Thermochemical conversion of red pine wood, Pinus densiflora to biopolyol using biobutanediol-mediated solvolysis for biopolyurethane preparation

Biopolyol production from lignocellulosic biomass is one of the promising strategies for environmentally benign bioplastic production. In this study, red pine wood Pinus densiflora biomass, the most abundant softwood biomass in Korea, was liquefied using biobutanediol solvent to obtain a 100% bio-based polyol. When the 15% (w/w) biomass liquefied with 2,3-butanediol (levo) in the presence of 3% (w/w) sulfuric acid at 130 °C for 60 min, highest biomass conversion was observed at 53.2% and it showed 864.4 mg KOH/g of hydroxyl number and 21.5 mg KOH/g of acid number. Liquefied biopolyol was directly used for biopolyurethane synthesis using tolylene-2,4-diisocyanate. The 5% weight loss temperature (T_d5) was at 210 °C in the first decomposition stage. Replacement of petrochemical polyhydric alcohol with biobutanediol showed possibility of biopolyol-based bioplastic production from red pine wood.