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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Peoria, Illinois » National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research » Plant Polymer Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #74412
Title: RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN SOYBEAN UTILIZATION RESEARCH: POLYURETHANE FOAMS ANDPLYWOOD ADHESIVES

Author
item Dunn Jr, Larson
item KARCHER, LARRY - UNIV. OF ILLINOIS
item SHARP, PATRICIA - UNIV. OF ILLINOIS

Submitted to: United States Japan Natural Resources Protein Panel
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/30/1996
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Soy molasses and soy whey were incorporated into rigid polyurethane foams as alternative high moisture blowing agents. They were used as unmodified aqueous solutions of varying solids levels as simple additives to foams, or as partial replacements for isocyanate components. Other soybean products, such as flours, were used as fillers in rigid foams. Foams created using soybean-derived materials were compared to standard CFC- and water-blown foams in terms of density, compressive strength, friability, open cell content and thermal conductivity. Samples with less than 20% moisture generally performed equal to or better than water-blown control foams in all tests. Amounts of up to 40% by weight could be used, with some problems. These same materials and others were also incorporated into plywood adhesives. Soy oligosaccharides, spent hulls, meals, flours, soy protein concentrate and isolate were also added to plywood glue mixes as a replacement for expensive phenol-formaldehyde (PF) resin and evaluated in high moisture southern yellow pine test panels. At the 10% level of replacement, the best overall results were obtained with spent hulls and soy protein concentrate. There appears to be significant potential for both of these technologies.