Abstract

Polyurethane foam (PUF) is used outstandingly for various applications, which is manufactured by propelling liquid isocyanate-polyol mixture to form foams with small proportions of silicon oil, stannuoesoctate, dimethyethylamine, methylene chloride and distilled water. In this study, PU foams were prepared using different levels biopolyol concentration, and the effects of biobasedpolyol level on the physico-chemical properties of the foams were investigated. Results from this research showed that biobasedpolyol level had important effects on physico-chemical properties of the biobased PU foams due to the gas for foaming formed an the chain extension of PU matrix. Physicochemical properties such as, density, support factor, elongation at break, tensile strength and compression set values were investigated. The physical properties of the biobasedpolyol were characterized and studied by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and compared to that of the polyester polyol. The results show that the foam density decreased with increasing biobasedpolyol (Ximenia americana seed oil polyol) contents up to 12ml and then increased before declining. This trandency was similar to tensile strength, support factor, elongation at break and compressive strength results. Most of these parameters rely on balance between urethane linkages and urea micro domain and/or polyurea ball contents (urea aggregate), which were rapidly generated by isocyanate group and water. The increased biobasedpolyol contents required more isocyanate, this led to the emergence of more urea micro domain been produced. The production of more urea micro domain led to a decrease in the tensile strength and elongation at break. However, the compression set of the foams was dependent upon amount of urea linkages which was formed during the reaction between isocyanate group and water.