In order to reduce over-dependency on fossil fuels and to create an environment that is free of non-degradable plastics, and most importantly to reduce greenhouse gas emission, bio-based products are being developed from renewable resources through intense research to substitute conventional petrochemical-based plastics with renewable alternatives and to replace synthetic fibers with natural fibers. Many authors have done quite a lot of work on synthesizing polymers from renewable origin. Polylactic acid (PLA) has been developed and characterized, and it was found that it has enormous potential and can serve as an alternative to conventional thermoplastics in many applications. Modification of the plant oil triglycerides has been discussed by many authors, and research is still going on in this area. The challenge is how to make these renewable polymers more competitive in the market, and if possible to make them 100% bio-based. There is also a major disadvantage to using a bio-based polymer from plant oils because of the high viscosity, which makes impregnation of fibers difficult. Although natural fibers are hydrophilic in nature, the problem of compatibility with the hydrophobic matrix must be solved; however, the viscosity of the bio-based resin from plant oils will complicate the situation even more. This is why many authors have reported blending of the renewable thermoset resin with styrene. In the process of solving one problem, i.e reducing the viscosity of the renewable thermoset resin by blending with reactive diluents such as styrene, another problem which we intended to solve at the initial stage is invariably being created by using a volatile organic solvent like styrene. The solution to this cycle of problems is to synthesize a thermoset resin from plant oils which will have lower viscosity, and at the same time have higher levels of functionality. This will increase the crosslinking density, and they can be cured at room temperature or relatively low temperature. In view of the above considerations, the work included in this thesis has provided a reasonable solution to the compounded problems highlighted above. Three types of bio-based thermoset resins were synthesized and characterized using NMR, DSC, TGA, and FT-IR, and their processability was studied. The three resins were subsequently reinforced with natural fibers (woven and non-woven), glass fibers, and Lyocell fiber and the resulting natural fiber composites were characterized by mechanical, dynamic mechanical, impact, and SEM analyses. These composites can be used extensively in the automotive industry, particularly for the interior components, and also in the construction and furniture industries. Methacrylated soybean oil (MSO), methacrylic anhydride-modified soybean oil (MMSO), and acetic anhydride-modified soybean oil (AMSO) were found to be suitable for manufacture of composites because of their lower viscosity. The MMSO and MSO resins were found to be promising materials because composites manufactured by using them as a matrix showed very good mechanical properties. The MMSO resin can completely wet a fiber without the addition of styrene. It has the highest number of methacrylates per triglyceride and high crosslink density. / Akademisk avhandling för avläggande av teknologie doktorsexamen vid Chalmers Tekniska högskola försvaras vid offentlig disputation, den 6:e maj, Chalmers, KE-salen, Kemigården 4, Göteborg, kl. 10.00.

Les travaux présentés dans ce manuscrit sont consacrés à l’étude et à l’élaboration de résines de collage bio-sourcées pour remplacer les résines Urée-Formol (UF) d’origine pétrochimique, sources de formaldéhyde, utilisées actuellement dans l’industrie panneautière. Les résines étudiées dans le cadre de cette thèse sont formulées à partir de ressources locales (dextrines issues d’amidon de maïs et tanins d’écorces de pin maritime) et doivent respecter certaines contraintes industrielles. Pour répondre à ces contraintes, les travaux de recherche présentés dans ce mémoire vont de la compréhension structurale des mélanges des produits de base jusqu’à la fabrication de panneaux à l’échelle du laboratoire, en passant par la formulation et la réticulation des différentes résines thermodurcissables. Ces travaux montrent qu’il est nécessaire de travailler en milieu alcalin pour solubiliser les tanins. Dans cette situation, les mélanges tanins/dextrines donnent des suspensions colloïdales. Les fractions massiques en tanins et en dextrines permettant d’obtenir des paramètres respectant le cahier des charges varient de 0 à 40%. La réticulation de ces mélanges par l’épichlorhydrine a permis l’obtention de colles thermodurcissables insolubles dans l’eau ayant une bonne stabilité dimensionnelle à sec, mais un pouvoir gonflant plus ou moins important selon la formulation. Les propriétés adhésives, mécaniques et thermiques de ces matériaux ont été caractérisées et ont permis de sélectionner des formulations de colles ayant les meilleures performances thermomécaniques. Enfin, tout en respectant un protocole industriel, des composites ont été fabriqués à partir de ces colles et des particules de bois. Il a été montré que les panneaux de particules obtenus ont des performances mécaniques équivalentes à ceux fabriqués avec des colles UF. / This work aims to substitute resins based on formaldehyde as UF by “green” thermosetting adhesives based on natural and renewable local products, in the wood composite industry. The resins studied in this thesis are made from local resources (dextrins from corn starch and tannins from maritime pine barks) and must respect certain industrial requirements. To meet these industrial constraints, the research work of this manuscript deals with studies ranging from the structural understanding of basic product mixtures, up to the characterization of the properties of panels manufactured in the lab, including the formulation and reticulation of resins. These studies show that it is necessary to work in an alkaline medium to solubilize the tannins. In this situation, the tannins / dextrin mixtures give colloidal suspensions. The mass fractions in tannins and dextrins allowing to obtain parameters respecting the specifications vary from 0 to 40%. The epichlorohydrin has been used as hardener to cross-link these resins. Thermosetting materials with good dimensional stability have been obtained. However the resin swelling depends on the composition of the formulation. Adhesive, mechanical and thermal properties of these materials were characterized. Thus, adhesive formulations with the best thermomechanical performances have been selected. Finally, composites have been made from these adhesives and wood particles, respecting an industrial procedure. It has been shown that these panels and those obtained with UF adhesives have equivalent mechanical performances.