Eco-friendly composites of polyurethane and sheath palm residues

Abstract

This work prepared eco-friendly biocomposites of polyurethane (PU) and sheath palm residues, using castor oil as a polyol. PU composites filled with natural fibers were prepared at different loading rates: 0 to 20 wt.%. Results indicated that the sheath palm was hydrogen-bonded to PU chains and increased the foams' density. Pore size decreased with an increase in fiber content, from 256 to 116 µm. The fiber's addition improved the ductility of PU foams (compressive modulus from 4.74 to 0.26 MPa) and the foams' crystallinity index (from 5.4 to 15.4%). Compared to pristine PU, the composites showed high hydrophobicity (reaching 123° of contact angle for PU-15%) and thermal stability (Tonset from 96 to 96.3°), and high density (from 41 to 60 kg.m−3), making the developed composites an excellent option for environmental applications, such as oil removal and contaminant adsorption.

Sustainable Micro‐ and Nanocomposites for Thermal Insulation in Buildings

“…Both the starting monomers of PUs, that is polyols and polyisocyanates, can be obtained from renewable sources, making PUs ideal candidates for sustainable plastic production. [25,[27][28][29][30][31] However, the generation of fully bio-based isocyanates requires specific techniques, [32][33][34] which include, for example, the use of hazardous reagents like phosgene, often leading to toxic byproducts like hydrochloric acid. Therefore, the most reported approach in literature is that of reacting bio-derived polyols with oil-derived isocyanates.…”

Effect of polyurethane structure on arsenic adsorption capacity in nanofibrous polymer/ferrous sulphate-based systems

“…A significant band at 3495 cm −1 pertains to the numerous O-H bonds in the polyurethane chains. [54][55][56][57] The band at 2850-2990 cm −1 indicates C-H antisymmetric and symmetric stretching vibrations. A strong absorption peak at ca.…”

“…Common bands for these three polyurethanes are also evident at 1413-1229 cm −1 , representing C-H bending, and 1078 cm −1 for the C-O-C section. 54,55,57 The PUEL polyurethane shows an additional peak at 1168 cm −1 related to the C-O-C band. The peak at 731 cm −1 for PU918 indicates deformation of the N-H group (a wagging vibration), reflecting the high content of nitrogen atoms in the polyurethane.…”

Investigation into the effects of foaming variables on the cellular structure and expansion ratio of foamed TPU using response surface methodology

“…8,9 Polymer foam is a unique multicomponent material, with dispersed or continuous gas phase in the polymer matrix. 10,11 The addition of gas not only reduces the consumption of raw materials, but also provides many advantages, including high elasticity, contaminant adsorption, 12 shock absorption, 13 heat insulation, sound insulation, and high strength/weight ratio. Therefore, it has been used in many industrial fields and daily life.…”