Laima Vevere^*, Beatrise Sture, Vladimir Yakushin, Mikelis Kirpluks, Ugis Cabulis

Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.12, No.3, pp. 585-602, 2024, DOI:10.32604/jrm.2024.047350

Abstract Cryogenic insulation material rigid polyurethane (PU) foams were developed using bio-based and recycled feedstock. Polyols obtained from tall oil fatty acids produced as a side stream of wood biomass pulping and recycled polyethylene terephthalate were used to develop rigid PU foam formulations. The 4th generation physical blowing agents with low global warming potential and low ozone depletion potential were used to develop rigid PU foam cryogenic insulation with excellent mechanical and thermal properties. Obtained rigid PU foams had a thermal conductivity coefficient as low as 0.0171 W/m·K and an apparent density of 37–40 kg/m³. The developed rigid PU foams had… More > Graphic Abstract

A. Paberza^*, L. Stiebra, U. Cabulis

Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.3, No.1, pp. 19-27, 2015, DOI:10.7569/JRM.2014.634138

Abstract Rigid polyurethane foams were obtained from pulp production byproducts. Three different polyols were used—tall oil polyol, lignopolyol and commercially available polyol for comparison. The obtained rigid polyurethane foams underwent photodegradation at 60°C temperature and at 0.89 W/m² intensity of UV light radiation up to 1000 h. Changes in chemical structure were observed by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy and Scanning Electron Microscopy was used to study changes in cell morphology. Spectrophotometery was used to determine yellowing of the foams. Results showed that the thickness of degraded layer for rigid polyurethane foams obtained from pulp production byproducts was ~25% less than for… More >

Beatrise Sture^1,*, Mikelis Kirpluks¹, Sergejs Gaidukovs², Edgars Vanags¹

Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.8, No.9, pp. 1077-1089, 2020, DOI:10.32604/jrm.2020.09294

Abstract Photocurable systems are more effective, faster and require less energy than conventional thermal curing methods. To facilitate the ongoing transition toward a biobased economy, photoactive compounds were synthesized from tall oil fatty acids (TOFA) which is a by-product from wood pulping. In this study, photoactive monomers were synthesized by two different chemical pathways using oleic acid and TOFA as raw materials. Firstly, double bonds present in TOFA were epoxidized, followed by epoxy ring-opening with acrylic acid which introduced photoactive functional groups into the fatty acid backbone. Intermediates and final products were analysed using titration methods (acidic value, epoxy value, iodine… More >

Günter Wuzella¹, Arunjunai Raj Mahendran¹, Andreas Kandelbauer^2,*

Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.8, No.5, pp. 499-512, 2020, DOI:10.32604/jrm.2020.09615

Abstract Here, we report the mechanical and water sorption properties of a green composite based on Typha latifolia fibres. The composite was prepared either completely binder-less or bonded with 10% (w/w) of a bio-based resin which was a mixture of an epoxidized linseed oil and a tall-oil based polyamide. The flexural modulus of elasticity, the flexural strength and the water absorption of hot pressed Typha panels were measured and the influence of pressing time and panel density on these properties was investigated. The cure kinetics of the biobased resin was analyzed by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) in combination with the iso-conversional… More >

Edgars Vanags*, Mikelis Kirpluks, Ugis Cabulis and Zuzana Walterova

Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.6, No.7, pp. 764-771, 2018, DOI:10.7569/JRM.2018.634111

Abstract In this work, free tall oil fatty acids were epoxidized with in-situ generated peroxyacetic acid. Reaction kinetics of epoxidation was investigated by oxirane content and iodine value titrimetric determination, as well as FTIR spectra analysis. A highly functional biobased polyol was synthesized by functionalizing epoxidized tall oil fatty acids with triethanolamine using Montmorillonite K10 as a catalyst. The obtained polyol was analyzed by FTIR and MALDI-TOF MS. The most common chemical and physical characteristics of obtained polyol were determined. More >

A. Ivdre^1*, G.D. Soto², U. Cabulis¹

Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.4, No.4, pp. 285-293, 2016, DOI:10.7569/JRM.2016.634122

Abstract This study presents the synthesis of novel polyols made from tall oil (TO) and poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) with different TO/PET molar ratios. Rigid polyurethane foams based on these synthesized polyols were obtained and characterized to evaluate polyols’ suitability for the development of light materials with insulating properties. The effect of TO/PET molar ratios on the physical, morphological and mechanical properties of the obtained foams, as well as their thermal insulation characteristics, were evaluated. Increasing amounts of PET in polyurethane foams resulted in higher compression strength and closed cell content, while water absorption was not affected. Results indicated that certain TO/PET… More >