Lignin and soy oil-derived polymeric biocomposites by "grafting from" RAFT polymerization

"Grafting from" RAFT polymerization was carried out on lignin using three soybean oil-derived methacrylate monomers toward sustainable biocomposites. These grafted biocomposites showed structure-dependent thermal and mechanical properties. The presence of hydrogen bonding between secondary amides resulted in grafted copolymers with much higher glass transition temperature and different tensile behaviors. Epoxy resins prepared from epoxide-containing grafted polymers exhibited much tougher mechanical properties compared with uncured biocomposites.