Biobased polyurethanes prepared from different vegetable oils

In this study, a series of biobased polyols were prepared from olive, canola, grape seed, linseed, and castor oil using a novel, solvent/catalyst-free synthetic method. The biobased triglyceride oils were first oxidized into epoxidized vegetable oils with formic acid and hydrogen peroxide, followed by ring-opening reaction with castor oil fatty acid. The molecular structures of the polyols and the resulting polyurethane were characterized. The effects of crosslinking density and the structures of polyols on the thermal, mechanical, and shape memory properties of the polyurethanes were also investigated. (Graph Presented).