Synthesis and properties of Ricinodendron heudelotii oil based hybrid alkyd–acrylate latexes via miniemulsion polymerization

• Ricinodendron heudelotii (Rh) oil as the new source of alkyd–acrylate hybrid latex.
• Rh oil based hybrid latexes act as waterborne binder in coating systems.
• Maleic anhydride (MAH) in the alkyd resin reduces the use of Rh oil diene.
• Rh oil based latexes exhibit fast drying.
• MAH in the alkyd moiety has a significant effect on performances of hybrid latex films.

Ricinodendron heudelotii (R. heudelotii) oil-based novel alkyd–acrylate hybrid latexes were synthesized as waterborne environmental friendly binder for coating systems. Long oil length alkyd resins were synthesized by two-stage alcoholysis–polyesterification reaction with variation of phthalic anhydride (PA) and maleic anhydride (MAH) proportion and further polymerized with methyl methacrylate (MMA) and butyl acrylate (BA) via miniemulsion polymerization. It is found that increasing the proportion of MAH in the alkyd resin enhances monomer conversion and total solid content of the hybrid latex. The latexes exhibited fast drying time at room temperature. The prepared latexes showed a bimodal particle size distribution motion. It is shown that the increase in MAH content in the alkyd moiety has a significant effect on the improved performance properties of hybrid latexes as well as latex films including, fast drying time at room temperature, highly crosslinked network, improved mechanical characteristics before and after UV exposure, better shore A hardness and hydrophobic water repellency contact angle. The results suggested that, the R. heudelotii oil-based alkyd–acrylate hybrid latexes have potential improved properties for manufacture of waterborne coatings and are usable as an alternative to petroleum-based coating systems.