Monitoring the structure–reactivity relationship in epoxidized perilla and safflower oil thermosetting resins

Abstract

For the first time, the effect of reactant structure, stoichiometry and heating rate on the reactivity of epoxidized perilla oil (EPLO) and epoxidized safflower oil (ESFO) with dicarboxylic acids (DCAs) was studied using in situ FT-IR. The epoxy content in the monomer structure was found to affect the copolymerization system’s reactivity, with epoxidized linseed oil (ELO) considered as a reference. In this study we discuss also the influence of the DCA structure on the copolymerization reactivity. Two aromatic diacids, dithiodibenzoic acid (DTBA) and diphenic acid (DPA), were studied and compared in the copolymerization of the 3 EVOs, in the presence of imidazole (IM) initiator. The kinetics of these reactions were followed by in situ FT-IR. The corresponding activation energies were calculated via different kinetic models. These data highlight the higher reactivity of the EPLO monomer and the DTBA hardener.