Influence of crosslinker on the properties of terpene‐based poly(high internal phase emulsion)s

Abstract Poly(high internal phase emulsion)s (polyHIPEs) are an important class of porous polymeric materials, where HIPEs are used to create hierarchical open porosity. In order to synthesize more sustainable and greener polymer materials, bio‐derived terpene‐based polyHIPEs are becoming increasingly important. Herein, polyHIPEs were synthesized by free radical copolymerization crosslinking of β‐myrcene with flexible poly(ethylene glycol dimethacrylate) or ethylene glycol dimethacrylate in water‐in‐oil HIPEs. The influence of using a flexible oligomeric crosslinker on pore morphology and mechanical properties of the resulting terpene‐based polyHIPEs was investigated. Morphological and mechanical characterization of the terpene‐based polyHIPEs reveals that using crosslinkers with varied flexibility significantly influences pore morphology and mechanical strength. In addition, altering the amount of crosslinker in the HIPE template has proved to be an important parameter in the final material properties. While the structure of the crosslinker has a less pronounced influence on the polyHIPE morphology, mechanical properties are significantly affected due to the difference in the resulting polymer architecture and free volume. © 2024 The Author(s). Polymer International published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.