International.
Researchers at the University of Alberta, Canada, have invented a process that turns canola oil into an organic polyol, which is used to make polyurethane for the creation of new, greener products.
The first product to use canola-based polyol is an aerosol foam insulation called Biofoam, said Jonathan Curtis, who heads the Lipid Chemistry Group at the Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Sciences.
"It's going to be about 25% bio-based — well above what it's currently on the market," Curtis said. "But our goal is to increase the renewable content of spray foam over time."
Most other organic foams are soy-based products and these typically have a much smaller proportion of the bio-based contents, he said.
Canola-based polyol spray foam is currently moving into production and should be available for residential applications in two to three years, Curtis said, pending the certifications required in residential construction.
Features of Biofoam:
- Has renewable content
- Its insulation value is very high
- Moisture resistant and acts as a vapor barrier
- Aerosol foams do not compress or sink
- Does not lose R value.
Curtis said there are many other applications to explore with organic polyol including adhesives, coatings and composite materials.
Source: University of Alberta.
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