Chapter 4: Plant Oil-based Polyurethanes
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Published:22 Dec 2023
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Special Collection: 2023 ebook collectionSeries: Green Chemistry
C. Zhang, in Green Chemistry and Green Materials from Plant Oils and Natural Acids, ed. Z. Liu and G. Kraus, Royal Society of Chemistry, 2023, vol. 83, ch. 4, pp. 59-91.
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Polyurethanes have become the fifth largest polymeric materials and have been widely used in various fields. Until now, most of the monomers for the production of polyurethane products have been generally derived from non-renewable fossil feedstock. With the increasing global concerns about the depletion of fossil fuels associated with environmental impacts, developing bio-based chemicals and monomers from renewable resources for bio-based polyurethanes has attracted much attention. Plant oils are one of the promising options for such purposes due to their abundant production, biodegradability, and renewable origin. In this chapter, the transformation of plant oils into bio-based chemicals, including polyols, internal emulsifiers, chain extenders, and isocyanates, is reviewed. Furthermore, the general method and performance of different types of polyurethanes (solvent-based, waterborne, and non-isocyanate) are summarized. Finally, the potential applications of these plant oil-based chemicals and polyurethanes are discussed.