Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Atmospheric Pressure Liquefaction of Dried Distillers Grains (DDG) and Making Polyurethane Foams from Liquefied DDG

  • Published:
Applied Biochemistry and Biotechnology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

In this study, dried distillers grains (DDG) was liquefied in acidic conditions at atmospheric pressure, and polyurethane foams were subsequently prepared from the liquefied DDG. Liquefaction was examined over a range of conditions including liquefaction time of 1–3 h, temperature of 150–170 °C, sulfuric acid (as catalyst) concentration of 1.0–3.0 wt%, and liquefaction solvent (ethylene carbonate) to DDG ratio of 3:1–5:1. The bio-polyols in the liquefied DDG were rich in hydroxyl groups, which can react with methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI) to form cross-linked polyurethane networks. The biodegradability of the prepared polyurethane foams was also evaluated. This study strives to broaden the application of DDG as a feedstock for bio-polyurethane preparation.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. AURI. (2005). Distillers’ dried grains flowability report. Agricultural Utilization Research Institute Fuels Initiative. Online: http://www.auri.org/research/Flowability _summary_10_17_05.pdf.

  2. Karunanandaa, K., & Varga, G. A. (1996). Colonization of rice straw by white-rot fungi (Cyathus stercoreus): Effect on ruminal fermentation pattern, nitrogen metabolism, and fiber utilization during continuous culture. Animal Feed Science and Technology, 61, 1–16.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Yu, F., Ruan, R., Lin, X., Liu, Y., Fu, R., Li, Y., et al. (2006). Reaction kinetics of stover liquefaction in recycled stover polyol. Applied Biochemistry and Biotechnology, 129–132, 563–573.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Yamada, T, & Ono, H. (1999). Rapid liquefaction of lignocellulosic waste by using ethylene carbonate. Bioresource Technology, 70, 61–67.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Ravve, A. (2000). Principles of polymer chemistry (2nd ed., pp. 338). New York: Kluwer Academic/Plenum Publishers.

    Google Scholar 

  6. Alma, M. H., Basturk, M. A., & Digrak, M. (2003). New polyurethane-type rigid foams from liquified wood powders. Journal of Materials Science Letters. Journal of Materials Science Letters, 22, 1225–1228.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Yao, Y. G., Yoshioka, M., & Shiraishi, N. (1995). Rigid polyurethane foams from combined liquefaction mixtures of wood and starch. Mokuzai Gakkaishi, 41, 659–668.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Yao, Y. G., Yoshioka, M., & Shiraishi, N. (1996). Water-absorbing polyurethane foams from liquefied starch. Journal of Applied Polymer Science, 60, 1939–1949.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Gomes, M. E., Ribeiro, A. S., Malafaya, P. B., Reis, R. L., & Cunha, A. M. (2001). A new approach based on injection moulding to produce biodegradable starchbased polymeric scaffolds: morphology, mechanical and degradation behavior. Biomaterials, 22, 883–889.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgment

This work was supported by University of Minnesota Initiative for Renewable Energy and the Environment (IREE) and the China Ministry of Education PCSIRT Program (IRT0540).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Forest Products, Mississippi State University, Box 9820, Mississippi State, MS, 39762, USA

    Fei Yu

  2. Center for Biorefining and Department of Bioproducts and Biosystems Engineering, University of Minnesota, 1390 Eckles Ave., St. Paul, MN, 55108, USA

    Fei Yu, Paul Chen & Roger Ruan

  3. Jiangxi Biomass Engineering Center, Nanchang University, Nanchang, China, 330047

    Zhiping Le, Yuhuan Liu, Xiangyang Lin & Roger Ruan

Authors
  1. Fei Yu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Zhiping Le
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Paul Chen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Yuhuan Liu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Xiangyang Lin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Roger Ruan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Roger Ruan.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Yu, F., Le, Z., Chen, P. et al. Atmospheric Pressure Liquefaction of Dried Distillers Grains (DDG) and Making Polyurethane Foams from Liquefied DDG. Appl Biochem Biotechnol 148, 235–243 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12010-007-8040-z

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12010-007-8040-z

Keywords

Search

Navigation