Photo-curable Vegetable Oil-based Acrylate Resins with Lignocellulose Components
2024
Anda Barkāne

Defending
15.05.2024. 13:00, Rīgas Tehniskās universitātes, Dabaszinātņu un tehnoloģiju fakultāte, Paula Valdena iela 7, 272. auditorija

Supervisor
Sergejs Gaidukovs

Reviewers
Ingars Reinholds, Alexander Bismarck, Tobias Robert

Acrylated epoxidized soybean oil (AESO) is a chemical compound resulting from the acrylation of epoxidized soybean oil, a vegetable oil-based acrylate. The acrylation process involves the incorporation of acrylic or acrylate functional groups into the structure of epoxidized soybean oil. This modification enhances its reactivity and compatibility with other polymers and materials. AESO exhibits notable characteristics, such as improved adhesion, flexibility, and durability, making it a valuable constituent in various applications, including the formulation of bio-based coatings, adhesives, and composite materials. In particular, AESO composites incorporating lignocellulose components have gained significant attention within the scientific community. These composites leverage the inherent properties of AESO and combine them with the abundance and renewability of lignocellulose components, resulting in promising bio-based solutions for a wide range of applications in polymer chemistry and materials science. The majority of commercially available acrylate resins employed in 3D printing are derived from petroleum-based acrylates, with those marketed as bio-based typically containing less than 50 wt% of bio-derived content. Despite nanocellulose's established efficacy as a robust reinforcing agent in diverse polymer composites encompassing both thermoset (photocured acrylates) and thermoplastic polymers, challenges persist. Notably pertaining to the agglomeration of nanocellulose, particularly in the case of nanofibrillated cellulose, and issues of compatibility at the interface between cellulose-polymer matrix. Moreover, not all constituents of lignocellulose, encompassing cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin, have been systematically investigated in the context of acrylic photocurable resins. Consequently, this study employs AESO-based resin and investigates various resin formulations encompassing all lignocellulose components and incorporates surface functionalization of nanocellulose to address interface compatibility concerns. Bio-based acrylate resins, whether utilized in coatings, films, or 3D printing applications, necessitate customizable attributes, including mechanical and thermal robustness, as well as resilience to weathering for outdoor applications. This objective is attained through the utilization of lignocellulose components as singular and hybrid fillers in diverse combinations, in conjunction with nanocellulose surface functionalization. The PhD thesis is a set of combined original articles. The results of the current work are presented into five parts which corresponds to 8 original publications: Part 1 describes development of neat resin composition and its validation for films and 3D printing applications. The use of reactive diluents was explored to improve the thermomechanical performance as well as thermal stability. Further the photoinitiator concentrations were controlled in order to achieve highest double bond conversion rates. All 6 prepared resin formulations were tested for their double bond conversion rates achieved, thermomechanical performance and thermal stability. Part 2 describes the development of AESO-based resin filled with lignocellulose components in multiple ratios up to 30 wt% and in hybrid compositions for film applications. Controlling the filler concentration and hybrid composition of the fillers allowed to control the cured films performance properties. Adjustable thermomechanical performance as well as controllable surface morphology was achieved without losing the thermal stability. This section demonstrates the great potential of using also hemicellulose and lignin in photocurable acrylate resins. Part 3 describes the use of neat nanofibrillated cellulose reinforcement in AESO-based photocurable resin for 3D printing. Reducing the nanofibrillated cellulose concentration down to percolation threshold allowed to mitigate the extreme fiber tendency to agglomerate. Nanofibrillated cellulose effect on resins viscosity, printing accuracy, materials mechanical, thermomechanical and thermal properties was analysed in-depth. Ultra-low concentration of the nanofibrillated cellulose had no effect on thermal stability nor the printing accuracy. It was discovered that keeping the concentration of the nanofibrillated cellulose around the percolation threshold gives the best mechanical performance since particle agglomeration is reduced. Part 4 describes the surface functionalization effect on improving the compatibility between the nanocellulose and AESO-based resin. Nanocellulose underwent two different surface functionalization’s to reduce its hydrophilic nature. In-depth analysis of reinforcement efficiency and adhesion between the particles and the matrix was performed. Exceptional mechanical performance of newly developed composite resins was achieved. Part 5 describes the weathering investigations of neat nanofibrillated cellulose AESO-based composite resins. This section closed the gap of bulk properties changes during accelerated weathering in photocured materials. It was discovered that nanofibrillated cellulose introduction prevents the surface cracking and delays the yellowing of the samples. Surprising results showed that nanofibrillated cellulose even ensures some mechanical performance improvements during the weathering. The Doctoral Theses has been written in English; it consists of 50 figures; 12 tables, 5 schematics, and the total number of pages is 174. The Bibliography contains 340 titles.


Keywords
UV‐light curing resins, 3D printing, acrylated epoxidized soybean oil, nanocrystalline cellulose, nanofibrillated cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin, bio-based polymer, nanoparticle reinforcement, hydrogen bonding, aging.
DOI
10.7250/9789934370571

Barkāne, Anda. Photo-curable Vegetable Oil-based Acrylate Resins with Lignocellulose Components. PhD Thesis. Rīga: [RTU], 2024. 174 p.

Publication language
English (en)
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