Biodegradability of Polyurethane Foam from Liquefied Wood Based Polyols

Polyurethane foam (PUF) was prepared from liquefied wood with polymethylene polyphenylisocyanate by one-shot method, with organosilicon as surfactant, water as blowing agent and stannous octoate and triethylene diamine as co-catalyst. The biodegradability of the PUF was studied by soil burial for a period of 12 months. The Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) study, morphological observation and percent weight loss were used to discuss the biodegradability of polyurethane foam from liquefied wood. The FT-IR analyses showed that the PUF had biodegraded via oxidation of the ether soft segment or degradation of wood components. The weight loss rate showed that the addition of liquefied wood could accelerate the degradation of PUF.