Biolignin™ based epoxy resins

Abstract

Wheat straw Biolignin™ was used as a substitute of bisphenol-A in epoxy resin. Synthesis was carried out in alkaline aqueous media using polyethyleneglycol diglycidyl ether (PEGDGE) as epoxide agent. Structural study of Biolignin™ and PEGDGE was performed by solid-state 13C NMR and gel permeation chromatography, respectively, before epoxy resin synthesis. Biolignin™ based epoxy resins were obtained with different ratios of Biolignin™ : PEGDGE and their structures were analyzed by solid-state 13C NMR. The crosslinking of PEGDGE with Biolignin™ was highlighted in this study. Properties of Biolignin™ based epoxy resins were analyzed by differential scanning calorimetry and dynamic load thermomechanical analysis as well as compared with those of a bisphenol-A epoxy-amine resin. Depending on the epoxy resin formulation, results confirmed the high potential of Biolignin™ as a biosourced polyphenol used in epoxy resin applications.