Chemically Recycled Polyurethane Foam Waste as a Raw Material for the Development of New Polymers Using the Michael Addition Reaction (RecPUR)
In line with the goals defined by the European Green Deal and the Latvian Bioeconomy Strategy, it is essential to replace fossil-based raw materials with renewable and recyclable alternatives, thereby reducing CO₂ emissions. The RecPUR project will utilize polyurethane foam waste, which poses a significant ecological problem, as well as tall oil—a locally available renewable raw material derived from the wood-based pulping process.
The central concept of the RecPUR project is the depolymerization of polyurethane foam waste using polyols derived from tall oil or its epoxidized fatty acids. From the depolymerized polyurethane foam, two types of monomers will be synthesized:
- A Michael donor – a monomer containing acetoacetate groups, and
- A Michael acceptor – a monomer containing acrylic acid groups.
These donor and acceptor monomers will then be polymerized via the Michael addition mechanism. The resulting polymer will contain urethane groups but will be synthesized without the use of isocyanates.
The final stage of RecPUR involves the foaming of the Michael polymer using next-generation blowing agents to produce a thermal insulation material with competitive properties compared to conventional polyurethane foam. The physical, mechanical, and thermal properties of the resulting polymers will be investigated. The developed processes and technologies are expected to have high commercialization potential.
The objective of RecPUR is to synthesize polyols from recycled polyurethane foams and to develop new polymer materials from these polyols using the Michael addition reaction. The project will be carried out in the following stages:
- Depolymerization of polyurethane foam waste (end-of-life materials) using sustainable glycolysis reagents;
- Synthesis of Michael addition reaction components containing urethane groups in their chemical structure;
- Kinetic studies of the polymerization process via the Michael addition reaction;
- Development of rigid polymer foams containing urethane compounds, using a non-isocyanate-based process.
Project Implementation Timeline:
Project implementation started on January 1, 2025.
