Production of polyester polymers from vegetable oils

With increase in the awareness of the harmful effects of pollution caused to the environment through the use of petroleum based products, there has been a rejuvenation in the use of materials that are more compatible with the environment. Research interest in the field of biodegradable polymers has risen with the advent of starch based plastics. Biodegradable plastics can partially replace non-degradable petroleum-based plastics used in disposable product applications where the plastic cannot be recycled. This work was undertaken with the aim of producing a family of biodegradable polyesters using derivatives of vegetable oils. The biodegradable nature of these polyesters is due to the susceptibility of the chemical structure to microorganisms. The major factor influencing the selection of vegetable oils as a source of raw materials is the fact that it is a renewable resource. The synthesis of the families of polyesters was followed by characterization of the products. This allowed a better understanding of the physical and chemical nature of biodegradable polyesters and an insight into applications of these products, in comparison to commercial plastics. This work was concluded with a detailed cost analysis to determine the economics of producing these polyesters on a commercial scale. The use of renewable resources to produce biodegradable consumer based products makes this study significant towards a step further in our socio-economic and environmental progress