This $591,467 federal Project Grant award from the USDA's Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) program aims to create high-performance, easily recyclable, non-isocyanate polyurethanes (NIPUs) using renewable feedstocks. The research team at Washington State University (WSU) will mimic the structural design of conventional polyurethanes to produce renewable alternatives and incorporate easily cleavable bonds for enhanced chemical and physical recyclability. The project will utilize tannin-derived gallic acid and lignin-derived vanillin and guaiacol as renewable feedstocks to prepare cleavable acetal-containing polyamines as rigid building blocks, and renewable polyols to create flexible linear cyclic carbonate prepolymers as soft building blocks. These building blocks will then be combined to synthesize NIPUs that can be used in recyclable elastomers and foams. The goal is to develop high-performance, renewable, and recyclable PU materials to address plastic pollution and support the transition to a circular economy, in line with federal initiatives from agencies like the USDA, DOE, EPA, and NSF.
Mod # | Description | Reason For Modification | Federal Obligation (Click to sort descending) | Date (Click to sort ascending) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Not listed | $591.5k | 9/10/24 |