Epoxy Resins Obtained from Bio-Based Raw Materials

Epoxy Resins Obtained from Bio-Based Raw Materials

Epoxy resins can be defined as the resins that contains more than one oxirane (epoxy) ring. Because of their outstanding mechanical properties, high adhesiveness to many surfaces, good chemical and electrical resistance, they can be used in a wide range application such as floor, electronic materials, metal can and container, automotive, marine and white goods coatings.

Also, they are commonly used as adhesives and matrices for fiber-reinforced composites. The global epoxy market size is projected to reach USD 8,77 billion in 2021 and expected to hit USD 10,77 billion in 2027. The epoxy market is dominated by the reaction products of bisphenol A and epichlorohydrin. The most common epoxy resin is diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A that accounts for almost 70% of the epoxy resin usages.

The others are prepared by the epoxidation of unsaturated structures. Bisphenol A has a deleterious effect on human health and environment. Also, it is toxic to living organisms by
acting as an endocrine disruptor. For these reasons, their use in food-related packaging and materials is prohibited in many countries [1-6].

During recent years, due to health and environmental problems and depletion of fossil raw material resources, research on the use of bio-based materials instead of petroleum-derived raw materials has gained great importance. In this respect, bio-based alternatives of epoxy resins were developed by using bio-based raw materials instead of bisphenol A
(BPA).

Epoxidized soybean oil was synthesized from vegetable oils. Since the soybean oil has long
aliphatic chains in its chemical structure, epoxidized soybean oil exhibits low thermal and
mechanical properties. By the way, research conducted on bio-based chemicals similar to
bisphenol A. Ferulic acid, itaconic acid, eugenol, rosin, gallic acid, vanillic acid and lignin
were presented as the alternatives for the BPA. Finally, comparable results in physical and
chemical properties of the final coatings were obtained by using epoxidized vanillin [7-9].

Izel Kimya conducts research on the production of novel epoxy resins prepared by incorporation of epoxy groups into the bio-based raw materials.

Dr. Cemil Dizman
R&D Manager
İzel Kimya

Ömerhan Özdemir
R&D Researcher
İzel Kimya

References

[1] Clayton May (11 May 2018). Epoxy Resins: Chemistry and Technology (Second ed.). CRC Press. p. 65. ISBN 978-1-351-44995-3.

[2] https://en.wikipedia. org/wiki/Epoxy#cite_note-May2018-1.

[3] https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/epoxy-resins-market.

[4] Geoff Gibson,Chapter 27 – Epoxy Resins,Editor(s):
Marianne Gilbert, Brydson’s Plastics Materials (Eighth Edition), Butterworth-Heinemann, 2017, Pages 773-797.,

[5] https://bilimteknik.tubitak.gov.tr / system/
files / makale / epoksi.pdf.

[6] Jaworski C. Capricho, Bronwyn Fox & Nishar Hameed (2020) Multifunctionality in Epoxy Resins, Polymer Reviews, 60:1, 1-41.

[7] Sagheer Gul, Ayesha Kausar, Mazhar Mehmood, Bakhtiar Muhammad & Saira Jabeen (2016) Progress on Epoxy/Polyamide and Inorganic Nanofiller-Based Hybrids: Introduction, Application, and Future Potential, Polymer-Plastics Technology and Engineering, 55:17, 1842-1862.,

[8] Fan-Long Jin, Xiang Li, SooJin Park, Synthesis and application of epoxy resins: A review, Journal of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry, Volume 29, 2015, Pages 1-11.,

[9] Nikafshar, Saeid, Zabihi, Omid, Hamidi, Susan, Moradi, Yousef, Barzegar, Saeed, Ahmadi, Mojtaba and Naebe, Minoo 2017, A renewable bio-based epoxy resin with improved mechanical performance that can compete with DGEBA, RSC advances, vol. 7, no. 14, pp. 8694-8701.