Production of sustainable rigid polyurethane foam from chemically modified underutilized Jatropha curcas L seed oil: Influence of polyol chemical structure on properties of polymer

Abstract

Environmental awareness has revitalized utilization of bio-based resources as precursors for industrial applications. Natural lipids from plants and animals (macro and microorganisms) are among the recent sustainable resources used as alternative to petroleum-based resources in industrial applications. Bio–, petrochemical– and bio/petrochemical blend–based rigid polyurethane foams (RPUFs) were prepared from polymerization reaction between diphenylmethylene–4, 4–diisocyanate (MDI) and epoxidized/hydroxylated Jatropha curcas L oil (JCO) using a 2–shot technique. Synthesized RPUFs were characterized using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and derivative thermogravimetric analysis (DTG). Apparent density, porosity, mechanical properties, close cell content, cell size and biodegradability were equally evaluated. FTIR analysis confirmed formation of urethane bond in the prepared RPUFs. The morphology of the synthesized RPUFs showed cellular structural size between 119.1 and 274.8 ​μm. Thermograms of synthesized JCP–based and JCP/PEG–based RPUFs from TGA/DTG curves showed that they are more thermally stable than PEG–based RPUF. Apparent density (AD) and biodegradability decreased as PEG content in polyol blends increased. The AD greater than 40 ​kg/m3 and porosity value ​> ​70% indicated potential ability of synthesized RPUFs to be useful as light material in production of automobile panel. Close cell content >80% and compressive strength greater than 300 ​kPa validated synthesized 0.4JCP–based RPUF to possess most acceptable impart absorbing property for production of automobile panel.