Polyurethane foams from alkaline lignin-based polyether polyol

As a byproduct produced during biorefining, alkaline lignin (AL) possesses multiple benzene ring and phenol hydroxyl groups with high chemical reactivity, and is renewable and cheaper than petrochemical products. Here, AL was liquefied in polyethylene glycol-400/glycerol and subsequently used to prepare polyurethane foams (PUFs). The results showed that the AL could be almost completely liquefied. The resulting lignin-based polyether polyol (LPP) exhibited physicochemical properties similar to a commercial polyether polyol (PP). The PUFs made from LPP presented better thermal stability and higher compressive strength than those PUFs obtained from commercial PP, suggesting this could be a viable commercial application for AL. (c) 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2016, 133, 43261.