SusChEM: Exploring Physical Properties of Epoxy Resins Containing Multifunctional Biobased Components

非技术概要：目前，大多数聚合物是从石油原料中提取的。开发可持续的、可替代的聚合物资源是一个公开的社会挑战。环氧树脂是一种重要的商用聚合物，用于各种应用，如结构应用、先进粘合剂、航空航天和汽车部件以及风力涡轮机叶片。环氧树脂主要来源于石油化工产品。此外，这些聚合物在材料的使用寿命之后不能回收。没有被回收的塑料垃圾存放在垃圾填埋场，有时也会出现在水道等无意的地方。该项目将开发新型环氧树脂，通过实施可持续来源和提高材料的生物降解性，减少对环境的影响。将研究两种植物性资源：植物油和酚酸（在许多水果和蔬菜副产品中发现）。我们将开发化学方法制备这些材料，并对它们的物理性能进行研究。该项目还将通过以下活动培养学生、教育工作者和公众对聚合物对环境影响的认识：扩大休斯敦大学为当地K-12学生开设的材料日项目，为休斯敦能源日和休斯敦地球日庆祝活动开发模块，以及让研究生和本科生参与研究活动。技术概述：该项目的目标是开发新型环氧树脂，该树脂含有可持续、可生物降解和无毒的成分，同时保持传统石油来源材料的优势性能。研究计划围绕三个具体目标展开。在第一个目标中，将建立含有生物基组分的环氧树脂的合成策略。植物源酚酸将被用来赋予环氧树脂理想的机械性能（由于芳香环的存在），大豆油将被用来赋予环氧树脂可生物降解性（由于酯键的存在）。在第二个目标中，将详细了解可持续环氧树脂的结构-性能-功能关系。启动组分的功能对环氧网络的结构参数和最终宏观力学性能有很大的影响。多组分环氧树脂的设计将被用于开发具有优越性能的微相分离热固性共混物。第三个目标是研究含大豆油环氧树脂的水解降解和生物降解。提出的工作的一个关键前提是，从大豆油中提取的环氧树脂将在其使用的产品的使用寿命期间保持其性能，但可以在堆肥环境中进行生物降解。本研究的预期结果包括非传统来源环氧树脂的合成途径，新衍生环氧树脂的热性能和力学性能的表征，微相分离多组分环氧树脂的形态研究，以及含有酯键的环氧树脂的水解和生物降解机制。

NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY:Presently, the majority of polymers are derived from petroleum feedstocks. The development of sustainable, alternative resources for polymers is an open societal challenge. Epoxy resins are an important commercial class of polymer used in a variety of applications such as structural applications, advanced adhesives, aerospace and automotive components, and wind turbine blades. Epoxy resins are derived predominantly from petrochemicals. Additionally, these polymers cannot be recycled after the useful lifetime of the material. Plastic waste which is not recycled resides in landfills, and sometimes in unintentional locations such as waterways. This project will develop new epoxy resins with a reduced environmental impact through implementation of sustainable sources and enhancing the biodegradability of the materials. Two plant-based resources will be examined: vegetable oils and phenolic acids (found in many fruit and vegetable byproducts). Chemical routes will be developed for preparation of these materials, and their physical performance will be investigated. This project will also cultivate knowledge in students, educators and the general public on the impact of polymers on the environment, through the following activities: expansion of the Materials Day at UH program for local K-12 students, development of modules for the Houston Energy Day and Houston Earth Day celebrations, and participation of graduate and undergraduate students in research activities.TECHNICAL SUMMARY:The objective of this project is to develop new epoxy resins which contain sustainable, biodegradable, and non-toxic components, yet maintain the advantageous properties of conventional, petroleum-sourced materials. The research plan is structured around three specific aims. In the first aim, synthetic strategies will be established for epoxy resins containing biobased components. Plant-sourced phenolic acids will be employed to impart desirable mechanical behavior to the epoxy resins (due to the presence of aromatic rings) and soybean oil will be employed to impart biodegradability to the epoxy resins (due to the presence of ester linkages). In the second aim, a detailed understanding of structure-property-function relationships in sustainable epoxy resins will be developed. The functionality of the starting components is expected to have a great impact on the structural parameters of the epoxy network and ultimate macroscopic mechanical properties. The design of multicomponent epoxy resins will be leveraged to develop microphase separated thermoset blends with advantageous properties. In the third aim, hydrolytic degradation and biodegradation of epoxy resins containing soybean oil will be investigated. A key premise of the proposed work is that epoxy resins derived from soybean oil will maintain their properties during the useful lifetime of the products they are utilized in, yet can undergo biodegradation in a compost environment. The expected outcomes from this study are synthetic pathways to epoxy resins from non-traditional sources, characterization of the thermal and mechanical behavior of the newly derived epoxy resins, morphological investigation of microphase separated multicomponent epoxy resins, and hydrolytic and biodegradation mechanisms of epoxy resins which contain ester linkages.