Biobased Polyurethane Composite Foams Reinforced with Plum Stones and Silanized Plum Stones

In the following study, ground plum stones and silanized ground plum stones were used as natural fillers for novel polyurethane (PUR) composite foams. The impact of 1, 2, and 5 wt.% of fillers on the cellular structure, foaming parameters, and mechanical, thermomechanical, and thermal properties of produced foams were assessed. The results showed that the silanization process leads to acquiring fillers with a smoother surface compared to unmodified filler. The results also showed that the morphology of the obtained materials is affected by the type and content of filler. Moreover, the modified PUR foams showed improved properties. For example, compared with the reference foam (PUR_REF), the foam with the addition of 1 wt.% of unmodified plum filler showed better mechanical properties, such as higher compressive strength (~8% improvement) and better flexural strength (~6% improvement). The addition of silanized plum filler improved the thermal stability and hydrophobic character of PUR foams. This work shows the relationship between the mechanical, thermal, and application properties of the obtained PUR composites depending on the modification of the filler used during synthesis.

�Green Carbon� from Algae for Automotive Applications

Due to the continuous decrease in the level of oil resource, nowadays researchers from all fields are concerned with the creation of new bio plastics with special properties. The present work presents a series of such properties, which become achievable when reinforcing organic fibre materials obtained by reactive extrusion of thermoplastic Polyurethan (TPU) with Polylactid-Acid (PLA) in a twin-screw extruder and covalently linked into PLA-TPU-Blends, through the innovative one-step process technology, using the IMC Krauss Maffei injection moulding compounder, at the IKT University of Stuttgart. The elongation at break of PLA-TPU-Blends and the impact strength could be increased without significant reduction of strength and stiffness. A balanced relation between improved impact strength and reduced stiffness can be achieved by varying of the blend components. By using the partially biobased Polyurethane and natural fibres, a biobased content of more than 90% could be achieved. More and more advanced technologies allow the manufacture of components with reinforcements made of glass fibres, natural or carbon fibres obtained from polypropylene or Lignin. Due to their low specific weight compared to glass, carbon fibres are preferred for lightweight structures in the automotive or aeronautics industries. Green Carbon fibres, made in innovative ways from acrylonitrile resulting in the production of Bio-Diesel from algae, can successfully replace the conventional carbon fibres of Polypropylene, having identical properties. Fibre reinforcement aims to improve mechanical strength and impact resistance and increases the dimensional stability under heat of the composite. This feasibility study shows a method to realize fibre-reinforced materials using Green Carbon fibres with remarkable stability and rigidity similar or better than aluminum and steel for lightweight constructions.

Fourier-Transform Infra Red (FTIR) Analysis of UV Curing Biobased-Polyurethane from Epoxidized Palm Oil Using Acrylation and Thiols Addition

This study is conducted to synthesis bio-polyurethane from epoxidized palm oil (EPO). Palm oil-based polyurethane was synthesized by the acrylation process followed by thiols addition. The resulting oligomers were then reacted with isophorone diisocyanate (IPDI) and dibutylin dilaurate (DBTDL) to form Thiolated Acrylated Epoxidized Palm Oil Urethane (t-AEPOU). t-AEPOU was then reacted under UV photoirradiation for further reaction and to pre-determine its curing activities. The polymerization of AEPO and t-AEPOU were confirms by using Attenuated Total Reflection - Fourier-Transform Infra Red (ATR-FTIR). This study affords new approach in synthesis of Palm Oil bio-based Polyurethane Coating.

Jatropha Oil as a Substituent for Palm Oil in Biobased Polyurethane

Polyurethanes (PUs) are unique polymers that can be tailored to suit certain applications and are increasingly used in many industrial fields. Petrochemicals are still used as the main compound to synthesize PUs. Today, environmental concerns arise in the research and technology innovations in developing PUs, especially from vegetable polyols which are having an upsurge. These are driven by the uncertainty and fluctuations of petroleum crude oil price and availability. Jatropha has become a promising substituent to palm oil so as to reduce the competition of food and nonfood in utilizing this natural resource. Apart from that, jatropha will solve the problem related to the European banning of palm oil. Herein, we review the literature on the synthesis of PUs using different vegetable oils and compare it with jatropha oil and its nanocomposites reinforced with cellulose nanocrystals. Given the potential of vegetable oil PUs in many industrial applications, we expect that they will increase commercial interest and scientific research to bring these materials to the market soon.

Oxazolidone formation: myth or fact? The case of biobased polyurethane foams from different epoxidized triglycerides

Study of the oxazolidone formation by reaction between disubstituted epoxide and isocyanate in polyurethane foams and model.

Preliminary environmental and economic assessment of polyurethane foam produced by microwave-assisted liquefaction of riparian shrubs

The study aims to develop a full-scale plant to produce biobased PU foam from microwave liquefaction of riparian shrubs and to evaluate its environmental burden using a cradle-to-gate, scaled-up LCA approach. Life Cycle Inventory was built on experimental data for polyol synthesis by using Response Surface Methodology (RSM) to maximize the liquefaction yield. Bio-based PU foam was also compared with the petrochemical counterpart. Life Cycle Assessment was carried out using SimaPro 9.0 software and impacts were evaluated with EPD 2007 method. The results indicate that the methylene diphenyl diisocyanate production and the energy consumption for the liquefaction step are the major sources of impacts. Overall, the environmental superiority of biobased polyurethane cannot always be claimed with respect to their fossil counterpart. Finally, a simplified economic assessment showed that for the bio-based PU foam an interesting profitability could be obtained for a market price of 4.5 €/kg.