Synthesis of Palm Oil- Modified Polyester (Alkyd Resin)

Abstract: Alkyd resin or polyester are polymeric compounds derived by poly-condensation reaction between triglycerides, polyols and phthalic anhydride. Their wide applications in surface-coatings and adhesives had motivated investigations into modification of some renewable, ecofriendly and low cost seed oils as alternatives to the synthetic counterpart.The oil was manually extracted from the seed-mesocarp of palm fruits by cooking, crushing, washing, reheating, decanting and evaporating, to remove excess water molecules from the isolated oil. The percentage yield of the extracted oil was 7.51 7.51 ± 0.001, saponification value (203.57mgKOH/g; iodine value (53.01); specific gravity (0.88 g/ml); etc, were characterized by standard methods. The synthesis of the alkyd resin was carried out under a controlled temperature in a three neck-flask. Physico-chemical analysis of the palm oil modified resin compared well to the commercial grade, in relation to the viscosity, solubility, adhesion, dryness and Fourier Transform Infra-Red tests. Gardner Scale was used to examine the colour, while the refractive index of the oil was determined with Abbe’s refractometer. The impact strength and adhesion resistance of the dry alkyd resin films were determined using tubular impact tester ( ASTM D1709/ISO 7765) and Cross hatch tester (ASTM 3359) respectively. Alkyd resin from renewable source, such as palm oil is an innovative approach to mitigating against pollution from thermosetting plastic wastes, and ensure availability of raw materials for