Mechanical Properties of Rosin-based Bio-epoxy Resin

Epoxy resins which are widely used in various industrial fields such as painting, bonding, and coating, are resins of thermosetting group. These resins, which have high mechanical properties, are used as matrix material in composite material production. Composite materials produced by combining epoxy resins with fibers such as glass, carbon or aramid, are used in aerospace, marine and aviation applications. Most of the epoxy resins are industrially produced and the raw materials used in the production phase are largely petroleum-based. Today, it is increasingly important to produce bio-based plant materials instead of petroleum-based materials. These materials reduce dependence on petroleum and encourage the use of cheaper plant materials found abundantly in the environment. In this study, a bio-based epoxy resin was produced by combining petroleum-based epoxy resin and rosin obtained from wood resin at certain ratios. Then, their mechanical and thermal properties were investigated