Epoxidized rosin acids as co-precursors for epoxy resins

A Comparative Study on the Properties of Rosin-Based Epoxy Resins with Different Flexible Chains

This study aims to reveal the effects of flexible chain lengths on rosin-based epoxy resin's properties. Two rosin-based epoxy monomers with varying chain lengths were synthesized: AR-EGDE (derived from ethylene glycol diglycidyl ether-modified acrylic acid rosin) and ARE (derived from acrylic acid rosin and epichlorohydrin). Diethylenetriamine (DETA), triethylenetetramine (TETA), and tetraethylenepentamine (TEPA) with different flexible chain lengths were used as curing agents. The adhesion, impact, pencil hardness, flexibility, water and heat resistance, and weatherability of the epoxy resins were systematically examined. It was found that when the flexible chains of rosin-based epoxy monomers were grown from ARE to AR-EGDE, due to the increased space of rosin-based fused rings, the toughness, adhesion, and water resistance of the rosin-based epoxy resins were enhanced, while the pencil hardness and heat resistance decreased. However, when the flexible chains of curing agents were lengthened, the resin's performance did not change significantly because the space between the fused rings changed little. This indicates that the properties of the rosin-based resins can only be altered when the introduced flexible chain increases the space between the fused rings. The study also compared rosin-based resins to E20, a commercial petroleum-based epoxy of the bisphenol A type. The rosin-based resins demonstrated superior adhesion, water resistance, and weatherability compared to the E20 resins, indicating the remarkable durability of the rosin-based resin.

Corrosion Inhibition Mechanism of Steel Reinforcements in Mortar Using Soluble Phosphates: A Critical Review

The corrosion inhibition mechanism of soluble phosphates on steel reinforcement embedded in mortar fabricated with ordinary Portland cement (OPC) are reviewed. This review focuses soluble phosphate compounds, sodium monofluorophosphate (Na2PO3F) (MFP), disodium hydrogen phosphate (Na2HPO4) (DHP) and trisodium phosphate (Na3PO4) (TSP), embedded in mortar. Phosphate corrosion inhibitors have been deployed in two different ways, as migrating corrosion inhibitors (MCI), or as admixed corrosion inhibitors (ACI). The chemical stability of phosphate corrosion inhibitors depends on the pH of the solution, H2PO4- ions being stable in the pH range of 3-6, the HPO42- in the pH range of 8-12, while the PO43- ions are stable above pH 12. The formation of iron phosphate compounds is a thermodynamically favored spontaneous reaction. Phosphate ions promote ferrous phosphate precipitation due to the higher solubility of ferric phosphate, thus producing a protective barrier layer that hinders corrosion. Therefore, the MFP as well as the DHP and TSP compounds are considered anodic corrosion inhibitors. Both types of application (MCI and ACI) of phosphate corrosion inhibitors found MFP to present the higher inhibition efficiency in the following order MFP > DHP > TSP.

Composition and Properties of Protective Coatings Made of Biologically-Derived Polyester Reactive Binder

Biologically derived polymers are a very attractive subject for investigation, due to the strict pro-ecological requirements imposed by developed countries, including zero-waste and zero-carbon policies as well as volatile organic compound (VOC) limits. Synthesis of biologically-derived polyesters from natural rosin and bio-diols, showing softening temperatures suitable for application in VOC-free paints and varnishes, was performed to create a desired, future commercial product, that meet the aforementioned requirements regarding VOC and elimination of petroleum-based raw materials. Prepared polymers were used in the formulation of coating materials whose properties: cross-linking behavior, glass transition temperature, thermal stability, storage modulus, hardness, cupping resistance, adhesion, chemical resistance, gloss, haze, color, and anti-corrosive behavior in the salt chamber were investigated and discussed. As a result, coatings with prepared bio-polyesters contained over 80 wt.% of natural resources and showed competitive/better properties than petroleum-based references. They can be applied in the prototyping of “green” powder paints for the protection of steel substrates from corrosion and aggressive solvents.

pH-Triggered Release of NaNO2 Corrosion Inhibitors from Novel Colophony Microcapsules in Simulated Concrete Pore Solution

Herein, pH-sensitive microcapsules containing NaNO₂ corrosion inhibitors for protection of steel reinforced concrete were synthesized via water-in-oil-in-water (W/O/W) double emulsion using colophony as the wall material. The average microcapsule size was 79.07 μm in diameter and exhibited a high encapsulation efficiency of 83.2%. Study of the release of corrosion inhibitors from microcapsules in deionized water (DI water, pH 6.8), carbonate/bicarbonate buffer solution (CBS, pH 9.1), and simulated concrete pore solution (SCPS, pH 12.6) demonstrates that the microcapsules are sensitive to pH and display higher release in alkaline media. This is the first study of colophony as an encapsulating agent for corrosion inhibitors. Furthermore, the alkaline pH-triggered release shows the suitability of its use in reinforced concrete systems. A wide thermal stability range was also found for the colophony microcapsules up to 100 °C. These high pH environments (CBS and SCPS) present pH values above the pK_a of colophony (7.2), thus triggering enhanced inhibitor release by the ionization and deprotonation of colophony shell. The higher release in CBS and SCPS is demonstrated by the increases of the corrosion inhibitor diffusion coefficient by an order of magnitude from 3.30 × 10^-17 m²/s in DI water up to 1.66 × 10^-16 m²/s for SCPS. The release performance indicates that the proposed approach can be used to encapsulate a variety of inhibitors for the protection of steel reinforcements. After immersion in different pH solutions, the corrosion potentials of a carbon steel substrate with microcapsules containing nitrite were more noble than when immersed without microcapsules and the corrosion current densities showed comparable values to free corrosion inhibitors. The formation of a passive ferric oxide layer was confirmed by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy.

Advances in Rosin-Based Chemicals: The Latest Recipes, Applications and Future Trends

A comprehensive review of the publications about rosin-based chemicals has been compiled. Rosin, or colophony, is a natural, abundant, cheap and non-toxic raw material which can be easily modified to obtain numerous useful products, which makes it an excellent subject of innovative research, attracting growing interest in recent years. The last extensive review in this research area was published in 2008, so the current article contains the most promising, repeatable achievements in synthesis of rosin-derived chemicals, published in scientific literature from 2008 to 2018. The first part of the review includes low/medium molecule weight compounds: Especially intermediates, resins, monomers, curing agents, surfactants, medications and biocides. The second part is about macromolecules: mainly elastomers, polymers for biomedical applications, coatings, adhesives, surfactants, sorbents, organosilicons and polysaccharides. In conclusion, a critical evaluation of the publications in terms of data completeness has been carried out with an indication of the most promising directions of rosin-based chemicals development.

Preparation of the monodispersed carboxyl-functionalized polymer microspheres with disproportionated rosin moiety and adsorption of methylene blue

Carboxyl-functionalized polymer microspheres with a rosin moiety were prepared through dispersion polymerization using styrene, disproportionated rosin ester, and methylacrylic acid as raw materials. The effects of dispersion medium (ethanol/water) ratio, monomer mass proportion and initiator concentration on the polymer microspheres were studied. Scanning electron microscopy, laser particle size analysis, thermogravimetric analysis and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy were used to characterize the microspheres, and their carboxyl contents were determined by the conductance titration method. The adsorption of methylene blue of the microspheres was also investigated. The results showed that rosin-based carboxyl-functionalized polymer microspheres were successfully synthesized. The microspheres exhibited smooth, spherical shapes with good monodispersity and high thermal stability. The carboxyl content of the microspheres prepared under optimum conditions was 0.089 mmol·g−1, with the average particle size approximately 950 nm. With increasing carboxyl contents of the polymer microspheres, their methylene blue adsorption capacities increased. The maximum methylene blue adsorption capacity of the microspheres was 59.55 mg·g−1 in the highest carboxyl content.

Synthesis, Characterization, and Cross-Linking Strategy of a Quercetin-Based Epoxidized Monomer as a Naturally-Derived Replacement for BPA in Epoxy Resins

The natural polyphenolic compound quercetin was functionalized and cross-linked to afford a robust epoxy network. Quercetin was selectively methylated and functionalized with glycidyl ether moieties using a microwave-assisted reaction on a gram scale to afford the desired monomer (Q). This quercetin-derived monomer was treated with nadic methyl anhydride (NMA) to obtain a cross-linked network (Q-NMA). The thermal and mechanical properties of this naturally derived network were compared to those of a conventional diglycidyl ether bisphenol A-derived counterpart (DGEBA-NMA). Q-NMA had similar thermal properties [i.e., glass transition (Tg ) and decomposition (Td ) temperatures] and comparable mechanical properties (i.e., Young's Modulus, storage modulus) to that of DGEBA-NMA. However, it had a lower tensile strength and higher flexural modulus at elevated temperatures. The application of naturally derived, sustainable compounds for the replacement of commercially available petrochemical-based epoxies is of great interest to reduce the environmental impact of these materials. Q-NMA is an attractive candidate for the replacement of bisphenol A-based epoxies in various specialty engineering applications.