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Production Of Bio-Based Phenol Formaldehyde Foams, Bing Li

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Considering the declining non-renewable fossil resources, there is increasing interest in the development of more environmentally conscious, sustainable and cost-effective substitutes for chemical production. Lignin, a main component in lignocellulosic biomass, has been considered to be a potential substitute for petroleum-based phenol due to its phenolic structure.

This PhD dissertation aimed at producing bio-based phenol formaldehyde (BPF) foams using bio-phenols, including but not limited to, kraft lignin (KL), organosolv lignin (OL), hydrolysis lignin (HL), and bio-crude oil from white birth bark. The challenge of the existing process of producing BPF foams is that a low phenol substitution ratio, generally less …