Epoxidized vegetable oils as reactive diluents I. Comparison of vernonia, epoxidized soybean and epoxidized linseed oils

The properties of vernonia oil, a naturally occurring epoxidized vegetable oil, have been compared with that of the industrially-produced epoxidized soybean and linseed oils with different degree of epoxidation. The viscosity of the oils increases gradually with increase in the degree of epoxidation. The fully epoxidized soybean and linseed oils, which are heterogeneous semi-solids at room temperature with higher viscosities and higher melting points than vernonia oil, are less suitable as reactive diluents for coatings formulations. The partially epoxidized soybean and linseed oils, however, have molecular structure and properties similar to that of vernonia oil and are potentially available at lower price ({reversed tilde equals}50 cent/pound). They are homogeneous liquids at room temperature with lower viscosities and lower melting points and appear to be attractive reactive diluents for low volatile organic compound alkyl and epoxy formulations. © 1994.