Date of Award

Summer 7-31-2024

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Chemistry

First Advisor

Dr. Ram K. Gupta

Second Advisor

Dr. Khamis Siam

Third Advisor

Dr. Anuradha Ghosh

Keywords

Chemical recycling, Glycolysis, Polyurethane foam recycling, Bio-based solvents, Circular Economy

Abstract

The paradigm shift towards bio-based polyurethane foams (bio-PUF) has significantly increased post-consumer waste. To address this issue, this research represents a novel approach to enhance sustainable development in the recycling industry by replacing traditional petroleum-based glycols with sustainable bio-based alternatives. This study explores the glycolysis of bio-PUF using bio-based SG-522 glycol and polyethylene glycol (PEG) for comparison. The findings from this research as outlined, reveal no significant differences in depolymerization time between the two glycols, achieving proper depolymerization and high recovery yields of over 95% after solvent purification. Comprehensive FT-IR and NMR analyses confirmed the successful degradation of bio-PUF and efficient polyol recovery. The resulting polyols exhibited higher OH values, viscosity, and acid values compared to virgin polyols. Despite the challenges posed by higher acid values in the recovered polyol (RP), we successfully regenerated bio-PUF, replacing up to 20% of virgin polyol with RP. The regenerated bio-PUF showed negligible differences in physical properties compared to those made with virgin polyols, with comparable or even higher compressive strength, indicating the robustness of the foam structures. This research highlights the potential of using bio-based glycols for depolymerizing waste PUF and incorporating RP in the sustainable production of PUF, aligning with circular economy principles. By demonstrating high recovery yields and the feasibility of incorporating recovered polyol into new PUFs, this study advances the circularity within the bio-PUF value chain, contributing to the broader goals of sustainable development and a bio-based economy.

Comments

Chemical recycling for Polyurethane foams

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