Bioactive Thymol in Epoxy Network Toward Durable and Protective Polymeric Coatings

Thymol a bioactive phytochemical, is becoming an essential component in the synthesis of monomers, pushing forward advances in the design of functional polymers. The complex reaction process begins with thymol interacting with 1,4-Butanediol diglycidyl ether generates the reactive intermediate 3,3′-(butane-1,4-diylbis-oxy) bis(1-(2-isopropyl-5-methylphenoxy) propan-2-ol). This species undergoes further epoxidation to yield 2,2'-(3,12-bis((2-isopropyl-5-methylphenoxy) methyl)-2,5,10,13-tetraoxatetradecane-1,14-diyl) bis(oxirane) (shortly TMTO ). Thymol which is known for its antimicrobial properties synchronously enhances the protective qualities of coatings applied to metal substrates, thereby improving their resistance to environmental degradation. The structural and functional integrity of polymer was evaluated by analytical tools including techniques such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), gel fraction determination, water uptake measurement, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). These investigations unequivocally demonstrated the performance superiority of the thymol-derived epoxy (TMTO) in terms of molecular stability and reactivity. Further refinement of functional characteristics and molecular architecture was conducted using analytical techniques including gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC-MS), proton nuclear magnetic resonance (¹H-NMR), and infrared (IR) spectroscopy were employed.. These techniques enabled an in-depth exploration of the cured epoxy's thermal robustness, mechanical durability, and anti-corrosive proficiency. Promoting TMTO as an optimal candidate for next-generation polymeric coatings to high-performance applications.