Facundo I. Altuna¹, Borja Fernández-d’Arlas², M. Angeles Corcuera², Arantxa Eceiza², Mirta I. Aranguren³, Pablo M. Stefani^3*

Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.4, No.4, pp. 275-284, 2016, DOI:10.7569/JRM.2016.634120

Abstract Mixtures of biomass-derived polyols were used to synthesize rigid polyurethane (PU) foams. A commercial polymerized methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (pMDI) was used as crosslinker, and distilled water served as foaming agent. The morphology and mechanical properties of foams with different glycerol and water contents were compared in order to evaluate the most suitable formulations. The rigid foams with higher water contents had larger and more anisotropic cells, explaining their lower density. Compressive moduli ranged from about 2.5 MPa to above 20 MPa and collapse stresses from 55 kPa to more than 1 MPa for densities between More >

Piotr Rojek², Mirta I. Aranguren¹, Aleksander Prociak², Mirna A. Mosiewicki^1*

Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.4, No.4, pp. 266-274, 2016, DOI:10.7569/JRM.2016.634113

Abstract Solid biobased polyurethanes (PUs) were prepared from a rapeseed oil-based polyol (ROPO) synthesized by epoxidation reaction followed by oxirane ring-opening with diethylene glycol. The reference material was modified by replacement of the ROPO with glycerol in different proportions and also by addition of commercial microcellulose (MC). The curing process of the reactive mixtures was monitored by rheological measurements and the analysis showed that both MC and glycerol increase the time of crossover between storage and loss modulus (liquid to solid transition in the response at 1 Hz). The completely cured polyurethanes were characterized by physical, More >

Supakij Suttiruengwong^1,*, Kanchana Sotho¹, Manus Seadan²

Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.2, No.1, pp. 85-92, 2014, DOI:10.7569/JRM.2013.634135

Abstract A one-step process in an internal mixer was used to prepare Poly(butylene succinate) (PBS)/high-loading modifi ed tapioca starch (30–40 wt%) blends with low glycerol content (10–20 wt% of starch) as a plasticizer. To promote a good compatibility, two reactive agents, maleic anhydride (MA)/peroxide and methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI), were selected and compared. The mechanical properties, morphology, and Molau test of the blends were investigated. The compatibility of PBS/starch blends was improved by both reactive agents at the suitable plasticizer loading (glycerol 10 wt% of starch). It was demonstrated that increasing mechanical properties resulted in good More >