Abstract
Two blends of palm oil and alkyd resins were prepared. The first blend comprises 20% palm oil while the second blend comprises 30% palm oil. These blends contained quantities of fumaric acid ranging from 2g to 10g. Also, a drying agent composed of a mixture of cobalt, calcium and lead compounds was included in each blend sample. After the preparation of the samples, their physicochemical properties such as density, viscosity, drying time, acid value, peroxide value, saponification value, and dry extract were determined following standard methods. Structural properties of prepared blends were determined by proton magnetic nuclear resonance spectroscopy. In the absence of fumaric acid, the analysis showed that the blends exhibited high drying times, low viscosity and density. However, the drying times of both alkyd blends decreased with the increase in fumaric acid content and 20% palm oil is the optimum proportion for alkyd palm oil blend. The results suggest that fumaric acid can be used in alkyd resins based on non-drying oils as a blending additive in coating formulations.