The development of functional polymers from unsaturated oils and fats

来自可再生资源的材料可以取代传统的从石化产品中生产的材料，从而降低化石燃料消耗和整体温室气体排放。像美国生物偏好计划这样的国家计划旨在“增加对生物基产品的购买和使用”，这些产品“来自植物和其他可再生的农业、海洋和林业材料”。因此，消费者选择含有经过验证的生物基成分的产品变得越来越容易，行业也有使用生物基材料的经济动机。我的研究小组，阿尔伯塔大学脂肪化学小组，正在开发生物基化学品和材料，这些材料主要来自加拿大草原上种植的油籽作物。最近，我们提交了6项专利申请，涉及从菜籽油和其他当地植物油中制备和增强生物多元醇和环氧树脂的方面。一项技术现已授权给一家加拿大公司，该公司目前在不列颠哥伦比亚省经营一家多元醇工厂。基于该产品和我们的配方，艾伯塔省的一家公司将组装一家混合设施，用于生产油菜籽基聚氨酯(PU)泡沫建筑绝缘材料。然而，将生物多元醇成功地并入硬质PU喷射泡沫材料的设计可能并不适用于其他PU应用。事实上，市场上有许多类型的石化多元醇，涵盖了广泛的分子大小和官能度。因此，我们正在开发油化学转化的策略，以促进从几乎完全是三酰甘油酯的油中制备各种化学衍生物和多元醇。在这份发现计划中，我们将探索生物多元醇衍生物和配方的制备，这些配方在聚合物和树脂中使用时是多功能的。例如，它们将能够同时交联到聚合物基质中，并提供额外的阻燃性、光敏性、生物降解性或抗微生物活性。这项研究的一个相关目的是开发可用于非异氰酸酯PU的脂类衍生物，以克服PU生产中对有毒二异氰酸酯的需求。总体而言，这些Discovery研究将用于加深我们对创建多功能脂基聚合物所需的结构-功能关系、反应条件和分析方法的基本理解。这些原则证明演示对于获得有行业参与的应用研究项目的进一步资助至关重要。

Materials derived from renewable resources can replace those traditionally produced from petrochemicals, leading to lower fossil fuel consumption and overall greenhouse gas emissions. National programs like the US BioPreferred program aim “to increase the purchase and use of biobased products” which are “derived from plants and other renewable agricultural, marine, and forestry materials.” Consequently, it is becoming easier for consumers to choose products with verified biobased compositions and there is an economic incentive for industries to use biobased materials. My research group, the University of Alberta Lipid Chemistry Group, is developing biobased chemicals and materials that are largely derived from oilseed crops grown on the Canadian prairies. Recently, we have submitted 6 patent applications relating to aspects of making and reinforcing biobased polyols and epoxy resins from canola and other local plant oils. One technology is now licensed to a Canadian company who now operate a polyol plant in B.C. Based on this product, and our formulations, an Alberta company will assemble a blending facility for the production of canola-based polyurethane (PU) foam building insulation. However, the design of biobased polyol successfully incorporated into rigid PU spray-foam materials may not be optimal for other PU applications. Indeed there are many types of petrochemical polyols on the market that cover a wide range of molecular size and functionality. Hence, we are developing strategies for oleochemical transformations that facilitate the preparation of a wide range of chemical derivatives and polyols from oils that are almost exclusively triacylglycerides. In this Discovery proposal we will explore the preparation of biobased polyol derivatives and formulations that are multifunctional when used in polymers and resins. For example, they would be able to simultaneously crosslink into a polymer matrix and provide added fire retardancy, photosensitivity, biodegradeability or anti-microbial activity. A related aim of the research is to develop lipid derivatives that can be used in non-isocyanate PU to overcome the need for toxic diisocyanates in PU production. Overall, these Discovery studies will be used to further our basic understanding of the structure-function relationships, reaction conditions and analytical methodology needed to create multi-functional lipid-based polymers. These proof-of-principle demonstrations are critical to obtain further funding for applied research projects with industry participation.