Preparation of sorbitol-based polyurethanes and their semiinterpenetrating polymer networks

Sorbitol is a useful agro-based substance that is inexpensive and commercially available. In the interest of adding value to bio-based raw materials, we have synthesized polyurethanes from sorbitol and toluene-2,4-diisocyanate (TDI) through both conventional heat and microwave processes. Relative to conventional heat, the microwave process achieved the same reaction at a faster rate, thereby saving time and energy. The nature of the resulting polyurethane products depended on the stoichiometry of the reaction. At increasing TDI levels, a viscous liquid, a soft gel, or a hard thermoset could be obtained. The polymers were fully characterized with C-13-NMR, Fourier transform infrared, size exclusion chromatography, and thermogravimetric analysis. The polyurethanes obtained near the gel point could be used to make semiinterpenetrating polymer networks (semi-IPNs) with a second polymer, thereby imparting some of the properties of the second polymer onto the sorbitol-based polyurethane. For illustration, the sorbitol-based polyurethane semi-IPNs were made in combination with poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) and poly(lactic acid). (c) 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2019, 136, 47602.