This project aims to synthesize new polyurethanes from bio-based monomers, such as polyols and isocyanates from CO2, ethanol and ethyl levulinate.
And in this way, we combine efforts to promote the development of sustainable solutions that help Brazil to fulfill its goals in the Paris Agreement with the objective of mitigating global warming, as well as supporting the provision of ecosystem services, encouraging social well-being and support the development of public policy.
The main goal of this project is to prepare bio-based monomers, such as polyols and isocyanates, and combine them to synthesize new polyurethanes. These monomers will be produced by integrating CO2 and ethanol chemistries (and/or the chemistry of its direct derivatives, such as diethyl carbonate and ethyl levulinate; they are important feedstocks to prepare essential and complex molecules of high-added value).
To use CO2 as building blocks to prepare important compounds will also help to diminishes its high level in atmosphere, generated by the constant burning of fossil fuels and from ethanol preparation from sugarcane, among others.
Specific objectives are:
1) To prepare new and known isocyanates monomers (compounds that are commonly used in polymerization reactions) by a new or improved method, directly employing CO2 or diethyl carbonate as starting materials.
2) To develop methods to prepare known and new polyols with different carbon chains, starting from ethyl levulinate (ethanolysis of biomass) and other biomass platforms.
3) To study new polymerization reactions from the synthesized isocyanates and polyols, aiming the preparation of bio-based polyurethanes.