Thermoset Polymers from Plant Oils

This chapter focuses on the preparation of thermosets, polyesters, and other polymers from industrial oilseeds. Nature has provided a few examples of plant oils that possess multiple functional groups needed for polymer synthesis, such as castor (Ricinus communis), lesquerella (Lesquerella fendleri), and vemonia (Vernonia galamensis) oils, enriched in —OH and epoxide-functionalized fatty acids ricinoleic, lesquerolic, and vemolic acid, respectively (Table 3.1). Many common plant seed oils (eg, soybean, cottonseed, com, soybean, safQower, sunflower, canola, jatropha, and olive oils) are enriched in Ci6—Cig saturated and mono- and diunsaturated fatty acids, such as palmitic (16 0), oleic (18 l-9c), and linoleic (18 2-9c,12c) acids and lesser amounts of a-linolenic acid (18 3-9c,12c,15c) however, linseed (flaxseed), camelina (Camelina saliva). 

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