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 Chinese Traditional Medical Journal 

 

Synthesis and Characterization of Olive Oil based Biodegradable 

Polymers 

Lu Fengyan, Gao Junhong, Wang Yuanyuan 
Department of Needling Manipulation, Institute of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, China Academy of 

Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1. 

INTRODUCTION 

Vegetable oils are fatty acid triglycerides. 

Olive oil has a variety of advantageous 

qualities that enable it to be used in the 

production of important polymeric 

materials such as epoxy, polyester amides 

alkyds, and polyurethane, in addition to its 

many other uses. 1,2,3 The acrylated 

epoxidized resins were made mostly from 

olive oil. The manufacturing technique that 

incorporates stoned olives seems to be a 

technical advancement in the industrial 

production of olive oil. 4,5 Several studies 

have shown the advantages of the 

destoning method for phenolic 

compounds. 6 

Nowadays, there is a rising interest in 

biopolymer production. Biopolymers 

derived from oil offer a number of benefits 

over polymers derived from petroleum 

monomers. Recently, bio-based 

thermosetting polymers derived from 

vegetable oils, such as epoxy olive oil and 

epoxy sunflower oil, have been produced 

Abstract: Similar to olive oil, plant oil is a fat extracted from the fruit of the olea 

europaco family oleaceae, a typical Mediterranean crop. It is used to make 

polymeric materials. These are derived from naturally occurring renewable 

resources. The purpose of this work was to determine the composition and 

characteristics of a biodegradable polymer derived from a non-volatile oil such as 

olive oil. The influence of olive oil-based acrylated epoxidized resin on monomers 

such as methyl methacrylate and vinyl acetate was investigated in this study using 

the thermal polycondensation process with the inclusion of a catalyst. Additionally, 

solubility tests, TG-DTA (Thermo Gravimetric – Differential Thermal 

Examination) and mechanical analysis, SEM analysis, and chemical investigations 

were performed on newly produced copolymers. These polymers displayed a broad 

variety of mechanical and degrading properties that may be tailored by monomer 

selection. 

Keywords: Biodegradation, Epoxidization, Methyl methacrylate (MMA), Vinyl 

acetate (VA), Olive Oil. 

 



CTMJ | traditionalmedicinejournals.com                                       Chinese Traditional Medicine Journal | 2021 | Vol4|Issue5 
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in many formulations. These polymers 

include a functional epoxie group that may 

be reacted with appropriate curing agents 

to form an elastomeric network. 7 

Epoxidized flaxseed oil and its derivatives 

have shown promise as reactive resins due 

to the oil's unsaturation, which may be 

chemically changed by simple processes. 

2. EXPERIMENTAL 

2.1 Materials Used 

Olive oil that is commercially accessible 

was utilised. 

Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), glacial acetic 

acid, sulphuric acid, acrylic acid, triethyl 

amine, and benzene were all utilised as 

compounds. 

Sigma-Aldrich Chemical Company 

provided the monomers methyl 

methacrylate and vinyl acetate.  

3. RESULT AND DISCUSSION 

 Polymer Preparation 

Olive oil was epoxidized with glacial 

acetic acid and H2O2 in a 250 ml round 

bottomed flask for 12 hours at 80°C. 

Separating the mixture using a separating 

funnel and collecting the epoxy resin in a 

beaker. 

After epoxidation, the olive oil was 

acrylated using acrylic acid. The catalyst 

was triethylamine, while the solvent was 

benzene. The reaction mixture was then 

refluxed for about 20 minutes at 80°C–

100°C with steady agitation in a nitrogen 

environment and collected in the beaker to 

yield acrylated epoxidized olive oil 

(AEOO). The olive oil acrylated 

epoxidized resin was co-polymerized with 

co-monomers such as Methyl methacrylate 

(MMA) and Vinyl acetate [VA]. The 

initiator was benzoyl peroxide, while the 

accelerator was N,N1 dimethyl aniline. 

The slurry was cast onto a clean silicon 

oil-spread glass plate and cured at 100oC 

for 1 hour. All cured materials 

demonstrated a high degree of toughness, 

elastometry, and transparency. The 

acrylated epoxidized olive oil (AEOO) 

was made as illustrated in Figure 1. 

Figure 1: Synthesis of Acrylated 

epoxidized olive oil resin 

Thermal analysis 

Thermal studies of the polymers was 

determined by TG-DTA analysis. Thermo 

gravimetric analysis (TGA) was performed 

by perkins elimer thermo gravimetric 

analyzer over the temperature ranging 

from 30oC to 700oC at a heating rate of 

10oC/min under nitrogen gas atmosphere. 

Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) was 

utilised to determine the polymers' heat 

stability. The TG-DTA curves of 

OLIAEMMA and OLIAEVA in Figures 2 

and 3 illustrate the breakdown behaviour 

of the polymers samples in a nitrogen 

environment. The bulk polymer is 

thermally stable below 100oC and 

decomposes between 100oC and 250oC. 

Stage [1], stage [2] between 250oC and 

450oC, and stage [3] over 450oC. The 

bulk polymer's initial breakdown stage 

[stage 1] is mostly due to evaporation and 

decomposition of unreacted free oil. At a 

heating rate of 20oC/min, the 

decomposition temperature of the strongly 

crosslinked polymer exceeds 400oC, 

which is about the temperature at which 

the bulk polymer decomposes in stage 2. 

This procedure results in the degradation 

and development of char on the cross 

linking polymer network. Above 460oC, 

the char residues progressively oxidise and 

release oxygen into the air. As a result, the 

final temperature region is same for all 

polymers. 



CTMJ | traditionalmedicinejournals.com                                       Chinese Traditional Medicine Journal | 2021 | Vol4|Issue5 
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Figure 2: TG-DTA curve of olive oil methyl methacrylate 

 

 

Figure 3: TG-DTA curve of olive oil vinyl acetate 

The DTA curve of an 

OLIAEMMA polymer sample exhibits an 

endothermic peak about 290°C, which 

corresponds to the polymer network's 

melting point, and two exotherms. The 

first exotherm occurs at around 260°C and 

is caused by the cleavage of a long alkyl 

side chain. The second exotherm in the 

sample occurs strongly at 370°C and 

corresponds to the breakdown and 

synthesis of char from the cross linking 

polymer network. 

Similarly, the DTA curve of the 

OLIAEVA polymer sample exhibits an 

endothermic peak at 300°C, which 

corresponds to the polymer network's 

melting point, and two exotherms at 260°C 

and 370°C. When compared to DTA 

curves, OLIAEVA polymer had a slightly 



CTMJ | traditionalmedicinejournals.com                                       Chinese Traditional Medicine Journal | 2021 | Vol4|Issue5 
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higher melting point than OLIAEMMA 

polymer. 

 

 Mechanical Studies 

Tensile strength of the produced 

polymers was evaluated using a dumb-

bell-shaped cut from the specimen using 

an Instron UTM, a ten-ton static universal 

testing machine. The valves depicted were 

the mean of around three to four samples. 

In contrast to plastics, the novel polymeric 

material displayed tensile stress strain 

behaviour. According to the rubber 

elasticity theory E1=3veRT, the cross link 

densities re were estimated from the 

rubbery modulus plateau. Where E1 

denotes the number of cross-linked co-

polymers in the plateau area with a storage 

modulus of 1. The universal constant 

(8.314 I-mol-1.k-1) is denoted by R, while 

the absolute temperature is denoted by T. 

Table 1 summarises the mechanical 

parameters of thermosetting polymers, 

including tensile strength, percentage of 

elongation, Youngs modulus, and shore 'D' 

hardness

. 

Table 1: Mechanical Properties of polymers 

 

 
 

Polymer Sample 

Cross link 

density 

(X10-3) 

Mol. Wt. 

between 

cross links 

(mol-1) 

Tensile 

Strength 

×105Pa 

 
% of 

elongation 

Young’s 

Modulus 

×105Pa 

 
Shore D 

hardness 

OLIAE50MMA50 1.15 867 3.10 0.62 80 52.5 

OLIAE75MMA25 1.01 988 3.25 0.67 99 56.4 

OLIAE25MMA75 1.23 812 3.01 0.60 103 57.2 

OLIAE50VA50 3.72 269 9.29 2.51 258 59.3 

OLIAE75VA25 3.63 275 9.42 2.67 244 58.2 

OLIAE25VA75 3.73 268 9.12 2.43 267 58.7 

 

 

In the preceding Table 1, polymer samples 

such as MMA and VA are listed at various 

concentrations. 

 The findings indicate that the 

polymer samples created from these 

polymers have a high tensile strength and a 

high young's modulus, but the polymer 

samples made from OLIAEMMA have a 

low tensile strength and a low young's 

modulus. The tensile strength and youthful 

modulus of elasticity of polymers rise as 

the cross link density increases. 

 Biodegradation – Soil burial 

Tests 

We explored the biodegradation of 

polymers using a soil burial approach. For 

the soil burial test, copies of the sample 

(5x3cm) were buried 30cm below the 

ground surface in garden soil and injected 

with sewage sludge capable of sticking to 

and degrading the polymer film for three 



CTMJ | traditionalmedicinejournals.com                                       Chinese Traditional Medicine Journal | 2021 | Vol4|Issue5 
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months. 10 The test specimen was 

obtained from the soil on a regular basis 

and meticulously cleaned to eliminate any 

related debris or dust before being vacuum 

dried. The connection was used to evaluate 

weight reduction after 30 and 60 days. 11 

Degree of biodegradation, 𝐷 = W𝑜−W𝑡 × 

100 

W𝑜 

Where, how much weight does the original 

film have? 

Wt - weight of leftover film after various 

times of deterioration. 

 

Table 2 summarises the biodegradation of 

polymer samples generated by free radical 

copolymerization of olive oil acrylated 

epoxidized resin with varied concentration 

monomers such as MMA and VA. 

Table 2: Percentage of Biodegradation of polymer sample from olive oil 

 

Polymer Sample  
Degree of Biodegradation % 

30 days 60 days 

OLIAEMMA 10.8 26.48 

OLIAEVA 3.7 8.37 

 

The findings obtained from the soil burial test indicate that the amount of biodegradation 

rises as the monomer concentration drops. According to this research, biodegradation is rapid 

in OLIAEMMA and slow in OLIAEVA polymer. 

SEM Analysis 

SEM is commonly used for studying both the surface morphology, and cellular response of 

bio materials. Figure 4 shows the SEM micrographs of the polymer OLIAEMMA, 

OLIAEVA. 

 

 

  



CTMJ | traditionalmedicinejournals.com                                       Chinese Traditional Medicine Journal | 2021 | Vol4|Issue5 
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SEM Micrograph of OLIAEMMA (Before) SEM Micrograph of OLIAEMMA (After) 

 

  

SEM Micrograph of OLIAEVA (Before)                                                                  SEM Micrograph of OLIAEVA (After) 

Figure 4: SEM Micrographs of Polymers before and after soil burial test 

 

 

Chemical Resistance 

Chemical resistance of freshly synthesised 

polymer samples was investigated by 

immersing them in different solvents such 

as CCl4, CHCl3 diethyl ether, toluene, and 

DMSO for one week and four weeks and 

evaluating the dimensional changes. 

Weight loss was also determined after 45 

days. 

The degree to which polymers are attacked 

by chemicals is governed by a variety of 

characteristics, both chemical and 

polymer-specific. Chemical resistance of 

freshly manufactured polymer samples 

was investigated by immersing them in 

different solvents such as CCl4, Toluene, 

CHCl3, diethyl ether, and DMSO for one 

week and four weeks and evaluating the 

dimensional changes. Weight loss was also 

determined after 45 days. All polymeric 

samples generated are quite stable, 

however owing to their fragility, they 

degrade somewhat in Toluene, CHCl3, 

diethyl ether, DMSO, and CCl4 (Table 3). 

Polymer samples exhibit increased 

chemical resistance and are biodegradable. 

Table 3: Weight loss of polymers in various solvents 

 

Solvents 
Weight loss % in 45 days 

OLIAEMMA OLIAEVA 



CTMJ | traditionalmedicinejournals.com                                       Chinese Traditional Medicine Journal | 2021 | Vol4|Issue5 
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Toluene 6.3 3.4 

Diethyl ether 4.5 3.7 

CCl4 6.3 4.5 

CHCl3 6.2 4.1 

DMSO 7.2 3.5 

 
Figure 5 compares the stability of the polymers OLIAEMMA and OLIAEVA to a variety of 

chemicals. According to the research, olive oil polymers (OLIAEMMA) have a lower 

chemical resistance than the other polymer, OLIAEVA. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Figure 5: Chemical resistance of polymers in various chemicals 

 

  

  

  

CONCLUSION 

Edible oils originating from plants, such as 

olive oil, that have been employed in the 

manufacture of acrylated epoxidized resin. 

These resins are used to create a broad 

variety of polymers with varying 

mechanical characteristics. These resins 

are very durable and robust. 

The newly synthesised polymeric samples, 

such as OLIAEVA, have a high tensile 

strength and a low modulus in comparison 

to conventional thermosetting polymers. 

This demonstrates that the polymer 

samples are very rigid and flexible, similar 

to plastics. The low tensile strength and 

low young modulus of samples such as 

OLIAEMMA show that the sample is soft 

and rubbery. The soil burial test indicates 

8 

7 

6 

5 

4 

3 

2 

1 

0 

OLIAEMMA 

OLIAEVA 

Toluene Diethyl 

ether 

CCl4 CHCl3 DMSO 

Solvents 



CTMJ | traditionalmedicinejournals.com                                       Chinese Traditional Medicine Journal | 2021 | Vol4|Issue5 
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that the polymer samples created are only 

slightly biodegradable and are very stable, 

although they degrade in chemicals such as 

toluene, CHCl, CCl, dietherether, and 

DMSO, indicating that the polymer 

samples exhibit a high level of chemical 

resistance. 

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