Epoxidized Vegetable Oil Curative for Porosity-Free Elastomers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current synthetic polymeric materials used in leather substitutes and memory foam lack biodegradability and fail to replicate the performance attributes of natural animal-hide leather, such as flexibility, puncture resistance, and breathability, while existing methods for producing natural elastomers face challenges like porosity due to solvent evaporation during curing.
Innovation Solution
A curative composed of epoxidized vegetable oils and naturally occurring polyfunctional carboxylic acids, reacted in a solvent that includes a hydroxyl-containing solvent, is used to create a porosity-free elastomeric material with improved physical properties, allowing for the production of biodegradable leather-like materials and memory foams with enhanced mechanical properties.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If synthetic polymeric materials are used to create leather substitutes and memory foam, then manufacturing flexibility and consistency are improved, but biodegradability is lost and environmental sustainability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical parameters of the polymer system by using epoxidized vegetable oils (natural polymers) instead of synthetic polymers, while maintaining manufacturability through controlled curing processes. This allows the material to be biodegradable while still achieving consistent manufacturing results through standardized curing conditions and formulations.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention creates a composite material system combining epoxidized vegetable oils with polyfunctional carboxylic acids and hydroxyl-containing solvents. This composite approach allows the natural polymer base to provide biodegradability while the specific formulation and curing process maintain manufacturing flexibility and consistency comparable to synthetic systems.
2Reliability
If natural materials are used to replace synthetic polymers, then biodegradability and sustainability are improved, but processing flexibility and ultimate mechanical properties deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes chemical parameters including the selection of polyfunctional carboxylic acids with specific functionality (3-8), controlling the ratio of epoxidized vegetable oil to carboxylic acid, and selecting hydroxyl-containing solvents with appropriate molecular weights. These parameter optimizations enable natural polymer systems to achieve mechanical properties comparable to synthetic materials while maintaining biodegradability.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention formulates a composite system where epoxidized vegetable oils are combined with polyfunctional carboxylic acids and hydroxyl-containing solvents in specific ratios. This composite structure allows the natural polymer to achieve enhanced mechanical properties through crosslinking while preserving biodegradability, overcoming the typical weakness of natural materials.
3Stability of the object's composition
If alcohol solvent is used to solubilize polyfunctional carboxylic acid and epoxidized vegetable oil, then miscibility is improved, but porosity increases due to solvent evaporation during curing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the solvent parameter by selecting hydroxyl-containing solvents with specific molecular weights (10-200 g/mol) and controlling the amount of solvent used. This optimization allows sufficient miscibility during processing while minimizing porosity formation during curing, as the specific solvent properties enable better control of the curing reaction and reduced solvent entrapment.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention applies different local qualities to the solvent system by using hydroxyl-containing solvents that can participate in the curing reaction locally, not just act as inert carriers. This allows the solvent to provide miscibility during mixing while being consumed or bound during curing, thereby reducing porosity in the final product compared to traditional inert alcohol solvents.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution results in biodegradable materials with improved tear strength, flexibility, and dimensional stability, effectively addressing the limitations of synthetic alternatives and achieving performance comparable to natural animal-hide leather.
Implementation Method 1
a solvent that includes a hydroxyl-containing solvent, is used to create a porosity-free elastomeric material
Implementation Method 2
curative composed of epoxidized vegetable oils and naturally occurring polyfunctional carboxylic acids, reacted in a solvent that includes a hydroxyl-containing solvent
Implementation Method 3
curative...is used to create a porosity-free elastomeric material with improved physical properties
Data Source
AI summary
A curative for epoxidized plant-based oils and epoxidized natural rubber is created from the reaction between a naturally occurring polyfunctional acid and an epoxidized plant-based oil is disclosed. The curative may be used to produce porosity-free castable resins and vulcanize rubber formulations based on epoxidized natural rubber. Materials made from disclosed materials may be advantageously used as leather substitutes.