Polyurethane, as many of you might already know, is extremely tough and corrosion-and-wear-resistant, which makes it a popular choice for a wide variety of applications. The only real downside is that the petroleum-based product isn’t as environmentally friendly as one would hope. But a new development from Washington State University is sure to change that. Researchers from the School of Mechanical and Materials Engineering have found a new way to create polyurethane using plant oils like olive, linseed, canola, grape seed, and castor oils. At this time there are already polyurethanes made from plant materials, but the research group developed a new method using vegetable oils to create materials with a larger variety of flexibility, stiffness, and shapes. Their new method is very attractive because plant oils are inexpensive, renewable, readily available, and can be genetically engineered. With its high potential for commercialization, there could be an increase in demand for plant oils in the future.
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