Thermogravimetric investigation of sol–gel microspheres doped with aqueous glycerol

Abstract

Silica-based microspheres encapsulating aqueous glycerol are promising curing agents affording the formation of better one-component polyurethane foams, namely thermoset polymers cured by atmospheric moisture that are widely and increasingly utilized in the construction industry. The use of renewable, non toxic glycerol from biodiesel and oleochemicals industry to cure PU foams in place of traditionally employed oil-derived mono and diethylene glycols is both technically and environmentally beneficial. The higher amount of hydroxyl groups in glycerol compared to both mono- and diethylene glycol results in considerably lower percentage of free monomeric methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI) and higher crosslinking density of the cured foam.