Category Archives: Castor oil Polymers

Inter-Vesicle Polymerization Using Non-ionic Oxyethylene Hydrogenated Castor Oil

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Scientists from Japan conducted an experiment to analyze the nature and Castor oilcharacteristics of polymerizable vesicles produced by using oxyethylene hydrogenated castor oil.  Polymerized vesicles were produced in aqueous solution. Hydrogen NMR spectroscopy was used to investigate the polymerization process using azobis(isobutyronitrile) as an initiator.

Results showed that the polymerized vesicles were resistant to disruption by polyoxyethylene(10) octylphenyl ether. The degree of resistance depends on vesicle concentration and incubation temperature and this dependence is due to the inter-vesicle polymerization.

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Preparation and Properties of Waterborne Bio-based Polyurethane/Siloxane Cross-Linked Films by an in situ Sol–gel Process

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Scientists from China prepared waterborne castor oil -based polyurethane –sCastor oililica hybrid materials with chemically bonded polymer matrix and silica nanoparticles.  The formation of the cross-linking structures in the polyurethane system was confirmed by FTIR.

The results showed that the nano-silica in the polyurethane matrix improved both hydrophobicity and thermal stability of the resulting hybrid polyurethane films. Thus this process can help in the design of bio-based hydrophobic waterborne polyurethane films with favourable thermal stability and optical transmittance.

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Applications of Castor oil in Specialty Chemicals and Biofuels Market

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Castor Oil for Specialty Chemicals

Specialty chemicals market is a $700 billion + market worldwide, with high profit margins.

Given castor oil unique versatility, there could be a number of niche applications within specialty chemicals, other than the ones already exploited.

More “entrepreneurial” research needs to be undertaken in this direction.

Castor Oil for Biofuels

While there has been a lot of debate about the use of castor oil for biodiesel, we feel that it is not a viable route. Sure, technically castor oil might be suitable to make biodiesel, except perhaps for its high kinematic viscosity, which could even be taken care of during transesterification.

The more important dimensions are the economics and volumes which make castor oil quite unattractive as a feedstock for biodiesel:

  • Economics – Price of biodiesel needs to be in the range $900-$1000 per ton; price of castor oil alone is $1300/T.
  • Volumes – World produces about 20 million T of biodiesel every year; world castor oil production is less than 1 million T!

In fact, we have been generous on the price aspect. If the current downtrend in crude prices continues, biodiesel might have to sell at less than $700 per T. We dont see how castor oil could support such a price.

On volumes, castor is produced in such small quantities, it really is going to make little difference overall to the biodiesel market.

And when especially the same castor oil oil could be sold at a much higher price to end users who would be willing to pay a much higher price for the oil or the derivative, we do not see how castor oil biodiesel could work out on any sizable scale.

Effect of Modified Silica Nanoparticle on the Properties of Bio-Based Polyurethane

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nanocompositesResearchers developed bio-based polyurethane (BPU) using a castor oil/poly (ε-caprolactone) hybrid polyols and hydrophobic BPU ultrafine fibres containing modified silica (m-silica) by electrospinning process. The rheological analysis of the network structure between the BPU and m-silica showed improved mechanical properties and thermal stability. The average fibre diameter of the hybrid ultrafine fibres decreased with increasing m-silica content. Moreover, the m-silica nanoparticle provided an effective surface wettability to BPU ultrafine fibres, thus making it a hydrophobic molecule. All these improved properties makes BPU/m-silica ultrafine fibres, a better replacement for petroleum-based polyurethane membrane, thus allowing its application in the field of bio filters, eco-friendly textiles, and biomedical engineering.

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100% Biobased Polymer as Food Contact Substance

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Evonik, German-based specialty chemicals company, has received approval for its foodmq1 contact substance ‘VESTAMID Terra DS16 natural’. VESTAMID Terra DS16 is a biobased polymer belonging to the family of PA1010 polyamides.

The polymer is based on renewable feedstock. The starting material is the castor bean and its oil derivatives. VESTAMID Terra DS is based on polyamide 1010, which is the polycondensation product of 1, 10-decamethylene diamine (D) and 1, 10-decanedoic diacid (sebacic acid – S). Both of these are derived from castor oil, which means that Terra DS is 100% Bio based.

Another polymer named Terra HS, based on polyamide 610, contains polycondensation product of 1, 6-hexamethylene diamine (H) and 1, 10-decanedoic diacid (sebacic acid – S) and is 63% biobased. Terra HS is already being approved in the EU and USA for food contact with non-alcoholic food materials.

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Learn more about Polyamides 

Study of the Mechanical, Thermal Properties and Flame Retardancy of Rigid Polyurethane Foams Prepared from Modified Castor-Oil-Based Polyols

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A team of researchers from China conducted study on mechanical, thermal properties and flame retardancy of rigid polyurethane foams (PUF) prepared from modified castor oil (MCOHomepagecarroussel-research1) based polyols. The polyurethane foam was prepared in two stages. The first stage is the conversion of castor oil into glycerides by alcoholysis with glycerol and pentaerythritol. Next stage is the synthesis of polyester polyols by condensation alcoholysis of castor oil and phthalic anhydride. Results from various analyses showed that components of the MCOs and commercial polyester polyol PS-3152 are similar in their foaming behaviour. Results from analyses like mechanical testing, flame retardancy testing, thermogravimetric analysis and cone calorimetry showed that PUF from modified Castor oil based polyols had a better mechanical properties and thermal conductivities than PS-3152 based Polyurethanes. High thermal stability is exhibited by MCO based PUFs, during pyrolysis.

It is also found that addition of ammonium pyrophosphate decreased their heat release rate, total heat release and mass loss, thereby having synergistic effect with phthalic anhydride polyester polyols. All of these unique properties of MCO-modified rigid PUFs were correlated to the structures of these PUFs.

These findings may lead to the development of a new type of polyurethane foam using castor oil.

Read More from http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0926669014002817

For more about Castor oil Polyurethanes click here

Castor Oil-Sebacic Acid Polyanhydrides for Controlled Release of Drugs

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Researchers from the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, India, have synthesised aie-2014-00679u_0007 family of high molecular weight castor oil based biodegradable polyanhydrides by a catalyst-free melt-condensation reaction between prepolymers of castor oil and sebacic acid. Sebacic acid is found to increase the crystallinity of the polymer. Water wettability and ductility decreased while strength of the polymer sharply increased with increase in SA content. Invitro hydrolytic degradation studies indicated surface-eroding behaviour. The degradation products also found to have minimal cytotoxic effects. Thus, a CO-SA polyanhydrides can be characterized for controlled release of drugs, by modulation of physical, mechanical and degradation kinetics.

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Polyurethane–Organoclay Nanocomposites Based on Castor Oil Polyols

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Researchers from University of Technology, Baghdad, have synthesized castor oil-based polyurethanes–organoclay (COPUs-Cloisite 30B) nanocomposites by mixing polypropylene glycol polyol and dehydrated castor oil (15 %), with C30B nanofillers at different weight percentages. Various analyses such as OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAFourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy, Fourier scanning Electron Microscopy, Scanning Electron Microscopy and X-ray diffraction were performed to evaluate the physico-chemical properties of COPUs-Cloisite 30B. Thermal stability and tensile strength were found to improve upto ~30 C and ~240% respectively, with 5 wt% of C30B . These improved properties allow it to be used in coatings, adhesives and automotives.

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Read more about castoroil-based polyurethanes

Polyols Based on Organosolv Lignin and Fatty Acids

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Scientists from University of Strasbourg, France, published results of their recent research on Bio based building blocks for segmented Polyurethanes. A macropolyol was prepared by combining two different biomolecules- lignin and oleic acid, from biomass. NMR and FT-IR analyses are performed to determine the chemical structure of the lignic- fatty acid based polyol. Polyurethanes preolymers are synthesised from 4,4′-methylenebis(phenyl isocyanate) and poly(propylene)glycol of different molecular weights (PPG – 425, 1000 and 2000 g mol−1. ).

On varying the reaction parameters, in the presence of lignin- fattyacid based macropolyol, different PU macromolecular architectures were obtained. The chemical structure of the lignin- based polyurethane was analysed by FT-IR, and the properties of polymers by DSC, TGA, DMTA, and tensile test experiments. Thus obtained new polymers is found to posses advanced properties and may serve as an optimal alternative to conventional polyurethanes. Full Article

Want to know about Castor oil based Polyurethanes, click the link below:

http://www.castoroil.in/application/castoroilbasedpolyurethanes.html

View blog posts on Castor oil Polyurethanes

Microorganisms for Bio-Based Nylon Intermediates

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Genomatic, a U.S. Biotech company, bacteriahas planned to develop technologies for the production of bio-based nylon intermediates- hexamethylenediamine, caprolactam and adipic acid. Approximately, revenue of $18 billion is bagged by these three chemicals every year.

The company has been involved in a several experiments, to study the

production of nylon intermediates by various microorganisms. The research team of Genomatic is basically trying to demonstrate the metabolic pathways, efficient methods of production and recovery of these intermediates. Source

Castor oil based nylon has a relatively low density for a polyamide, good low temperature impact strength and good dimensional stability. Know more on the nylon intermediates from castor oil