Synthesis and characterization of bio-based polyols from epoxidized soybean oil (ESO) and different fatty acids

Nowadays, the polyurethane industry is looking for renewable raw materials to replace two major feedstocks, polyols and isocyanates, which derive from petroleum sources, because of the uncertainty about the cost of petroleum in the future and the need to move toward more environmentally friendly feedstocks. PUs industry is making research efforts for replacing oil-based polyols with polyols from renewable resources, such as bio-polyols from vegetable oils. Until now, different synthetic strategies have been developed to obtain polyols, including the modification of epoxidized triglycerides by fatty acids. In this work an epoxidized soybean oil (ESO) with a percentage of epoxy groups equal to 4.8% and 21% oleic, 60% linoleic and 7% linolenic chains was used. A wide screening was performed to identify the best fatty acids to obtain low molecular weight polyols with narrow polydispersity using solvent- and catalyst-free reactions.