Isosorbide as the structural component of bio-based unsaturated polyesters for use as thermosetting resins

•Thermosetting resins are synthesized from carbohydrate derived starting materials.•Isosorbide is used to increase the Tg and storage modulus of thermosetting resins.•Bio-based unsaturated polyester resins have similar viscosities to commercial resins.•Isosorbide can be used to impart strength to UPE resins from the diol component. In recent years, the development of renewable bio-based resins has gained interest as potential replacements for petroleum based resins. Modified carbohydrate-based derivatives have favorable structural features such as fused bicyclic rings that offer promising candidates for the development of novel renewable polymers with improved thermomechanical properties when compared to early bio-based resins. Isosorbide is one such compound and has been utilized as the stiffness component for the synthesis of novel unsaturated polyesters (UPE) resins. Resin blends of BioUPE systems with styrene were shown to possess viscosities (120–2200cP) amenable to a variety of liquid molding techniques, and after cure had Tgs (53–107°C) and storage moduli (430–1650MPa) that are in the desired range for composite materials. These investigations show that BioUPEs containing isosorbide can be tailored during synthesis of the prepolymer to meet the needs of different property profiles.