Vegetable oil cast resins via click chemistry: Effects of cross‐linkers

Polymerization of azidated castor, canola, corn, soybean, and linseed oils with two diynes under thermal click chemistry conditions (without a solvent or a catalyst) yielded fully cross‐linked polymers ( 1 – 10 ) with similar density. The use of an aromatic diyne (1,4‐diethynylbenzene) as a cross‐linker resulted in polymers ( 1 – 5 ) that showed higher glass transition and strength and lower swelling, water absorption, and sol fraction than corresponding polymers ( 6 – 10 ) resulting from an aliphatic diyne (1,7‐octadiyne). These polymers exhibited behaviors ranging from soft rubbers to hard plastics. Practical applications: Vegetable oil cast resins prepared by click chemistry are potentially useful electroinsulating materials as potting or encapsulating compounds since no by‐products are generated.