Chemical curing of alkyd resin catalyzed by benzoylferrocene: Performance, kinetics, and thickness effects

Abstract

Catalytic properties of benzoylferrocene, as a representative of cobalt-free drier, was investigated on alkyd resin modified with soybean oil. Mechanical tests, performed on alkyd films, revealed promising activity at low metal concentrations. A detailed analysis of time resolved infrared spectra was used for in-depth investigation of chemical curing in the films. The experiments, performed in transmission mode, enabled determination of kinetic parameters for the autoxidation process. Effects of film thickness were investigated using attenuated total reflectance technique.