Polymeric Foams from Natural Oils (No Polyurethane)

Title: BIO-BASED FOAM FROM NATURAL OILS

 Number/Link: US2012295993

Applicant/Assignee: Not yet disclosed but probably Univ. Delaware

Publication date: 22-11-2012

Gist”: Natural oils are functionalized with different (mutually reactive) functional groups, blown/frothed with CO2 and  subsequently cured optionally in the presence of chain extenders.

Why it is interesting: The foams of this invention are made from 100% renewable materials and without “toxic” isocyanates.  Densities in the examples range from about 15 to 200 kg/m³.  While the properties, look and feel of these materials probably do not come close to those of  PU foams, they could be interesting competitors in some fields such as packaging foams.

Ford’s Soy-based Car Seats

Title: ENCAPSULATED FLEXIBLE POLYURETHANE FOAM AND METHOD FOR MAKING POLYOL TO FORM FOAM

 Number/Link: US2012295998

Applicant/Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECH LLC

Publication date: 22-11-2012

Gist”: Soy-polyols with reduced smell produced by UV irradiation of soy oil in the presence of air and at room temperature. The polyols are useful to produce polyurethane car seat foams.  

Why it is interesting:  For a number of years now quite some research is being done on the use of bio-based polyols in polyurethanes, usually by chemical companies like Dow and Cargill, but -remarkably- Ford also have a number of patents in this field. Ford’s bio-patents usually relate to soy-oil, maybe there is some influence of the American soy lobby.

Soybean Farm (Wikimedia)

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