Valorization of xylose residues and crude glycerol for production of biopolyurethane foam

Abstract

Abstract Currently polyurethane (PU) products are heavily dependent on petroleum resources, highlighting an urgent need to develop new bio-based materials. This study aimed to develop a sustainable method of utilizing low-cost and renewable xylose residues (XR) and crude glycerol (CG) for the production of biopolyols. Optimal synthesis conditions were determined to be 220 °C, 3 h, and 7% sodium hydroxide loading, resulting in biopolyols with a hydroxyl number of 505 mg KOH/g and an acid number of 1.7 mg KOH/g. The obtained biopolyols were used to produce bio-based polyurethane (PU) foams with compressive strength of 225 kPa, density of 0.048 g·cm-3, and thermal conductivity of 0.0355 W·m-1·K-1. Characterization analysis using FT-IR, 1H NMR, and TGA confirmed the excellent thermal stability and insulation properties of the bio-based PU foam. This study provides a valuable method for producing sustainable bio-based PU foam from XR and CG, thereby presenting a novel approach to realizing the high-value utilization of both resources.