Plant oils as renewable precursors of thermosetting and flame retardant polymers

Identifier:  TDX:817

Handle: https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11797/TDX817

Authors:  Montero de Espinosa Meléndez, Lucas

Abstract:
The main objective of this thesis is the synthesis of polymers using as starting reagents plant oil based chemicals. In the first part, different thermosetting polymers were synthesized through chemical modifications of commercial high oleic sunflower oil followed by cross-link via aza-Michael addition and radical polymerization. A thorough study of the aza-Michael cross-link reaction with model compounds showed that depending on the temperature and the presence of a Lewis acid catalyst quinoline rings can be formed as cross-link points. In the second part, high oleic sunflower oil was used for the synthesis of cross-linked polymers containing phosphorus functional groups via radical polymerization that showed improved flame retardancy. Acyclic diene metathesis (ADMET) polymerization was used for the synthesis of linear and cross-linked polymers with phosphorus containing functional groups using 10-undecenoic acid (castor oil derived). These polymers showed and improved flame retardancy. As a general conclusion, plant oils could be used as renewable reagents for the synthesis of linear and cross-linked polymers.