O.Figovsky1,A.Cornille2, R.Auvergne2, B. Boutevin2, S. Caillol
NanoTech Industries, Inc. Daly City, CA,USA & INRC Polymate, Migdal Ha’Emeq, Israel
Institute Charles Gerhardt, Montpellier, France,
figovsky@gmail/com
ABSTRACT
The substitution of isocyanate and phosgene precursors for the industrial production of polyurethane materials is discussed in this article. Polyurethanes are currently one of the polymer compounds most used in worldwide for numerous applications such as rigid and flexible foams, coatings, elastomers, adhesives and sealants and, nowadays, these applications are regained in devices in everyday life such as wall and roofing insulation, in furnishing, in cars, in clothes or in shoes. Nevertheless, their preparation needs using of harmful and dangerousness compounds such as phosgene and isocyanate precursors. Their dangerousness operate at 3 steps of the life of polyurethane: synthesize of monomers, formulation of materials and end of life of materials. After a first part dedicated to the historical, market and manufacture of polyurethane and its dangerousness, this articles focuses on the description and discussion on the routes to substitute the dangerousness precursors to synthesize non-isocyanate polyurethane, reporting their advantages and limits and finally examines the outlooks to follow for the wider use of non-isocyanate polyurethane to recover all applications of classic polyurethane in chemical industry.
Keywords: Polyurethane; Non-isocyanate polyurethane; Hybrid non-isocyanate polyurethane; Polyhydroxyurethane; Cyclic carbonate; Amine; Carbamate; Urethane
