Biobased epoxy foams

ALTUNA F.I.; ESPÓSITO L.H.; RUSECKAITE R.A.; STEFANI P.M.

Berlín

Conferencia; 12th International Conference Polymers for Advanced Technologies; 2013

Thermosetting epoxy foams are lightweight materials extensively used in many industrial areas, such as aircraft, automotive, building or electronics. The wide range of applications is owed to their low density combined with a unique set of properties, comprising a high mechanic strength, good thermal and chemical stability, excellent dielectric properties and adhesion to a broad variety of substrates, being its high price (when compared with other polymer based foams) the chief limitation to its extended use. However, in recent years, government regulations as well as consumers requirements accounting for the increasing environmental concerns, have led to the research for sustainable replacements for fossil-fuel derived raw materials. Following this tendency, the use of chemically modified vegetable oils to substitute synthetic raw materials has been widely explored. Nevertheless, although the synthesis of polymers from epoxidized vegetable oils is well documented, the literature dealing with biobased epoxy foams is scarce. The aim of the present work is to analyze the mechanical properties of thermosetting foams obtained using an epoxidized vegetable oil (EVO) with different curing agent: EVO ratios (R) as the polymeric matrix and a foaming gas of low environmental impact.