Effect of natural biomass fillers on the stability, degradability, and elasticity of crop straws liquefied polyols-based polyurethane foams

Oilseed rape straw (OS), rice straw (RS), wheat straw (WS), and corn stover (CS) particles were used to reinforce bio-polyols based polyurethane (PU) foams. The influence of crop straws (XS) fillers on the stability in water, degradability in soil, thermal stability, and elasticity of foams were investigated. The incorporation of OS and CS particles in the PU matrix increased the stability of reinforced foams in water, while the addition of WS and RS particles made foams lower stability in water. PU foams reinforced by XS particles displayed mass reductions up to 53.8% after burying in soil for 250 days. The reinforced foams were more stable under heating but the enhancement of thermal stability trended to disappear after water immersion or soil burying. The reinforced foams showed better elasticity that incorporations of OS and CS made PU foams higher height recovery percentage, while RS and WS made the recovery percentage decline firstly and then enhance during three times compressions. All these four XS particles are suitable to modify bio-based PU foams, especially OS and CS particles appear to be more outstanding in preparing foams with higher stability in water, degradability in soil, thermal stability, and elasticity than RS and WS particles.

Automated summary

Oilseed rape straw, rice straw, wheat straw, and corn stover particles were used to reinforce bio-polyols based polyurethane (PU) foams. The influence of crop straws fillers on the stability in water, degradability in soil, thermal stability, and elasticity of foams were investigated. The results showed that the addition of oilseed rape straw and corn stover particles increased the stability of foams in water, while wheat straw and rice straw particles decreased the stability. The reinforced foams showed higher stability under heating, but this enhancement trend disappeared after water immersion or soil burying. Oilseed rape straw and corn stover particles improved the elasticity of the foams, while wheat straw and rice straw particles initially decreased and then enhanced the recovery percentage during compressions.