Synthesis and Reinforcement of Thermostable Polymers Using Renewable Resources

Vegetable oils are being used for the production of biodegradable polymers, opening new possibilities for the synthesis of greener materials that could compete in national markets with petroleum-based polymers. In this study, castor oil and a catalyst (cobalt[II] naphtenate as promotor and MEKP as initiator) from local stores and styrene in different ratios were used to produce thermostable polymers. The kinetics of the polymerization reaction was followed by infrared spectroscopy. A polymeric material was synthetized which presents good mechanical properties. Therefore, composites were produced using 1 wt% of microcellulose extracted from biomass waste as reinforcement or 1 wt% microsilica to improve the mechanical properties. The microfillers showed an improvement in the properties of composites by showing an increase in the Young's modulus. This easy production method can be suitable for small and medium companies who are trying to embrace responsible environmental consciousness.