VOB – Vegetable Oil Based Resins

By: Jon Dougal
Source: September 9, 2008

FFor the last 10 years we have been arguing, cajoling, pushing and prompting the U.S. Plastics Counsel to promote vegetable based plastics. Being a trade group (527) whose mission it is to create, augment, implement and popularize the agenda of the member corporations, we could not understand why bio-based plastics couldn’t be on the agenda as well as petroleum (solvent) based resins and adhesives.

Well time has caught up with the plastics industry. Petroleum prices have shown that they can influence the costs of just about everything based on it. Asphalt, adhesives, filaments- like nylon fiber, paints, plastics, and resins.

While the federal government has mandated “Environmentally Preferable Purchasing” for all federal monies projects as well as 26 states endorsing the same idea, bio-based products are becoming the norm for the construction industry.

Think about it! If a distributor or end user has just leaned of a manufacturer that has discovered an environmentally friendly product that out performs the Toxic two part based epoxy systems, why would either continue to distribute or use the original?

Today more and more manufacturers of building products are seeing the future of green mandates. The big changes for all of us is how are we going to achieve Green results? Manufacturers know that if they are going to maintain their market share they must continually evolve into the greenest of green products and processes. Was it Jeff Imholt the CEO of GE who said “there’s green in Green!”

Shortly, based on recent developments by a California Scientists and inventor, contractors and home builders will be able to purchase some of the highest volume materials made from vegetable oil based epoxies.

Vegetable oil based systems (VOBS) can be used by existing industries for improving current performance and lowering material costs relative to current systems, while virtually eliminating employee exposure to toxic chemicals and lower worker’s compensation insurance. This will substantially reduce the capital costs for occupational safety equipment and drive down health costs.

This newly development VOBS will strongly impact the growth for small business opportunities for economic development without the huge capital costs normally required for safety equipment. Small or large business employee’s can work in a virtually toxic-free workplace without the worry about normal health concerns that are present in today’s market.

This new VOBS is a two part epoxy systems that is hypoallergenic and virtually non-toxic green organic resin for use in the formation of fiberglass and other natural fiber reinforced composites.

The many benefits of the new two part VOBS include the following:

1. During the curing stage the VOBS does not vent off or contain any volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and is non-toxic.

2. The VOBS has demonstrated at a minimum, elongation properties of more than 5 to 10 times that of the standard resin systems.

3. The chemistry of the VOBS allows for the formation of tough leather-like materials as well as a hard, but resilient material. This lends itself to forming a wide array of products.

4. Because the VOBS material can form a firm leather-like material, it readily absorbs shock without initiating tears or cracks. When used to make fiberglass or other reinforced fiber composites, a product emerges that is very hard and yet shows exceptional elongation properties that enable it to absorb intense shocks without initiating failures. The resin and fiber work well together to produce the best properties in the composite.

5. Because the VOBS is dependent on a catalyst, it is possible to vastly change the reaction rate without altering the properties of the cured material. This helps to simplify the system and make it more versatile.

6. An interesting feature of a VOBS is the way it works with its catalyst. The rate of cure is strongly dependant on the cure temperature. It increases by a factor of 3-5 times in going from 60 F to 90 F. This allows one to use a catalyst level that provides a long working time at room temperature, but permits the product to cure up in a short period of time in a warm room so that production rates are not slowed up. The cure rate is also very sensitive to catalyst level. Small increases in catalyst cause inordinately large increases in cure rate which is not normally expected in chemical kinetics.

VOBS Chemical Resistance Factors:

The new VOBS is resistant to mild aqueous acid solutions. Because of its hydrophobic (water resistant) nature the VOBS is very resistant to moisture penetration and degradation and is also not bothered by aqueous salt solutions, as in a marine environment.

VOBS is impact Resistance with Recover Memory:

A distinctly unique feature of a VOBS is that in the cured state it can have a softening point up to ~200 F while at the same time it can exhibit a deformation (or elongation) of 20-25% when under stress at a tensile load of 5,000 lbs/sqin or better without breaking. In other words the hardened material has high impact resistance. If it is not strained to the breaking point, it will recover its original shape over time when the stress is removed. The properties of the recovered material are nearly the same as the untested material.

This means that to some extent it can self-repair most minor distortions imposed upon it. It is not a brittle product and is also not a rubbery product unless so formulated. It is dimensionally very stable. It would have to exceed a tensile load of nearly 5,000 lbs/sqin before it begins to distort.

VOBS Heat distortion temperature:

The heat distortion temperature of the material is greater then 185 degrees Fahrenheit. We believe that the heat distortion temperature of the amine/epoxy system is 165 degrees Fahrenheit. The polyester has a heat distortion temperature of 155 Fahrenheit.

Current Toxic Epoxy Systems:

There are several undesirable aspects to the amine curing agents. They usually have fair volatility and a strong disagreeable odor. The fumes and amines themselves are toxic.

The resins generally used existing epoxies can cause skin sensitivity. These resin systems usually cure to a hard brittle stage, and, if not formulated properly, will continue to harden. This can cause a significant change in properties over time in any composite that is formed with this system.

An additional negative characteristic is that the rate of the reaction cannot be changed without also changing the amine. The amine/epoxy is self-catalyzing, but if you want to change the rate at which it goes you must change the amine, and if you do that you change the properties. Finally, because the catalyst and the curing agent are one and the same, as the reaction progresses and the curing agent hardens; the catalyst is rendered more and more immobile which continually slows the hardening rate.

The objective of the new VOBS is to provide a hypoallergenic, virtually non-toxic green resin system that does not have an obnoxious odor; no irritating fumes no VOCs and a wide ranging cure rate without altering the final cured resin properties.

How much greener can you get?
However, for all the bean counters, it still comes down to cost.

New industries can be included with this product that have never been considered in the past!

For Example:

1. Replace metal panels on vehicles.
2. Reduce overall costs for materials and labor and weight on Boats.
3. Replace Wind turbine blades that cost now 50% of the unit.
4. Thinner less costly and less weight for envelope materials such as OSB and plywood.

The list is endless for the building industry, plus still unforeseen applications in allied industries.

That is the “REAL WORLD of New Technology” “at its “Best”, VOBS reduces capital / labor /material costs, adds higher value to the end products and is “Green” to boot.

For inquires about available licensing or distribution of this new Vegetable Oil Based Epoxy System contact: Mark L Christiance, mchristiance@comcast.net 916-348-5554