The Use of Biodiesel Residues for Heat Insulating Biobased Polyurethane Foams

Nihan Özveren,M Özgür Seydibeyoğlu

doi:10.1155/2017/6310198

Nihan Özveren, M Özgür Seydibeyoğlu

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1155/2017/6310198

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Abstract

The commercial and biobased polyurethane foams (PUF) were produced and characterized in this study. Commercial polyether polyol, crude glycerol, methanol-free crude glycerol, and pure glycerol were used as polyols. Crude glycerol is byproduct of the biodiesel production, and it is a kind of biofuel residue. Polyol blends were prepared by mixing the glycerol types and the commercial polyol with different amounts, 10 wt%, 30 wt%, 50 wt%, and 80 wt%. All types of polyol blends were reacted with polymeric diphenyl methane diisocyanates (PMDI) for the production of rigid foams. Thermal properties of polyurethane foams are examined by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and thermal conductivity tests. The structures of polyurethane foams were examined by Fourier Transformed Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR). Changes in morphology of foams were investigated by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). Mechanical properties of polyurethane foams were determined by compression tests. This study identifies the critical aspects of polyurethane foam formation by the use of various polyols and furthermore offers new uses of crude glycerol and methanol-free crude glycerol which are byproducts of biodiesel industry.

Highlights

Polyurethanes (PU), which are in the family of polymers, were first investigated by Otto Bayer [1]
This study demonstrated the critical aspects of polyurethane foam formation by the use of various polyol blends and offers new uses of crude glycerol, methanol-free crude glycerol, and pure glycerol which are coproducts of biodiesel industry
For the graphs of all samples, which were prepared with crude glycerol, methanol-free crude glycerol, and pure glycerol, the intensities of those bands decrease with the amount of glycerol types increasing, due to the simpler structure compared to glycerol

Summary

Introduction

Polyurethanes (PU), which are in the family of polymers, were first investigated by Otto Bayer [1]. Rigid polyurethane foams are prepared at ambient temperature without heating and consist of high percent of closed cells and have unique characteristics They are used as thermal insulation products to energy savings on the earth, such as refrigerators, freezers, refrigerated trucks, refrigerated containers, refrigerated warehouses, building and construction, chemical and petrochemical plants, water heaters, portable ice boxes, and insulating bottles [27]. Biodiesel residues such as crude glycerol, methanol-free crude glycerol, and pure glycerol were used in the polyether polyol formulation at different percentages. This study demonstrated the critical aspects of polyurethane foam formation by the use of various polyol blends and offers new uses of crude glycerol, methanol-free crude glycerol, and pure glycerol which are coproducts of biodiesel industry

Experimental

Results and Discussions

Mechanical Properties

Conclusion