Oleochemical polymer application

In polymer applications derivatives of oils and fats, such as epoxides, polyols and dimerizations products based on unsaturated fatty acids, are used as plastic additives or components for composites or polymers like polyamides and polyurethanes. In the lubricant sector oleochemically-based fatty acid esters have proved to be powerful alternatives to conventional mineral oil products. For home and personal care applications a wide range of products, such as surfactants, emulsifiers, emollients and waxes, based on vegetable oil derivatives has provided extraordinary performance benefits to the end-customer. Selected products, such as the anionic surfactant fatty alcohol sulfate have been investigated thoroughly with regard to their environmental impact compared with petrochemical based products by life-cycle analysis. Other product examples include carbohydrate-based surfactants as well as oleochemical based emulsifiers, waxes and emollients. 

The use of oleochemicals in polymers has a long tradition. One can differentiate between the use as polymer materials, such as linseed oil and soybean oil as drying oils, polymer stabilizers and additives, such as epoxidized soybean oil as plasticizer, and building blocks for polymers, such as dicarboxylic acids for polyesters or polyamides (Table 4.2) [7]. Considering the total market for polymers of ca. 150 million tonnes in 1997 the share of oleochemical based products is relatively small - or, in other terms, the potential for these products is very high. Without doubt there is still a trend in the use of naturally derived materials for polymer applications, especially in niche markets. As an example, the demand for linseed oil for the production of linoleum has increased from 10000 tonnes in 1975 to 50 000 tonnes in 1998 (coming from 120000 tonnes in 1960 ) [8a]. Epoxidized soybean oil (ESO) as a plastic additive has a relatively stable market of ca. 100000 tonnes year-1 [8b]. 

Industrial Development and Application of Biobased Oleochemicals Table 4.2 Oleochemicals for polymers — selected examples [7],... 

Oleochemical based dicarboxylic acids - azelaic, sebacic, and dimer acid (Figs. 4.5 and 4.6) - amount to ca. 100000 tonnes year-1 as components for polymers. This is about 0.5% of the total dicarboxylic acid market for this application, where phthalic and terephthalic acids represent 87%. The chemical nature of these oleochemical derived dicarboxylic acids can alter or modify condensation polymers, and, used as a co-monomer, will remain a special niche market area. Some of these special properties are elasticity, flexibility, high impact strength, hydrolytic... 

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