Polymerization of safflower and rapeseed oils

Abstract

Abstract Rates of polymerization of oils from 2 safflower and 2 rapeseed varieties were measured in the air and under vacuum. Thermal polymerization rates showed a stronger dependence on the degree of unsaturation than on oxidative polymerization. Molecular weight distributions of polymerized oils were determined by size exclusion chromatography, and the relationship between viscosity and weight‐average molecular weight was determined.