing to the similarity between the ODEDO and NDO molecular structure. In addition, double yielding behavior (observed for the first time in polyurethanes) was observed in the stress-strain curves for both TPU systems. Compared to the TPUs prepared from HDI, the totally biobased TPUs (ODEDO-NDO-HPDMI) demonstrated comparable properties within acceptable tolerances, considering the impacts on physical properties due to the odd-even effect introduced by the HPDMI. This work is the first that establishes the production of linear thermoplastic polyurethanes entirely from lipid feedstock.

Sequential interpenetrating polymer networks produced from vegetable oil based polyurethane and poly(methyl methacrylate).

Sequential interpenetrating polymer networks (IPNs) were prepared using polyurethane produced from a canola oil based polyol with primary terminal functional groups and poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA). The properties of the material were studied and compared to the IPNs made from commercial castor oil using dynamic mechanical analysis, differential scanning calorimetry, as well as tensile measurements. The morphology of the IPNs was investigated using scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. The chemical diversity of the starting materials allowed the evaluation of the effects of dangling chains and graftings on the properties of the IPNs. The polymerization process of canola oil based IPNs was accelerated because of the utilization of polyol with primary functional groups, which efficiently lessened the effect of dangling chains and yielded a higher degree of phase mixing. The mechanical properties of canola oil based IPNs containing more than 75 wt % PMMA were comparable to the corresponding castor oil based IPNs; both were superior to those of the constituent polymers due to the finely divided rubber and plastic combination structures in these IPNs. However, when PMMA content was less than 65 wt %, canola oil based IPNs exhibited a typical mechanical behavior of rigid plastics, whereas castor oil based IPNs showed a typical mechanical behavior of soft rubber. It is proposed that these new IPN materials with high performance prepared from alternative renewable resources can prove to be valuable substitutes for existing materials in various applications.

Physical Properties of Sequential Interpenetrating Polymer Networks Produced from Canola Oil-Based Polyurethane and Poly(methyl methacrylate)

Sequential interpenetrating polymer networks (IPNs) were prepared using polyurethane (PUR) synthesized from canola oil-based polyol with terminal primary functional groups and poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA). The properties of the material were evaluated by dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and modulated differential scanning calorimetry (MDSC), as well as tensile properties measurements. The morphology of the IPNs was investigated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and MDSC. A five-phase morphology, that is, sol phase, PUR-rich phase, PUR-rich interphase, PMMA-rich interphase, and PMMA-rich phase, was observed for all the IPNs by applying a new quantitative method based on the measurement of the differential of reversing heat capacity versus temperature from MDSC, although not confirmed by SEM, most likely due to resolution restrictions. NCO/OH molar ratios (cross-linking density) and compositional variations of PUR/PMMA both affected the thermal properties and phase behaviors of the IPNs. Higher degrees of mixing occurred for the IPN with higher NCO/OH molar ratio (2.0/1.0) at PUR concentration of 25 wt %, whereas for the IPN with lower NCO/OH molar ratio (1.6/1.0), higher degrees of mixing occurred at PUR concentration of 35 wt %. The mechanical properties of the IPNs were superior to those of the constituent polymers due to the finely divided rubber and plastic combination structures in these IPNs.

Production of 9-hydroxynonanoic Acid from methyl oleate and conversion into lactone monomers for the synthesis of biodegradable polylactones.

The feasibility of a previously established method based on ozonolysis and hydrogenation reactions for the production of 9-hydroxynonanoic acid from oleic acid has been demonstrated. Metal catalyzed lactonization conditions have been used to convert 9-hydroxynonanoic acid into 1,11-dioxacycloicosane-2,12-dione, which is a potential monomer in the synthesis of polylactones. The structure of 9-hydroxynonanoic acid and 1,11-dioxacycloicosane-2,12-dione has been confirmed by 1H NMR, 13C NMR, and FTIR. In addition, 9-hydroxynonanoic acid was analyzed by high-resolution mass spectroscopy and 1,11-dioxacycloicosane-2,12-dione was analyzed by GC-MS. Aliphatic poly(nonanolactones) have been synthesized via ring-opening polymerization of the dilactone. The structure and number average molecular weight (M(n)) of the poly(nonanolactones) have been calculated by 1H NMR and GPC. The physical properties of these poly(nonanolactones) have been characterized by modulated differential scanning calorimetry (MDSC) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA).

Polyurethane nanocomposites incorporating biobased polyols and reinforced with a low fraction of cellulose nanocrystals

High solids content polyurethane (PU) nanocomposites with enhanced thermal and mechanical properties were produced by incorporating of low fractions of cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) in a solvent-free process. This involved the use of a simple procedure to produce well dispersed and stable suspensions of CNC in biobased polyols, which were then used to produce PU-CNC nanocomposites. Transmission electron microscopy revealed that individual CNC particles were dispersed homogenously within the PU matrix. FTIR results suggested that CNC particles are covalently bonded to the PU molecular chains during polymerization. The thermal mechanical properties of the nanocomposites are significantly improved over pure PU as indicated by differential scanning calorimetry and dynamic mechanical analysis. Compared to pure PU, the PU nanocomposites made with the addition of only 0.5% of CNC had glass transition temperatures that were 6°C higher, their Youngs moduli were about 10% higher and their abrasion resistance was higher by about 25%. The optimal composition contains only 0.5% CNC (w/w) which indicates that there is good potential for utilization of low levels of CNC for reinforcement of PU composites made using biobased polyols.

Effects of synthesis technology route on mechanical properties and phases/microstructures of polyurethane elastomers

Abstract In the present paper, the synthesis technology of polyurethane elastomers was studied with an aim at better controlling their phases/microstructures and properties. In particular, mechanical properties and glass transition temperatures as well as microphase separation of different polyurethane elastomers synthesised by four technology routes, with an emphasis on the effects of raw materials and their feeding sequences, were investigated using a universal testing machine, a differential scanning calorimetric (DSC) and a fourier transform infrared spectrometer (FITR). The results offered an ideal synthesis route: first diisocyanate was added into the dried polyether, then the two materials were fully reacted and finally the chain extender was added into the mixture products. The resulting polyurethane elastomer exhibited an excellent mechanical performance, a low glass transition temperature and a perfect microphase separation.