Novel Determination of Functional Groups in Partially Acrylated Epoxidized Soybean Oil

The acrylation degree of vegetable oils plays a relevant role in determining the mechanical properties of the resulting polymers. Both epoxide and acrylate functionalities participate in polymerization reactions, producing various types of chemical bonds in the polymer network, which contribute to specific properties such as molecular size distribution, crosslinking degree, and glass transition temperature (Tg). The accurate identification of epoxide and acrylated groups in triglyceride molecules helps to predict their behavior during the polymerization process. A methodology based on analytical spectrometric techniques, such as direct infusion, mass spectrometry with electrospray ionization, and ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography, is used in combination with FTIR and ¹H NMR to characterize the epoxy and acrylic functionalities in the fatty chains with different numbers of carbon atoms of partially acrylated triglycerides obtained by a non-catalytic reaction.