Sorbitol
arises to be a strong candidate for renewably sourced
polyol synthesis. Moreover, processes for extracting sorbitol directly
from cellulosic materials are effective, and materials such as agroforestry
residues could be used as green sorbitol sources. Rigid polyurethane
foams were successfully synthesized by using mixtures of a sorbitol
based high functionality polyol and a corn based diol. Microstructure
and properties of the rigid polyurethane foams were characterized
by scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy,
thermogravimetric analysis, thermal conductivity measurements, compression
tests, and dynamic mechanical analysis. Results showed that the cross-linking
density of the formed polymer network was directly modified by polyol
mixture ratio, and microstructure and properties also changed in consonance.
The incorporation of different amounts of a diol with longer chain
length between hydroxyl groups allowed fixing the rigidity of the
foams, opening the door to the possibility of designing rigid polyurethane
foams with tailored properties.
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