New Technologies for the Environment: Composite Resins from Soyoil

本研究的目的是开发高性能，低成本，复合树脂从大豆油和其他天然油脂的液体成型和片材成型制造应用。 拟议的环境新技术项目将研究与使用化学改性甘油三酯以成本效益高的方式合成和制造大豆基高模量树脂有关的基本问题。 该研究大大扩展了首席研究员最近的专利发明，并有望通过提供石油基材料的可负担替代品来开发支持生物基产品的基础科学。 研究的重点将是： (1)优化和合成为大规模生产制造而设计的液体模塑树脂，如树脂传递模塑、VARTM和SCRIMP（这将通过对模型甘油三酯和甘油单酯系统进行化学改性来实现，包括对具有已知脂肪酸分布函数和不饱和度的油进行羟基化、甘油解、马来化、环氧化和丙烯酸酯化），以及（2）由这些反应性液体开发片状模塑料（SMC）。 由此产生的SMC，当与玻璃和天然纤维混合时，形成了广泛用于汽车，卡车和农业设备行业大规模生产的金属板的等价物。计算机模拟反应过程中的网络结构演变将提供深入了解所获得的交联分子网络的分形结构。 预计所得到的生物基材料的热，机械和耐久性特性分析，加上其低成本，将为工业合作伙伴在随后的研究中提供适当的商业化激励。

The objective of this research is to develop high performance, low cost, composite resins from soy oil and other natural oils for liquid molding and sheet molding manufacturing applications. The proposed new technology for the environment project will examine the fundamental issues pertaining to the cost-effective synthesis and manufacture of soy-based high modulus resins using chemically modified triglycerides. The research significantly expands on recent patented inventions of the Principal Investigator and is expected to develop the fundamental science to support the bio-based products by providing an affordable replacement for petroleum based materials. The focus of the research will be on: (1) the optimization and synthesis of liquid molding resins designed for mass-production manufacturing such as Resin Transfer Molding, VARTM and SCRIMP (This will be accomplished by chemical modification of model triglyceride and monoglyceride systems involving hydroxylation, glycerolysis, maleinization, epoxidation and acrylation of oils with known fatty acid distribution functions and degrees of unsaturation.), and (2) the development of Sheet Molding Compound (SMC) from these reactive liquids. The resulting SMC, when blended with glass and natural fibers forms the equivalent of sheet metal that is extensively used for mass production in the auto, trucking and ag-equipment industries. Computer simulations of network structure evolution during reactions will be conducted to provide insight into the fractal structure of the crosslinked molecular networks obtained. It is anticipated that the thermal, mechanical, and durability property analysis of the resulting bio-based materials, coupled with their low cost will provide suitable commercialization incentives for industrial partners in the subsequent research.