Graft polymerization of wood sawdust and peat with ethylene carbonate. A novel method for the preparation of supports with enhanced mechanical properties to be used in biofiltration of organic vapors

Oscar Hernandez-Melendez (1, 2) , Jérôme Peydecastaing (2) , Eduardo Barzana (1) , Carlos Vaca-Garcia (2) , Martín Hernández-Luna (1) , Marie-Elisabeth Borredon (2)

1 UNAM - Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México = National Autonomous University of Mexico
2 CAI - Chimie Agro-Industrielle

The graft polymerization reaction between ethylene carbonate (EC) and scots pine sawdust (SPS) or peat moss (PM) offers a solvent-free approach to the simple and inexpensive aliphatic derivatization of these lignocellulosic fibers. This reaction was studied with liquid or vapor EC phases in three different reactor configurations: batch stirred (BSR), semi-continuous stirred (SSR) and continuous tubular in the gas phase (CVTR). The use of a vapor phase allowed a satisfactory grafting yield and minimal production of non-grafted polyol by-products. The crosslinking agent 4,4′-methylenebis(phenylisocyanate) (MDI) achieved superior characteristics to form shaped tablets resistant to water disaggregation, a high water retention capacity and high compression strength, characteristics that conventional organic supports like PM or PM-polyurethane foam mixtures used in biofiltration of waste gases do not completely possess.

Mots clés: Solvent-free derivatization; Poly(ethylene ether carbonate) polyols; Biofiltration of waste gases; Lignocellulosic resources; Graft polymerization

Domaines: Polymères

Oscar Hernandez-Melendez, Jérôme Peydecastaing, Eduardo Barzana, Carlos Vaca-Garcia, Martín Hernández-Luna, et al.. Graft polymerization of wood sawdust and peat with ethylene carbonate. A novel method for the preparation of supports with enhanced mechanical properties to be used in biofiltration of organic vapors. Bioresource Technology, 2009, 100 (2), pp.737-743. ⟨10.1016/j.biortech.2008.06.053⟩. ⟨hal-02079732⟩