Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Research Outcomes
Produced ten soy polymer systems Formulated two white acrylic paints
Soybean Facts
Soybeans constitute 56% of the worlds oilseed production The U.S. alone produces 45% of the worlds soybean crops In 2000, Missouris soybean crop was valued at $831 million for 35% of the states total principal crop value.
Polyesters can be produced with a wide range of physical properties, making them very versatile. Common applications of polyesters include paints and synthetic fabrics. We have focused on developing soy polyesters that can be used in paints.
About 98.3% of a yield of soybeans can be turned into useful raw materials, 18.3% of which is soybean oil Only 24% of the U.S. industrial soybean oil is used in paints, varnishes, resins, and plastics
Polyurethanes are very durable and perform well in many applications. However, they can be more costly than polyacrylates and polyesters, and the chemicals used to make them can be dangerous if not handled properly. Despite their drawbacks, polyurethanes are generally preferred when performance is more important than cost.
Polycarbonate
Epoxy Resin
Project Goals
Develop an acrylic coating system Develop a polyester coating system Construct a database of polymer properties Examine the possibility of producing a soy-based coating system with a quick drying time (< 10 minutes) for use in traffic coatings Explore products that can be used in other applications, such as molded plastics
Above: A picture of a full-grown soybean pod Above: Some of the soy compounds produced while developing the polymer systems Above: A mature soybean plant Below: A test panel coated with an acrylic soy paint
Polycarbonates are also very durable and are often used in creating molded plastics. Polycarbonates are easy to produce industrially, but we do not currently have the necessary equipment to safely produce large amounts of soy polycarbonates.
Epoxy Resins typically possess excellent performance characteristics and are very versatile. They can be used to create two package paints that are mixed immediately before application and create a paint with outstanding physical properties.