Study of the properties of thermoset materials derived from epoxidized soybean oil and protein fillers

[EN] Novel bio-based thermoset formulations were prepared by using epoxidized soybean oil (ESBO), nadic methyl anhydride as a hardener and with different types of proteins as fillers. In the first part of the study, the effect of the protein-type (wheat gluten, soy protein, casein and ovalbumin) on cured ESBO materials was investigated. Thermal and mechanical properties were characterized by flexural tests, Shore D hardness, Charpy impact tests, Vicat softening temperature and heat deflection temperature. In addition, a study of the morphology of fractured surfaces by scanning electron microscopy was carried out. In general, the addition of protein-based fillers improved the mechanical and thermal properties. It was found that the highest increase of thermal and mechanical properties was achieved by ovalbumin. In the second part of the work, the effect of the total amount of ovalbumin filler was studied. Bio-based thermoset materials from ESBO and 15 wt % ovalbumin improved flexural modulus more than 150 % when compared to the unfilled material. Similar evolution was observed for other mechanical properties. Moreover, the brittleness of this composition was the minimum from the studied systems. A direct relationship between energy absorption capacity and morphologies of the failure surface was evidenced by SEM.This work is a part of the project IPT-310000-2010-037,"ECOTEXCOMP: Research and development of textile structures useful as reinforcement of composite materials with marked ecological character" funded by the "Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovacion", with an aid of 189540.20 euros, within the "Plan Nacional de Investigacion Cientifica, Desarrollo e Innovacion Tecnologica 2008-2011" and funded by the European Union through FEDER funds, Technology Fund 2007-2013, "Operational Programme on R+D+I for and on behalf of the companies". Also, Generalitat Valenciana ACOMP/2012/087 is acknowledged for financial support.Fombuena Borrás, V.; Sánchez Nacher, L.; Samper Madrigal, MD.; Juárez Varón, D.; Balart Gimeno, RA. (2013). Study of the properties of thermoset materials derived from epoxidized soybean oil and protein fillers. Journal of the American Oil Chemists' Society. 90(3):449-457. doi:10.1007/s11746-012-2171-2S44945790