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"Green" Methods of Making Vinyl Ester Resin

Technology Benefits

Environment-friendly“Green” processSyntheticsteps involve the use of startingmaterials derived from bio-wastestreamsEliminates the use of toxic chemicals such as epichlorohydrin in VER synthesisOne pot processFor downstreamcomposite: GVER has similar viscosity as the commercial resin with only halfthe styrene content, thereby reducing the toxic volatile organic compounds associated withmanufacturing.Cost-comparative

Detailed Technology Description

Environmentally benign “green”methodology for the synthesis of green vinylester resin (GVER). Utilization of starting material derived frombio-waste streams.

*Abstract

UMass Lowell researcher Dr Yongwoo Lee and hiscolleagues have developed an environmentally benign “green”methodology for the synthesis of green vinylester resin (GVER). Utilization of starting material derived frombio-waste streams (glycerol, a waste product form bio-diesel manufacturingindustries), helps to improve the environment and cost sustainability of theprocedure. 

*Background

Vinyl ester resins (VER) are high performanceunsaturated resins with exceptional mechanical strength and corrosionresistance. In addition to their superior performance, these resins displaylower viscosities than conventional epoxy resins resulting in significantlyimproved processability. Vinyl esterresins (VER) are currently synthesized by addition reaction of epoxy containingbisphenol-A diglycidyl ether (BADGE) with either meth acrylic acid or methyl methacrylate(unsaturated carboxylic acids). BADGE is currently synthesized using bisphenolA (BPA) and epichlorohydrin as starting materials.Epichlorohydrinhowever, has been identified by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)as a hazardous air pollutant and it also features on the list of controlledchemicals by the EPA. Hence, to ensure continued environmental sustainabilityand improved work place safety for the synthesis of VER, an alternative routeis highly desired.

*Publications

Environmentally benign synthesis ofvinyl ester resin from biowaste glycerin; RSCAdv., 2015, 5, 38673–38679Processing and mechanicalproperties of bio-derived vinyl ester resin-based composites; Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2017,134, 44642.

Country/Region

USA