Self-healable polymer networks based on the cross-linking of epoxidised soybean oil by an aqueous citric acid solution

F. L. ALTUNA; V. PETTARIN; R. J. J. WILLIAMS

GREEN CHEMISTRY (PRINT)

ROYAL SOC CHEMISTRY

Lugar: CAMBRIDGE; Año: 2013 vol. 15 p. 3360 - 3366

1463-9262

Epoxidised soybean oil (ESO) was cross-linked with an aqueous citric acid (CA) solution without the addition of any other catalyst or solvent. Completely bio-based polymer networks were generated. The initial system was an emulsion but it became a homogeneous and transparent polymer network by reaction. The ability of the final materials to self-heal without adding extrinsic catalysts, was assessed by stress relaxation stress and lap-shear tests. This was achieved by molecular rearrangements produced by thermally activated transesterification reactions of -hydroxyester groups generated in the reaction.