Abstract
Mixed phenolic-polyurethane-type rigid foams were developed using tannin-furfuryl alcohol natural materials co-reacted with polymeric isocyanate in the proportions imposed by the limitations inherent to continuous industrial plants for polyurethane foams. A variety of different copolymerization oligomers formed. Urethanes appeared to have been formed with two flavonoid tannin sites, mainly at the flavonoid hydroxyl group at C3, but also, although less, on the phenolic hydroxyl groups of the flavonoid oligomers. Urethanes are also formed with (i) glyoxal in the formulation, be it pre-reacted or not with the tannin; (ii) with phenolsulfonic acid and (iii) with furfural. This latter one, however, greatly favors reaction with the A-ring of the flavonoids through a methylene bridge rather than reaction with the isocyanate groups to form urethanes. All of the materials appeared to have co-reacted in a manner to form urethane and methylene bridges between all of the main components used. Thus, the tannin, the furfuryl alcohol, the isocyanate, the glyoxal and even the phenol sulfonic acid hardener formed a number of mixed species linked by the two bridge types. Several mixed species comprised of 2, 3 and even 4 co-reacted different components have been observed.