ENZYMATIC POLYMERIZATION OF PHENOLIC BIOMONOMERS DERIVED FROM CASHEW NUT SHELL LIQUID

Enzymatic polymerization of alkyl phenols derived from a renewable res ource, viz., cashew nut shell, has been carried out in a dioxane-water mixture. The reaction and reaction products have been characterized b y a number of spectroscopic, microscopic, and thermometric methods. Th ese monomers have also been copolymerized with various substituted phe nols. The homopolymers are soluble in organic solvents while the copol ymers are crosslinked, with negligible solubility. Enzymatic polymeriz ation in a dioxane-water solvent mixture results in spherical particle s in the case of homopolymerization while structures without distincti ve morphologies are obtained in the case of copolymerization. The effe cts of dioxane-water composition and solution pH on the polymerization reaction have also been explored.