posted on 2022-03-24, 22:30authored byMinjeong Jang, Hun Yi Shin, Dawon Jang, Seong Mu Jo, Sejung Kim, Sung-Soo Kim
Lignin
was utilized as a biosourced component of thermosetting
polymers to demonstrate the valorization of the biorenewable feedstock.
Multifunctional lignin macromonomers with azide groups and terminal
alkyne moieties were synthesized, and their blend was transformed
into thin films by direct hot pressing. Those films were continuously
processed with thermal treatment at 150 °C to induce the azide–alkyne
cycloaddition reaction without Cu-based catalysts, resulting in the
formation of all-lignin-based thermoset foams. The resulting macroporous
film was fully cross-linked with a higher gel fraction (>96%) and
contained randomly distributed pores inside it due to the generation
of gaseous products during the cross-linking process. Additional thermal
treatment of all-lignin thermosets in air effectively oxidized the
film to convert alkylene bridged to polyaromatic structures with abundant
oxygen-containing functional groups, which substantially enhanced
their flame resistance (UL 94 V-0 rated) with the increase in the
limiting oxygen index value (23.4 → 28.8%).