This project is a collaborative research effort with Chemrez Technologies Inc. and Uratex Foam Phils. to utilize renewable and biodegradable resources as raw materials for the production of potential commercial products. This project aims to develop a scalable biomass-based liquefaction technology that synthesizes highly functional polyols for polyurethane (PU) formulations specifically insulation foam sheets. The liquefaction of rice straw and lawn grass with crude glycerin as solvent is performed at elevated temperatures under atmospheric pressure and catalyzed by sulfuric acid in a one-pot process.
The residual methanol from crude glycerin is simultaneously recovered during conversion. Liquefaction process parameters are optimized to obtain polyols with high biomass conversion,, workable viscosity,, low acid number and high hydroxyl functionality. These polyols are evaluated for water-blown polyurethane foam formulation for insulation sheets. The foam products are characterized for their physical and thermal properties and their comparability with existing commercial PU foam products. This technology provides a simple, economic, and environmentally-friendly alternative to the present polyurethane foam processes.
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