An investigation of the polymerization of furfuryl alcohol with gel permeation chromatography

Abstract

AbstractSeveral series of furfuryl alcohol resins, made by the polymerization of furfuryl alcoho with a variety of catalysts and having viscosities as high as 7 × 106 cpoise, were characterized by gel permeation chromatography (GPC). A series‐by‐series comparison of the GPC curves of the resins was made, to determine the effects of catalyst type and concentration on resin molecular structure as elucidated by GPC. Furfuryl alcohol resins were produced not only by thermal polymerization but also by catalysis with Imaleic anhydride, 86% phosphoric acid, γ alumina, and anhydrous magnesium sulfate. The gel permeation chromatograms of the resins made by catalysis with maleic anhydride were found to be nearly identical with those catalyzed with 86% phosphoric acid. Moreover, catalyst concentration did not affect the GPC curves of the resins catalyzed by maleic anhydride. These observations are consistant with an initial reaction mechanism, of which the rate‐controlling step is a function of pH. The chromatograms of the resins made by catalysis with γ alumina showed a shift of the peak maximums of the lower molecular weight species to lower elution volumes, indicating that esterification of the free hydroxyl groups with levulinic acid and other related acids may have taken place. The resins polymerized by thermal catalysis and by catalysis with anhydrous magnesium sulfate exhibited GPC curves that fell between those of the resins catalyzed by acids and those of the resins made by catalysis with γ alumina.