Polyurethane foams derived from liquefied mountain pine beetle-infested barks

In this study, lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta Dougl.) bark infested by the mountain pine beetles (Dendroctonus ponderosae hopkins) was liquefied using either polyethylene glycol (PEG) or polyethylene glycol/glycerol (PEG/G) as the solvent. It was found that the addition of glycerol to PEG reduced the residue ratio during bark liquefaction. The liquefied bark fraction obtained by using PEG/G had a slightly higher hydroxyl number than that obtained by using PEG. The residue from PEG/G liquefaction contained less lignin and more cellulose than the residue from PEG liquefaction. Various polyurethane foams containing liquefied bark fractions were made, and it was found that the weight ratios of liquefied bark to pMDI used in foam formulation and bark liquefaction solvents affected the density, gel content, thermal stability, mechanical properties, and the cell structure of the resulting foams. (c) 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 123: 2849-2858, 2012