Turning Plants Into Paint New Applications of Soybean Oil

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Turning Plants Into Paint New Applications of
Soybean Oil
By Eric Wiedner and Dr. Harvest Collier
Department of Chemistry University of Missouri
Rolla
Info on Polymer Types Polyacrylates are a
commonly used in many household paints and in
applications that are governed more by cost
efficiency than high performance. Polyacrylates
are the polymer of choice for latex paints.
However, all of our acrylic soy polymers tend to
foam when mixed with water, making them not
suitable for use in latex paints. 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. 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. 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.

• Research Outcomes
• Produced ten soy polymer systems
• Formulated two white acrylic paints
• Formulated a white polyester coating
• Demonstrated preliminary evidence that soy
  polymers can be used in manufacturing molded
  plastics
• 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.
• 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

• Project Description
• The goal of this project is to transform soybean
  oil into commercially viable paint and coatings
  systems. Because it is derived from soybean
  plants, soybean oil is a renewable resource that
  is already produced in large quantities. We have
  demonstrated that soybean oil can be incorporated
  into a variety of polymers. We have made a
  number of different paints with our soybean
  polymers, and we plan to create a soy polymer
  database for quick reference when designing paint
  for a specific application. We are also looking
  at the feasibility of using our soy polymers to
  manufacture molded plastic goods.
• 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 (lt 10
  minutes) for use in traffic coatings
• Explore products that can be used in other
  applications, such as molded plastics

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
Above A picture of a full-grown soybean pod