Cross-Linkable Liquid-Crystalline Biopolyesteramide as a Multifunctional Polymeric Platform Designed from Corn Oil Side-Stream Product of Bioethanol Industry.

A tunable biopolyesteramide platform is designed from the corn oil (CnO) side-stream product of bioethanol industry. The (trans)amidation of CnO by diethanolamine (DEA) leads to the generation of a diol monomer (MCnO). The subsequent polymerization of MCnO with maleic anhydride (MA) generated a new kind of branched and brushed amphiphilic polymer (PCnO). This explorative investigation aims to understand the relationship between the reactivity, topology, self-organization, and photoluminescence properties of PCnO and its cross-linked homologous (CPCnO). This strategy offers an easy, inexpensive, and versatile way to design sustainable and soft smart materials.