Preparation and characterisation of rigid polyurethane foams using a rapeseed oil-based polyol

Rigid polyurethane foams (RPUF) were fabricated using rapeseed oil-based polyol and polyols of petrochemical origin, which were tested using differing weight ratios. The aim of this study was the determination of the influence of the plant-based polyol content on the properties of obtained RPUF leading to the selection of the optimal product for the application as a pumice for the cosmetics industry. The synthesis of the polyurethane foams was conducted using a single-step procedure. The chemical structure and degree of phase separation of obtained materials were characterised by the infrared absorption spectroscopy. The thermogravimetric analysis was employed in order to determine the thermal degradation of analysed products. The temperatures of phase-transitions and accompanying heat effects were analysed using differential scanning calorimetry. Powder X-ray diffraction techniques were used in order to verify the presence of crystalline domains in obtained materials while the porous structure of RPUF was examined using scanning electron microscopy. Additionally, the dimensional stability, apparent density, water absorption, friability, compressive strength and aging effects were determined for synthesised materials. The biological properties of the obtained RPUF were examined using the toxicity test employing human monocyte cell line. As a result, the RPUF synthesised using 50% of plant-based polyol was selected as the optimal product for the cosmetics industry due to the regular porous structure, good mechanical and biological properties, high dimensional stability, high resistance to aging and low water absorption.