Polymeric materials from renewable resources

Abstract

Disclosed are polymers that include components produced from renewable resources and methods for forming the disclosed polymers. The polymers include the reactive intermediates that in turn include components derived from, for example, lactide or sorbitol. The reactive intermediates can be polymerized with each other as well as with more traditional resins to form polymeric networks. In one embodiment, the disclosed intermediates can be utilized in forming vinyl ester resins. In particular, the vinyl ester-styrene resins and thermoset networks formed therefrom including the disclosed intermediates can include lower styrene content than previously known vinyl ester-styrene resins, and can exhibit physical characteristics such as glass transition temperature and flexural strength properties equal to previously known vinyl ester-styrene resins that include a higher styrene content.

1 . A thermoset resin comprising a reactive intermediate that is derived from a renewable resource, wherein the intermediate includes a terminal reactive group, the intermediate comprising the reaction product of a first material derived from the renewable resource and a second material that includes the terminal reactive group, wherein the terminal reactive group is capable of reacting in formation of a cross-linked thermoset network. 
     
     
         2 . The thermoset resin of  claim 1 , wherein the thermoset resin is a vinyl ester resin. 
     
     
         3 . The thermoset resin of  claim 1 , wherein the thermoset resin is an epoxy resin, an unsaturated polyester resin, or a polyurethane resin. 
     
     
         4 . The thermoset resin of  claim 1 , wherein the first material is lactide derived from lactic acid. 
     
     
         5 . The thermoset resin of  claim 4 , wherein the first material is racemic lactide. 
     
     
         6 . The thermoset resin of  claim 1 , wherein the intermediate is an oligomer. 
     
     
         7 . The thermoset resin of  claim 1 , the intermediate further comprising a residue of a third material derived from a second renewable resource. 
     
     
         8 . The thermoset resin of  claim 1 , wherein the terminal reactive group is one of an acrylate group and a methacrylate group. 
     
     
         9 . The thermoset resin of  claim 1 , wherein the terminal reactive group is selected from the group consisting of epoxy, isocyanate, unsaturated hydrocarbon, acid, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         10 . The thermoset resin of  claim 1 , wherein the second material is aliphatic or aromatic. 
     
     
         11 . A thermoset resin comprising an intermediate that is derived from a renewable resource, wherein the intermediate includes a terminal reactive group, the intermediate comprising the reaction product of a first material derived from the renewable resource and a second material that includes the terminal reactive group, the thermoset resin further comprising a vinyl ester. 
     
     
         12 . The thermoset resin of  claim 11 , wherein the first material is lactide derived from lactic acid. 
     
     
         13 . The thermoset resin of  claim 11 , wherein the lactide is racemic lactide. 
     
     
         14 . The thermoset resin of  claim 11 , wherein the terminal reactive group is one of an acrylate group and a methacrylate group. 
     
     
         15 . The thermoset resin of  claim 14 , further comprising a styrene monomer. 
     
     
         16 . A method for forming a thermoset network comprising:
 providing a thermoset resin comprising an intermediate, the intermediate including a terminal reactive group, the intermediate comprising the reaction product of a first material derived from a renewable resource and a second material that includes the terminal reactive group; and crosslinking the thermoset resin to form a thermoset network.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , the thermoset resin further comprising a vinyl ester. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , the method further comprising combining the thermoset resin with a reactive material prior to crosslinking the composition. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , the method further comprising forming the thermoset resin. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the first material is racemic lactide, the method of forming the intermediate comprising combining racemic lactide with the second material.