Bio-based thermosetting networks that can self-heal harnessing transesterification reactions

F. I. ALTUNA; J. PUIG; C.E. HOPPE; V. PETTARIN; R.J.J. WILLIAMS

Berlin

Congreso; 12th International Conference, Polymers for Advanced Technologies; 2013

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.