Production of Bio-Based Polyol from Coconut Fatty Acid Distillate (CFAD) and Crude Glycerol for Rigid Polyurethane...

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Polymer Chemistry
• Sustainable Chemistry

Background:

• Petroleum-based polyurethane (PU) foams contribute to nonrenewable resource depletion.
• Valorization of waste streams like coconut fatty acid distillate (CFAD) and crude glycerol (CG) is crucial for sustainable chemical production.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a sustainable alternative to petroleum-based PU foams using waste materials.
• To produce bio-based polyols from CFAD and CG for rigid PU foam applications.
• To characterize the properties and assess the suitability of the resulting PU foam.

Main Methods:

• Glycerolysis of CFAD and CG with alkaline-alcohol neutralization and bleaching to produce bio-based polyols.
• Preparation of rigid PU foam using the synthesized polyols.
• Characterization of polyol and foam properties using FTIR, TGA/DTA, UTM, SEM, and pycnometric testing.

Main Results:

• The synthesized polyol exhibited suitable characteristics for rigid foam production (OH number: 215 mg KOH/g).
• The rigid PU foam demonstrated an open-celled structure (92.71% open-cell content).
• The foam achieved favorable properties: compressive strength (210.43 kPa), thermal conductivity (32.10 mW·m^-1K^-1), and density (44.65 kg·m^-3).

Conclusions:

• The study successfully demonstrated the potential of using CFAD and CG waste for producing bio-based polyols and rigid PU foams.
• The resulting PU foam meets the requirements for Type I structural sandwich panel core materials.
• This research highlights a sustainable pathway for commercial polyol and PU foam production, reducing reliance on petroleum-based resources.