SYNTHESIS AND CHARACTERIZATION OF BIO-BASED POLYESTER POLYOL

Polyurethanes are versatile polymeric materials and are usually synthesised by isocyanate reactions with polyols. Due to the variety of isocyanates and polyols, particularly polyols, polyurethanes can be easily tailored for wide applications, such as rigid and flexible foams, coatings, adhesives, and elastomers. Considerable efforts have been recently devoted to developing bio-based substitutes for petroleum-based polyuretahanes due to increasing concerns over the depletion of petroleum resources, environment, and sustainability. Polyester polyols based on aliphatic and aromatic dicarboxylic acids are one of the most important materials in polymer technologies. Large volume of plants oils are used as renewable resources to produce various chemicals which are industrially important to make soaps, cosmetic products, surfactants, lubricants, diluents, plasticizers, inks, agrochemicals, composite materials, food industry. This study introduces synthesis and properties of bio-based polyols from different renewable feedstocks including vegetable oils and derivatives. A comparison of bio-based polyol properties with their petroleum-based analogues were investigated.