Currently, crude oil, natural gas, and coal are the principal
raw resources used in chemical synthesis. However, rising petroleum prices,
consumer demands, and environmental concerns have led to the development of
sustainable alternatives. Biomass resources are the most viable option due to
their renewable nature and lack of fossilized carbon release1–3. Despite
numerous reports on synthesis, these alternatives often face limitations like
scarcity in nature or lack of large-scale production. Polymeric derivatives
of itaconic acid (IA) are gaining interest as a high-potential bio-based
alternative to petroleum-based monomers due to their versatility, renewable
nature, commercial availability, and cost-effectiveness, making them a
promising alternative for research and industry4,5 The main challenges in
incorporating bio-based itaconate esters in (meth)acrylic waterborne polymers
are low propagation rate, unfavorable reactivity ratio and depropagation
process. To overcome these challenges seeded semi-batch emulsion
polymerization of 100% bio-based Itaconate esters, Dibutyl itaconate (DBI),
Methyl methacrylate (MMA), and Butyl acrylate (BA), was investigated using
Redox initiator at different temperatures. The results demonstrated that
itaconate monomer incorporation significantly impacted instantaneous
conversion as well as the polymer’s microstructure and mechanical properties.
The study reveals that despite initial concerns about instantaneous
conversion and polymer microstructure due to IE monomer depropagation, 30wt%
itaconate ester was successfully incorporated in a 4-hour reaction time, and
improved kinetics and mechanical properties were achieved using a bio-based
crosslinker. This approach resolves the commercialization dilemma for
itaconate monomers, enabling high-performance bio-based polymers for adhesive
and coating industries.