top of page

Researchers Develop Eco-Friendly Lignin-Based Polyurethane Foam

ial

A research team led by Washington State University has developed a more sustainable polyurethane foam by replacing 20% of fossil fuel-based chemicals with lignin. The new bio-based foam is just as strong and flexible as traditional polyurethane foam. The study was published in the journal ACS Sustainable Chemistry and Engineering.


"It's quite novel in terms of the material we generate and the process we have," said Professor Xiao Zhang, the corresponding author and a researcher at the Gene and Linda Voiland School of Chemical Engineering and Bioengineering. "Our extracted lignin offers a new class of renewable building blocks for the development of bio-based value-added products."


Plastics made from petroleum are a growing waste problem, taking centuries to break down. Recycling them is expensive and often results in lower-quality products. Because of these challenges, the global plastics recycling rate remains below 20%, Zhang explained.


"It's basically a no-win situation if you're using petroleum-based plastics," he said. "The ultimate solution is to replace them with naturally derived materials."


Lignin, a natural polymer found in plants, is the second most abundant renewable carbon source on Earth. It makes up around 30% of non-fossil fuel-based carbon. However, extracting lignin is difficult, and current industrial processes often contaminate or degrade it, limiting its use to low-value products like cement additives or animal feed binders.


The researchers used a mild, eco-friendly solvent to extract high-quality lignin from pine. Unlike conventional lignin, their formulation was uniform and had good thermal stability, making it more useful for high-value applications.


When tested in polyurethane foam, the bio-based material was stable and performed as well as traditional foams. This breakthrough could help reduce reliance on petroleum-based materials in industries like construction, automotive, and furniture manufacturing. If this technology can be scaled up cost-effectively, it could support efforts to make plastic materials more sustainable and easier to recycle.


Source: ScienceDaily

10 views

Comments


Commenting has been turned off.

Contact Us

Tel: +44 20 8832 7780

ial@brggroup.com

  • LinkedIn Social Icon
  • X

© Copyright 2024, BRG Enterprise Solutions Ltd. All Rights Reserved.

Newsletter Sign Up

Thank you for subscribing!

bottom of page