FLEXIBLE POLYURETHANE FOAMS MODIFIED WITH BIO-BASED POLYOLS: SYNTHESIS AND CHARACTERIZATION

GUILLERMO SOTO; NORMA E. MARCOVICH; MIRNA A. MOSIEWICKI

Santa Fe

Simposio; Simposio Argentino de Polímeros SAP 2015; 2015

The aim of this work is the synthesis and characterization of flexible polyurethane foams obtained by replacing a portion of the petroleum based polyether polyol with bio-based polyols, namely glycerol and hydroxylated methyl ester (HMETO), both derived from tung oil. The tung oil based polyol was synthesized by a two-steps method: alkaline transesterification of tung oil and subsequent hydroxylation of the obtained methyl esters with performic acid generated in situ. Glycerol was obtainedas the by-product of the transesterification reaction. Infrared spectroscopy and different analytical procedures (iodine value, acid value and hydroxyl number) were used to characterize the tung oil and reaction products. Polyurethane foams were based on a commercial polyether polyol and modified with 10 wt% glycerol or hydroxylated methyl ester of tung oil as multifunctional bio-based polyols, 4,4?-diphenylmethane diisocyanate (pMDI) as the isocyanate component and water as blowing agent. The characterization of these foams, achieved by measuring the characteristic times during reaction, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), scanning electronic microscopy (SEM) and density measurements, is reported and discussed. The obtained foams are not only a good alternative for applications where low weight, flexibility and insulating properties are desirable but also are more eco-friendly than the control foam prepared by using just the petroleum-based polyol.