Casein/Apricot Filler in the Production of Flame-Retardant Polyurethane Composites.

Sylwia Członka,Agnė Kairytė,Anna Strąkowska,Karolina Miedzińska

doi:10.3390/ma14133620

Abstract

Polyurethane (PUR) composites reinforced with 1, 2, and 5 wt.% of apricot filler modified with casein were synthesized in the following study. The impact of 1, 2, and 5 wt.% of casein/apricot filler on the cellular structure and physico-mechanical performances of reinforced PUR composites were determined. It was found that the incorporation of 1 and 2 wt.% of casein/apricot filler resulted in the production of PUR composites with improved selected physical, thermal, and mechanical properties, while the addition of 5 wt.% of casein/apricot filler led to some deterioration of their physico-mechanical performance. The best results were obtained for PUR composites reinforced with 2 wt.% of casein/apricot filler. Those composites were characterized by a uniform structure and a high content of closed cells. Compared with the reference foam, the incorporation of 2 wt.% of casein/apricot filler resulted in improvement in compressive strength, flexural strength, impact strength, and dynamic mechanical properties—such as glass transition temperature and storage modulus. Most importantly, PUR composites showed better fire resistance and thermal stability due to the good thermal performance of casein. The main aim of this article is to determine the influence of the natural combination of the apricot filler and casein on the mechanical properties and flammability of the obtained composites.

Highlights

IntroductionPolyurethane (PUR) materials are widely used in many application, in the form of foams, resins, adhesives, coatings, elastomers, and sealants [1]
Polyurethane (PUR) composites reinforced with 1, 2, and 5 wt.% of apricot filler modified with casein were synthesized in the following study
2 wt.% of casein/apricot filler resulted in the production of PUR composites with improved selected physical, thermal, and mechanical properties, while the addition of 5 wt.% of casein/apricot filler led to some deterioration of their physico-mechanical performance

Summary

Introduction

Polyurethane (PUR) materials are widely used in many application, in the form of foams, resins, adhesives, coatings, elastomers, and sealants [1]. The wide range of applications is due to the variety of raw materials from which they are obtained: polyols and polyisocyanates with the addition of catalysts, blowing agents, flame retardants, and other modifiers [2]. Most of the basic ingredients of polyurethane are currently obtained from non-renewable petrochemical raw materials and may pose a risk to the environment [3,4]. Due to increasing environmental requirements, waste management issues, and the depletion of non-renewable resources, scientists are looking for new ecological solutions, such as the production of polyols from natural materials or the addition of natural waste as fillers [5,6,7,8]

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Conclusion