Wenjie Dong, Chenlu Wang, Minyan Gu, Long Yang, Zheng Shen^*, Yalei Zhang^*

Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.5, Suppl.1, pp. 22-30, 2017, DOI:10.7569/JRM.2017.634126

Abstract Lactic acid can not only be used to produce multiple chemicals, but can also be the building block for biodegradable and biocompatible polylactic acid identified as a renewable resource. As a by-product in biodiesel production, the glycerol yield increases with a rapid expansion of biodiesel. However, in the chemical and environmental fields it is still a great challenge to produce lactic acid or methyl lactate from glycerol. Herein, Sn-Beta zeolite was prepared through solid-state ion exchange (Sn-Beta SSIE) and was tested for base-free one-pot catalytic selective oxidation of glycerol into methyl lactate in methanol. The More >

Enzo Alvarado-Cordero¹, Gabriela Montes de Oca-Vásquez², Reinaldo Pereira-Reyes², José Vega-Baudrit², Marianelly Esquivel-Alfaro^1*

Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.5, No.3-4, pp. 323-331, 2017, DOI:10.7569/JRM.2017.634123

Abstract Biodegradable polymers from renewable resources are generating growing interest in the plastic industry because they have properties similar to synthetic polymers. Polyhydroxyalkanoates, mainly polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB), have mechanical and physicochemical properties very similar to their synthetic counterparts. This work explores the use of residual glycerol from the bioenergy industry for the production of PHB by Bacillus megaterium DSM 32. The glycerol works as a source of carbon and energy. Raw glycerol was purified with sulfuric acid in order to neutralize saponified fatty acids. The purification process generated three different phases. One of the phases was the… More >

Louis C. Muller^1*, Sanette Marx¹, Hermanus C.M. Vosloo²

Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.5, No.1, pp. 67-80, 2017, DOI:10.7569/JRM.2016.634130

Abstract This work reports a study of polyol synthesis through liquefaction of technical lignins in crude glycerol by means of 1H and 31P NMR spectroscopy. The polyols are intended for preparation of polyurethane foam; thus, it is important to know how different lignin types as well as crude glycerol influence and contribute to the final polyol hydroxyl contents. Polyols prepared from organosolv lignin, kraft lignin and lignosulphonate had hydroxyl numbers suitable for rigid foam of 435, 515 and 529 mgKOH/g, respectively. The polyols differed in composition with glycerol, showing significant variation. During liquefaction the glycerol content More >

Ananda S. Amarasekara^*, Muhammad A. Hasan, Eve Larkin

Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.5, No.1, pp. 62-66, 2017, DOI:10.7569/JRM.2016.634129

Abstract Condensation polymerization of renewable resources-based monomers, 4-ketopimelic acid and glycerol, were studied using two different catalysts; p-toluenesulfonic acid and Sb2O3. The highest polymer yield of 96% was achieved by using a 3:4 mole ratio mixture of 4-ketopimelic acid and glycerol, with Sb2O3 (0.5 mol% relative to 4-ketopimelic acid) as catalyst and heating at 23–210 °C, under N2 for 1 h; then 210 °C, vacuum, 12 h. The poly(4-ketopimelic acid-glycerol) formed is insoluble in all common organic solvents and is shown to contain a branched polymeric structure with ketal and ester links by using FT-IR, 1H More >

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 >