Use of Limonene Epoxides and Derivatives as Promising Monomers for Biobased Polymers.

(R)-Limonene, a renewable terpene, and its epoxidized derivatives, i. e. limonene epoxides, have prompted growing attention over the last decade as building blocks for the synthesis of biobased monomers and polymers. With the goal of replacing petroleum-based polymers several polymerization techniques have been applied on limonene oxide and limonene dioxide monomers. This paper aims to contribute to the literature by presenting a review dedicated to limonene oxide and dioxide as raw monomers of renewable origin for the development of biobased polymers. The polymerization techniques described are namely the homopolymerization, the copolymerization with carbon dioxide and anhydrides, and the copolymerization of limonene epoxide-based monomers. Limonene oxide polymerizations will be investigated first, followed by limonene dioxide polymerizations.

Preparation of Glass Fabric/Poly(l-lactide) Composites by Thermoplastic Resin Transfer Molding.

This study reports the first example of the production of polylactide composites prepared by Thermoplastic Resin Transfer Molding (T-RTM) via in situ bulk polymerization of l-lactide (l-LA) after injection in a closed mold containing glass fabrics. Tin octoate Sn(Oct)2 was used as the catalyst and first evaluated at the lab-scale in the experimental conditions required in the tank and in the mold of the RTM device. The reactions were then upscaled in the RTM in the absence of reinforcement to ensure the feasibility of the process (transfer and polymerization). Finally, poly-l-lactide (PLLA)-based composites with glass fabrics as the reinforcement were obtained. The resulting PLLA matrices exhibited conversions up to 99% along with high molar masses of up to 78,000 g·mol-1 when the polymerization was carried out under dynamic vacuum (vacuum-assisted RTM, VARTM). Moreover, a good impregnation of the glass fabrics by the matrix was observed by optical microscopy.