Isosorbide bis(methyl carbonate) (IBMC) is a scarcely studied green chemical with potential applications in the manufacturing of non-isocyanate polyurethanes and bisphenol A-free polycarbonates. Its synthesis by transesterification of isosorbide with dimethyl carbonate (DMC) is very negatively influenced by the presence of small amounts of acidic impurities in isosorbide when heterogeneous inorganic carbonates such as potassium and cesium carbonates are used as catalysts. In this paper it is shown that the problem can be solved by using homogeneous catalysts consisting of nitrogenated bases and superbases having a suitable dual nucleophilic–basic character and able to form a highly reactive acyl intermediate with the electrophilic reactant DMC. Cycloaliphatic secondary and tertiary amines, guanidines and amidines covering a nucleophilicity parameter (N) range between 13.58 and 20.58 in either acetonitrile or dichloromethane, and a pK_a range in acetonitrile between 15.68 and 26.02 have been tested in batchwise mode. Highly active catalysts leading to hydroxyl conversions of 84–93% require a minimum N of 16 and a pK_a ranging from 18.0 to 26.0. Within this pK_a range, N must increase by about 0.5–0.6 units per each unit the pK_a falls to keep the catalytic activity, indicating that nucleophilicity has approximately twice as much influence as basicity on the catalytic activity. One guanidine (TBD), one amidine (DBN) and three cycloaliphatic secondary amines (N-methylpyrrolidine, quinuclidine and DABCO) have been found to be excellent catalysts at 5 mol% vs. ISO. The side reaction leading to oligomer formation is not avoided, with oligomers, mainly the dimer, affording 6 wt% of the crude product independently of hydroxyl-conversion and catalyst type.

The acrylation degree of vegetable oils plays a relevant role in determining the mechanical properties of the resulting polymers. Both epoxide and acrylate functionalities participate in polymerization reactions, producing various types of chemical bonds in the polymer network, which contribute to specific properties such as molecular size distribution, crosslinking degree, and glass transition temperature (Tg). The accurate identification of epoxide and acrylated groups in triglyceride molecules helps to predict their behavior during the polymerization process. A methodology based on analytical spectrometric techniques, such as direct infusion, mass spectrometry with electrospray ionization, and ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography, is used in combination with FTIR and ¹H NMR to characterize the epoxy and acrylic functionalities in the fatty chains with different numbers of carbon atoms of partially acrylated triglycerides obtained by a non-catalytic reaction.

This study reports the development of multifunctional silica aerogel-based composites designed to balance ultralow thermal conductivity, enhanced mechanical robustness, and surface electrical conductivity for advanced aerospace applications. Silica aerogel panels were fabricated via an optimized molding process using a latex-based binder system. The resulting composites achieved a density of 0.171 g/cm³ and maintained super-insulating performance with a thermal conductivity (λ) of 0.0160 W/m·K, effectively preventing thermal bridging by restricting binder infiltration to the interstitial voids between aerogel particles. Mechanical characterization revealed a significant improvement in structural integrity over monolithic aerogels, with a Young’s modulus of 2.1 ± 0.1 MPa and a compressive stress at 10% deformation of 123 ± 6 kPa. To impart electrical functionality for the mitigation of electrostatic charges, a reduced graphene oxide (rGO) coating was developed via a one-step hydrothermal synthesis and deposited using a spray-coating technique. The nature of the dopants used in the rGO synthesis significantly influenced the final properties, with rGO-Fe providing the highest electrical conductivity (1.07 ± 0.22 S/cm) and rGO-Mg/Na exhibiting the highest hydrophobicity (contact angles up to 126.3°). Although the graphene coatings slightly increased the thermal conductivity (e.g., 0.0208 W/m·K for rGO-Mg), the composites remained highly efficient insulators. The developed multifunctional materials offer a lightweight solution that integrates thermal protection with essential electrical and mechanical properties.