Castor oil-based Polyurethanes containing Cellulose Nanocrystals

V. M. WIK; M. I. ARANGUEN; M. A. MOSIEWICKI

POLYMER ENGINEERING AND SCIENCE

JOHN WILEY & SONS INC

Año: 2011 vol. 51 p. 1389 - 1396

0032-3888

Polyurethanes (PU) based on castor oil (CO) covering a wide range of properties were prepared. A castor oil-based polyol (COPO) was obtained by alcoholysis of castor oil with triethanolamine. The COPO was used in the preparation of partially-foamed and solid PU. Cellulose nanofibrils (NC) in the range of the rheological percolation content were incorporated to the materials and the final mechanical properties of these nanocomposites were analyzed. The cellulose nanofibrils incorporated considerably affect the properties of the solid PU. The compatibility between matrix and fibrils is very good, and it is explained as the result of a chemical bonding of the NC to the polymeric network. The tensile modulus increases significantly, with respect to the unfilled PU, with the addition of just 0.5 wt% of NC, a behavior that is associated to the inclusion of the rigid particle reinforcement and the interfacial bonding.