Yanovych I. Structurally modified functional flexible polyurethane foams based on carbohydrates and natural oils

The subject of research was development of polymer systems based on synthetic polymer and nature compounds, able to degrade under environmental factors. The aim of the work was synthesis of polyurethane foams on the basis of natural compounds, able to degrade under environmental factors, establishment of structure-properties relationships, and regularity of structure and composition effect on degradation processes. Key data were obtained on the basis of the following research methods: NMR-spectroscopy, IR-spectroscopy, ebullioscopy, exclusion chromatography, pyrolytic mass-specrometry. The use of disaccharides and vegetable oils or their derivatives as polyol component at the stage of prepolymer formation has been suggested. New polysaccharide and/or vegetable oils based polyurethane foam has been first synthesized. Complex investigations to establish the "structure-properties" relationships along with ability to degradation in the environment have been carried out for the first time. It was found that structure formation and properties of obtained materials as well as their ability to degradation are strongly affected by the concentration and structure of natural component. Introduction of natural compounds of different structure into the composition of conventional polyurethane foams allows not only to improve their ability to degradation in the environment, but also to obtain materials with high performance characteristics.