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PROPERTY ANALYSIS OF TRIGLYCERIDE-BASED THERMOSETS. (R829576)
Citation:
La, S. C. AND R. P. Wool. PROPERTY ANALYSIS OF TRIGLYCERIDE-BASED THERMOSETS. (R829576). 46(1):61-69, (2005).
Description:
Triglycerides with acrylate functionality were prepared from various oils and
model triglycerides. The triglyceride-acrylates were homopolymerized and copolymerized
with styrene. The cross-link densities of the resulting polymer networks were
predicted utilizing the Flory–Stockmayer theory. Although the model predictions
overestimated the cross-link density, the trends in the cross-link density predictions
matched the experimental results. In both cases, the cross-link density was found
to increase gradually at low levels of acrylation and then linearly at higher
levels of acrylation. The deviation in the experimental results and model predictions
were the result of intramolecular cross-linking. Approximately 0.5 and 0.8 acrylates
per triglyceride were lost to intramolecular cyclization for homopolymerized
triglyceride-acrylates and triglycerides copolymerized with styrene, respectively.
The glass transition temperature (Tg) increased approximately linearly with the
cross-link density from as low as -50 °C to as high as 92 °C. Simple
models accurately predicted the effect of cross-link density on Tg. The tensile
strength and modulus of triglyceride-based polymers increased exponentially at
low levels of acrylate functionality, but increased linearly at higher levels
of acrylate functionality, as predicted by vector percolation theory.
Keywords: Triglyceride-based thermosetting polymers; Vector percolation; Thermo-mechanical
properties