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Polyurethane materials completely based on bio-renewable resources have been successfully developed at Iowa State University.

Diisocyanates from succinic anhydride and isosorbide or isomannide have been prepared, and representative polyurethanes that are produced from these diisocyanates have excellent thermal stability and stereochemistry-dependent morphology.  Iowa State University is looking for industry partners to test and commercialize the technology.

Polyurethanes are an important class of polymers with uses in a wide variety of materials. The raw materials for production of polyurethanes are polyols and diisocyantes, which are typically derived from petroleum-based feedstocks. While production of polyols from biorenewable sources such as vegetable oils has been successfully developed and implemented in commercially available products, production of diisocyantes from renewable sources has not received as much attention and advancement. In order to provide polyurethane polymers completely based on renewable resources, Iowa State University researchers have successfully enabled a synthesis route for diisocyanates based on “green technology”. This simple and inexpensive method to produce bio-based diisocyanates with required performance characteristics for various polyurethane polymers for use in foams, coatings, elastomers, and other applications is easily adaptable and does not require expensive or exotic catalyst systems.

This technology is related to ISURF 4118: Biorenewable Isosorbide-Based Tackifiers, Adhesives and Cross-Linked Resins and ISURF 4346: Tackifiers from oligomeric polyesters of isosorbide

• Offers complete polyurethane systems based on renewable components

• Simple synthesis route

• Economical method with low energy needs

Production of Polyurethanes from Renewable Sources

1: Zenner, M. et al. 2013. Polyurethanes from isosorbide-based diisocyanates. Chem. Sus. Chem 6: 1182-1185.