Waste Grease to Tunable Biobased Copolymers: Brown Grease Fatty Amide Analogs as Antibacterial Epoxy Curing Agents

Abstract

Arylated and non-arylated fatty amide analogs derived from waste grease and beechwood creosote are utilized as sustainable epoxy curing agents to produce biobased thermosetting copolymers with tunable mechanical, thermal, and antibacterial properties. The heat deflection temperature and stiffness of these copolymers increase with their arylation ratio; however, their tensile strength and antibacterial potency maximize at the mid-range. Strikingly, regardless of their arylation ratio, all these fat-based copolymers endure temperatures as high as 300 °C and uniformly bind to natural fabrics, e.g., cotton, making them waterproof. These desirable features and tunable properties open various possibilities for the utilization of recycled fats, oils, and greases (FOGs) in the production of value-added products, including but not limited to stain-resistant or self-cleaning personal protective equipment and surface coatings, nonstick antimicrobial wound dressings or bandages, fillers or sealants for electrical waterproofing, and numerous types of composites.