Development of feedstock recycling technology for vegetable frying oils
Project title
Development of feedstock recycling technology for vegetable frying oils and application of the resulting hydroxyl bio-components for the production of innovative high-performance polyurethane thermal insulation materials
Name of Beneficiary/Beneficiaries
Tadeusz Kościuszko Krakow University of Technology
Name of programme
National programmes
Competition
LEADER VIII
Project value
PLN 1,200,000.00
Funding value
PLN 1,200,000.00
Project delivery period
from 01.01.2018 to 31.12.2020
Meet our team
See the result of our work
The aim of the EKO2IZOPUR project was to develop technology for the feedstock recycling of waste cooking oils by chemical synthesis via epoxidation and oxirane ring opening reactions and transesterification reactions. This objective was fully achieved, and a range of bio-polyols were obtained, using frying oil as a raw material, which could find application in the synthesis of spray polyurethane materials, as well as other types of polymeric materials. The influence of a number of
factors on both the epoxidation and oxirane ring-opening process, as well as on transesterification, was recognised. The results of the research have been described in recognised journals from the Philadelphia list, including the Journal of Cleaner Production, Catalysts, Industrial Crops and Products.
The second objective of the project was the application of the resulting hydroxyl derivatives of frying oils as one of the two main components for the manufacture of innovative spray-on thermal insulation materials for use in energy-efficient and passive construction. This objective was fully realised and the project culminated in the testing of the developed polyurethane systems, with both open- and closed-cell structures, on an industrial scale using a high-pressure polyurethane foam spray unit. In addition, the influence of the chemical structure of the bio-polyols as well as their content on the foaming process and on the functional properties of the materials obtained is known. The results of the research have been published in recognised international journals. The total Impact Factor of publications resulting from the project that included acknowledgements to the Research Funding Institution (National Research and Development Centre) was 54.299.
What problem does our project solve?
The EKO2IZOPUR project draws attention to two main developments in the innovative economy taking into account environmental protection through the management of waste into high-value products and the production of highly efficient thermal insulation materials that reduce energy losses in modern energy-efficient construction. Bio-polyols from frying oil, as well as the materials produced with them in the form of high-performance thermally insulating polyurethane foams, have a real possibility of commercialisation. The production of this type of material containing processed cooking oil makes good substantive and economic sense, as well as making a significant contribution to environmental protection. The development of innovative feedstock recycling technology leading to municipal waste management is an important challenge in the quest for a resource-efficient, innovative and competitive closed-loop economy. This development of technology will ensure the efficient use of waste and the improvement of the environment, as well as an increase in innovation in the economy.
Who is going to benefit from the project results?
The main benefits of the project are multidimensional, as they focus both on environmental protection (recycling of waste materials, development of innovative thermal insulation materials that reduce energy losses) and on the production of new components to modify polyurethanes and obtain environmentally friendly products, while increasing the competitiveness of Polish companies. Today, customers also pay attention to whether the products they buy are organic. It is necessary to search for new raw materials for the synthesis of bio-polyols. Polyurethane manufacturers are looking for innovative solutions to increase their competitiveness in the market. The innovative product proposed in the project should also influence the market for producers of bio-polyols themselves. The interest of polyurethane material manufacturers in producing products with bio-polyol will influence the growth of the market for producers of this raw material. New companies may take an interest in its manufacture and existing manufacturers should increase the variety of products they offer in order to remain competitive in the plastics and components market.