Acyclic triene metathesis polymerization of plukenetia conophora oil: Branched polymers by direct polymerization of renewable resources

摘要

Oil from the Plukenetia conophora seed, a tropical oilseed consisting mainly of linolenic acid, is polymerized via acyclic triene metathesis using different ruthenium benzylidene and indenylidene catalysts to yield highly branched and functionalized polyesters. The influence of the synthesis conditions on the structure and molar mass characteristics of the obtained hyperbranched polyesters as well as an in-depth melt and solution material property investigation are presented. The direct polymerization (without any chemical modification) of Plukenetia conophora oil, an oil rich in linolenic acid, via olefin metathesis leads to the formation of branched macromolecules without crosslinking. The obtained fully renewable polymers are characterized in order to determine their chemical structure and their rheological as well as thermal properties.