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Dibutyl phosphate-bound natural rubber (DBNR) was prepared by reacting epoxidized natural rubber with 20 mol% (ENR-20) with dibutyl phosphate in a latex medium. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) was used to confirm the molecular structures of ENR-20 and DBNR and to quantify the epoxide contents. The shear flows and thermal properties of DBNR were then characterized and compared with ENR-20 and natural rubber (NR). The DBNR exhibited the lowest viscosity curves, but it depicted the highest glass transition temperature (Tg) and residue from thermogravimetric evaluation, indicating higher thermal resistance. Subsequently, different NR/DBNR blend ratios were compounded, with and without flame resistance additives, compared with unmodified NR and chloroprene rubber (CR) compounds. We found that all natural rubber compounds exhibited reversion behavior due to the breakage of newly formed sulfidic bonds. However, chloroprene rubber showed marching cured curves, as evidenced by the increasing torque with prolonged testing time. Additionally, antimony trioxide retarded the curing reaction of NR, while tris(2-ethylhexyl) phosphate accelerated it. Therefore, the combination of these additives synergists with the intrinsic flame retardant properties of DBNR. The study revealed that the burning rate of NR/DBNR blends, exhibited very high flame resistance capability compared to gum NR and NR compounded with flame resistance additives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A promising process to design non-isocyanate polyurethane (NIPU) foams has been developed. The transurethane polycondensation reaction between fatty biscarbamates, fatty diols, and diamines was used to synthesize a biobased aminotelechelic NIPU oligomer. The prepared oligomer (hard phase) was mixed with an amino-telechelic polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS, soft phase) and then reacted with a biosourced tri-epoxide molecule as crosslinking agent, in the presence of water/ethanol mixtures as physical blowing agents. The crosslinking reaction was followed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and rheometry. The foams can be obtained in less than 2 hours at 95 °C. The prepared foams exhibited cell diameters ranging from 130 to 3090 μm, as well as densities ranging from 55 to 950 kg/m3. Their thermal stability thresholds were above 300 °C. They displayed glass transition temperature values ranging from –20 to –18 °C, and low values of the Young modulus ranging from 2.0·103 to 5.7·103 Pa. The hysteresis loss, the recovery time, and the firmness of these foams were dependent on the PDMS content and/or the morphological parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work reports on the development of polylactide (PLA)/mango kernel seed flour (MKSF) composites combined with tributyrin (TBN) and triacetin (TCN) as plasticizers. Thus, wood plastic composites (WPC) are obtained by extrusion and injection-molding processes. The solubility, mechanical, morphological, thermal, colorimetric, water absorbance, flowability, and disintegrability properties are evaluated. The ductility of the PLA+MKSF composite is improved by the plasticizing effect of TBN and TCN (10 phr (parts per hundred resin) each). Elongation at break is increased from 4.4 up to 9.5 and 8.3%, respectively. The theoretical solubility analysis supports the good miscibility between PLA with TBN and TCN (relative energy difference (RED) values of 0.86 and 0.73, respectively) deduced from the mechanical performance. Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) images also corroborate the mechanical findings, where a decrease in the presence of voids in the PLA matrix suggests certain compatibility between MKSF and TBN, and TCN. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and dynamic-mechanical-thermal analysis (DMTA) results show that the plasticizers decrease the glass transition temperature and the melting temperature of PLA, thus improving its ductility. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) results indicate that the thermal stability of the composite is slightly decreased due to the relatively high volatility of the plasticizers, while MKSF does not affect this matter. The composites exhibit excellent biodegradability, presenting more than 90% of disintegration in compost soil conditions in 12 weeks. Finally, MKSF provided the composites with a wood-like dark brown color and with high water absorbance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the frame of green-based chemistry, advanced shape memory polymers are designed from benzoxazine (RSBOX) and epoxy (R-EP) resins basing on potential natural raw materials, such as resorcinol and stearylamine. Thermal curing, investigated by differential scanning calorimetry, shows several overlapping peaks suggesting a complex curing mechanism. Dynamic mechanical analysis of cured RS-BOX/R-EP copolymers demonstrates an increase in the glass temperature and narrower glass transition by the increase of the RS-BOX ratio. In contrast, crosslinking density increases with higher epoxy resin content. All investigated materials possess one-way dual shape memory ability triggered by glass transition temperature with excellent shape fixity, while the shape recovery values ranged between 95 and 100%. The duration of the recovery process is significantly influenced by the RS-BOX amount. Additionally, the mechanical and shape memory properties of fully bio-based SMPs might be suitably tailored for advanced applications by merely varying the initial composition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]