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Modification of renewable resources—lignin—by three chemical methods and its applications to polyurethane foams
Author(s) -
Yang Liu,
Wang Xiaofeng,
Cui Yao,
Tian Yumei,
Chen Hongzhuo,
Wang Zichen
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
polymers for advanced technologies
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.61
H-Index - 90
eISSN - 1099-1581
pISSN - 1042-7147
DOI - 10.1002/pat.3356
Subject(s) - lignin , polyurethane , materials science , polymer , renewable resource , decomposition , chemical modification , chemical engineering , hydroxyl value , organic chemistry , renewable energy , composite material , polymer chemistry , chemistry , polyol , electrical engineering , engineering
To improve the economic viability of polymer from renewable resources, a value‐added lignin polymer is increasingly important. The lignin was successfully modified by three chemical methods: hydroxymethylation, epoxidation, and phenolation. Through these methods, the percentage of impurity had decreased, and the number of phenolic hydroxyl groups of lignin had dramatically increased, particularly by phenolation, reaching 9.41%, nearly three times higher than that in the unmodified one. Meanwhile, we added different amounts of modified lignin into polyurethane foams, and the results showed that 1 wt% modified lignin could not only increase the decomposition temperature of the foam material but also remarkably improve its mechanical properties. The optimum reaction time was 4 hr, and the reaction temperature was 80°C for blends. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.