Senior Researcher Lim Sang-gyu, main a staff of researchers on the Division of Power Convergence Analysis, DGIST, achieved a exceptional milestone with the event of an eco-friendly thermoplastic polyurethane boasting a staggering biocarbon content material of 97%.

This groundbreaking expertise, created in collaboration with Jung Jae-hoon from the New Product Growth Group and Jeon Cho-hyun from the New Enterprise Planning Group on the Korea Textile Growth Institute (KTDI), holds immense significance because it presents a sustainable different to traditional petroleum-based thermoplastic polyurethanes.

Thermoplastic polyurethane is a exceptional materials famend for its excellent mechanical properties, together with abrasion resistance, resilience, tensile energy, and tear energy. Its versatility makes it broadly utilized in numerous life and industrial functions resembling industrial sheets, display screen safety movies, circumstances, footwear, synthetic leather-based, and attire supplies.

At the moment, the vast majority of thermoplastic polyurethanes are synthesized utilizing petroleum-based polyols, isocyanates, and diols. Regardless of their distinctive properties, the extraction, manufacturing, use, and disposal of petroleum-based uncooked supplies contribute to environmental air pollution. This has spurred worldwide efforts to discover eco-friendly alternate options primarily based on biomass supplies. Nonetheless, growing biomass-based merchandise that may match the properties of typical thermoplastic polyurethanes presents vital challenges.

In a exceptional collaboration with the KTDI, Lim’s analysis staff achieved a major breakthrough by growing an eco-friendly thermoplastic polyurethane. To synthesize this environmentally pleasant materials, they utilized biomass-based polyester polyols and butane diols, shifting away from conventional petroleum-based supplies.

The ensuing biomass-based thermoplastic polyurethane reveals distinctive properties, together with a exceptional biocarbon content material of as much as 97%, a weight common molecular weight of roughly 120,000 g/mol, a tensile energy of 20 MPa, and a powerful tensile elongation of 587.2%.

Remarkably, these properties are similar to these of current petroleum-based thermoplastic polyurethanes, making the developed materials a flexible candidate for a big selection of functions in each every day life and numerous industries. The eco-friendly thermoplastic polyurethane is anticipated to search out use in numerous fields, resembling industrial sheets, display screen safety movies, circumstances, footwear, synthetic leather-based, and clothes supplies.

Researcher Lim highlighted that “to distinguish their analysis from current research on eco-friendly thermoplastic polyurethanes, they meticulously evaluated the chemical, thermal, and mechanical properties of biomass-based aliphatic isocyanates, various their content material ratio. These properties had been then in contrast with these of petroleum-based thermoplastic polyurethanes.”

With optimism, he expressed hopes for the commercialization and widespread use of the biomass-based thermoplastic polyurethanes developed by means of their analysis, significantly in numerous fields of high-functional fiber supplies.

The examine is printed within the Journal of Utilized Polymer Science.