Polyurethanes from benzene polyols synthesized from vegetable oils: Dependence of physical properties on structure

Development of High-Performance Biodegradable Rigid Polyurethane Foams Using Full Modified Soy-Based Polyols

Fossil fuel resources depletion and growing concern about environmental issues have raised the demand for newly sustainable biomaterials. To address this challenge, a new type of biodegradable and environmental rigid polyurethane foam called rigid polyurethane foams (RPUF)-M from full modified soy-based polyols have been synthesized without the addition of petroleum-based polyols. On the basis of the analysis of structure-activity relationship, a new kind of biobased polyurethane polyols called Bio-polyol-M was designed and synthesized directly from epoxidized soybean oil and a novel polyhydroxy compound in a three-step continuous microflow system. In the continuous microflow system, the epoxidation of soybean oil, the synthesis of GLPO (glycerine with styrene oxide), and the ring-opening reaction of epoxidized soybean oil were coupled. Another soy-polyol called Bio-polyol-B was synthesized in batch mode. In comparison to those of Bio-polyol-B, Bio-polyol-M had a higher hydroxyl number and a much lower viscosity. The RPUF-M also possessed a series of advantages over the rigid polyurethane foam called RPUF-B from Bio-polyol-B.

Vegetable oil derived solvent, and catalyst free "click chemistry" thermoplastic polytriazoles

Azide-alkyne Huisgen “click” chemistry provides new synthetic routes for making thermoplastic polytriazole polymers—without solvent or catalyst. This method was used to polymerize three diester dialkyne monomers with a lipid derived 18 carbon diazide to produce a series of polymers (labelled C18C18, C18C9, and C18C4 based on monomer chain lengths) free of residual solvent and catalyst. Three diester dialkyne monomers were synthesized with ester chain lengths of 4, 9, and 18 carbons from renewable sources. Significant differences in thermal and mechanical properties were observed between C18C9 and the two other polymers. C18C9 presented a lower melting temperature, higher elongation at break, and reduced Young's modulus compared to C18C4 and C18C18. This was due to the “odd-even” effect induced by the number of carbon atoms in the monomers which resulted in orientation of the ester linkages of C18C9 in the same direction, thereby reducing hydrogen bonding. The thermoplastic polytriazoles presented are novel polymers derived from vegetable oil with favourable mechanical and thermal properties suitable for a large range of applications where no residual solvent or catalyst can be tolerated. Their added potential biocompatibility and biodegradability make them ideal for applications in the medical and pharmaceutical industries.