Ocean biomass-derived feedstocks for non-isocyanate polyurethane synthesis

Non-isocyanate polyurethanes (NIPUs) can be prepared from the highly unsaturated oils or fatty acid methyl esters obtained from waste fish and algae oil. The abundant carbon-carbon double bonds can be epoxidized and reacted with CO₂ to produce cyclic carbonates. Upon reaction with a bioderived amine from waste cashew nutshells, a NIPU is obtained. Fish-oil derived NIPUs were studied for biodegradation and were found to be susceptible to degradation by bacteria and fungi. Algae oil tri- and diacylglycerides were converted to their fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs) and used for the preparation of NIPUs in a similar fashion to fish oil. NIPUs could be obtained as thermoset films, which were characterized via infrared spectroscopy to verify urethane linkage formation and dynamic mechanical analysis for their physical properties. These processes can lead to new opportunities in waste valorization of the aquaculture industry and demonstrate the promise of algae as an abundant source of biomass.