VEGETABLE OIL-BASED POLYOL for Polyurethane

This wide range of achievable properties makes PUs an indispensable component in coatings, binders, adhesives, sealants, fibers, and foams. Polyurethanes (PUs) are one of the most versatile polymeric materials with regard to both processing methods and mechanical properties. Therefore, academic and industrial researchers are increasingly devoting their attention and efforts to the possible use of renewable feedstocks as raw materials for the production of chemicals and polymeric materials. However, the conventional PU products usually contain a significant amount of organic solvents and sometimes even free isocyanate monomers.

In an age of increasing oil prices, global warming, and other environmental concerns (e.g., waste), a change from fossil feedstocks to renewable resources is necessary for sustainable development into the future. Polyurethanes (PUs) are one of the most versatile polymeric materials with regard to both processing methods and mechanical properties. This wide range of achievable properties makes PUs an indispensable component in coatings, binders, adhesives, sealants, fibers, and foams. Therefore, academic and industrial researchers are increasingly devoting their attention and efforts to the possible use of renewable feedstocks as raw materials for the production of chemicals and polymeric materials. Waterborne PUs present many advantages relative to conventional solvent borne PUs, including low viscosity at high molecular weight and good applicability, and are now one of the most rapidly developing and active branches of PU chemistry and technology. Similar to polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, poly-(ethylene terephthalate), and poly(vinyl chloride), PUs are also generally based on fossil feedstocks, the reserves of which are predicted to last for only approximately 80 more years.

Vegetable oils (VOs), possessing a triglyceride structure with unsaturated fatty acid side chains, are considered to be an important renewable resources for the production of bio-based coatings. Essentially, this low-cost and renewable resources may contain reactive sites suitable for polymerization and functionalization comparative to the existing feed-stock. Due to its versatility, VOs are exploited as precursors to synthesize chemical commodities for large-scale production. They are even tailored to other functionalized raw materials to tap high performance equivalence of solvent-bore feed-stock. Upon chemical treatment, polyols derived from these vegetable oils have found utility in bio-based polyurethane (PU) coating with excellent chemical and physical properties, including enhanced thermal stability and barrier properties.

WATERBORNE POLYURETHANE

Conventional PU products usually contain a significant amount of organic solvents and sometimes even free isocyanate monomers. PUs that range from high-performance elastomers to tough rigid plastics can be easily synthesized by the proper selection of reactants. The increasing need to reduce volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) has led to increased efforts to formulate waterborne PUs for use as coatings, adhesives, and related end uses. Similar to polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, poly-(ethylene terephthalate), and poly(vinyl chloride), PUs are also generally based on fossil feedstocks, the reserves of which are predicted to last for only approximately 80 more years. The increasing need to reduce volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) has led to increased efforts to formulate waterborne PUs for use as coatings, adhesives, and related end uses. PUs that range from high-performance elastomers to tough rigid plastics can be easily synthesized by the proper selection of reactants. Waterborne PUs present many advantages relative to conventional solvent borne PUs, including low viscosity at high molecular weight and good applicability, and are now one of the most rapidly developing and active branches of PU chemistry and technology. In an age of increasing oil prices, global warming, and other environmental concerns (e.g., waste), a change from fossil feedstocks to renewable resources is necessary for sustainable development into the future.Polyol production comprises large fraction of polyurethane industry; one of the widely utilized polymeric binders for foams, coatings, and adhesives. This polyaddtion reaction of urethane as a result of condensation reaction of polyol with isocyanate has excellent abrasion resistance, high toughness, chemical resistance, excellent weathering and UV resistance, and good storage and thermal stability. With expertise and knowledge on polyol functionality, chemical compatibility, and chain extenders, our research team will validate the possibility to disperse the components of polyurethane in waterborne system. This development of environmentally-friendly waterborne polyurethane dispersion's from renewable sources has a promising application as protective coatings.