A comprehensive review of biobased polyurethane and phenol formaldehyde hydrophilic foams for environmental remediation, floral, and hydroponics applications

Glen Cletus DSouza; Fatemeh Dodangeh; Gayathri Balaji Venkata; Madhumita B. Ray; Anand Prakash; Chunbao Xu

doi:10.1016/j.biombioe.2024.107493

A comprehensive review of biobased polyurethane and phenol formaldehyde hydrophilic foams for environmental remediation, floral, and hydroponics applications

Glen Cletus DSouza
, Fatemeh Dodangeh
, Gayathri Balaji Venkata
, Madhumita B. Ray^*
, Anand Prakash^*
, Chunbao Xu^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

School of Energy and Environment

Research output: Journal Publications and Reviews › RGC 21 - Publication in refereed journal › peer-review

14 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The market for hydrophilic polyurethane (PU) and phenol-formaldehyde (PF) foams is rapidly expanding. However, conventional petroleum-based foams cause environmental concerns due to their slow to nearly absent biodegradability and reliance on non-renewable resources. Recent advances have focused on integrating biobased components such as lignocellulosic biomass, comprising of lignin, cellulose, and hemicellulose, in foam formulations to enhance sustainability and performance. This review presents a comprehensive overview of biobased PU and PF hydrophilic foams, highlighting their synthesis, properties, applications (floral, hydroponic, and environmental remediation), biodegradability, life cycle analysis and critical analysis of the economic, environmental, and technical challenges involved in developing and commercializing biobased foams for hydrophilic applications. © 2024 Elsevier Ltd

Original language	English
Article number	107493
Journal	Biomass and Bioenergy
Volume	192
Online published	22 Nov 2024
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biombioe.2024.107493
Publication status	Published - Jan 2025

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 6 Clean Water and Sanitation
SDG 12 Responsible Consumption and Production

Research Keywords

Floral
Foam
Hydrophilic applications
Hydroponics
Phenol formaldehyde
Polyurethane
Wastewater remediation

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10.1016/j.biombioe.2024.107493

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title = "A comprehensive review of biobased polyurethane and phenol formaldehyde hydrophilic foams for environmental remediation, floral, and hydroponics applications",

abstract = "The market for hydrophilic polyurethane (PU) and phenol-formaldehyde (PF) foams is rapidly expanding. However, conventional petroleum-based foams cause environmental concerns due to their slow to nearly absent biodegradability and reliance on non-renewable resources. Recent advances have focused on integrating biobased components such as lignocellulosic biomass, comprising of lignin, cellulose, and hemicellulose, in foam formulations to enhance sustainability and performance. This review presents a comprehensive overview of biobased PU and PF hydrophilic foams, highlighting their synthesis, properties, applications (floral, hydroponic, and environmental remediation), biodegradability, life cycle analysis and critical analysis of the economic, environmental, and technical challenges involved in developing and commercializing biobased foams for hydrophilic applications. {\textcopyright} 2024 Elsevier Ltd",

keywords = "Floral, Foam, Hydrophilic applications, Hydroponics, Phenol formaldehyde, Polyurethane, Wastewater remediation",

author = "DSouza, \{Glen Cletus\} and Fatemeh Dodangeh and Venkata, \{Gayathri Balaji\} and Ray, \{Madhumita B.\} and Anand Prakash and Chunbao Xu",

year = "2025",

month = jan,

doi = "10.1016/j.biombioe.2024.107493",

language = "English",

volume = "192",

journal = "Biomass and Bioenergy",

issn = "0961-9534",

publisher = "Elsevier Ltd.",

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A comprehensive review of biobased polyurethane and phenol formaldehyde hydrophilic foams for environmental remediation, floral, and hydroponics applications. / DSouza, Glen Cletus; Dodangeh, Fatemeh; Venkata, Gayathri Balaji et al.
In: Biomass and Bioenergy, Vol. 192, 107493, 01.2025.

Research output: Journal Publications and Reviews › RGC 21 - Publication in refereed journal › peer-review

TY - JOUR

T1 - A comprehensive review of biobased polyurethane and phenol formaldehyde hydrophilic foams for environmental remediation, floral, and hydroponics applications

AU - DSouza, Glen Cletus

AU - Dodangeh, Fatemeh

AU - Venkata, Gayathri Balaji

AU - Ray, Madhumita B.

AU - Prakash, Anand

AU - Xu, Chunbao

PY - 2025/1

Y1 - 2025/1

N2 - The market for hydrophilic polyurethane (PU) and phenol-formaldehyde (PF) foams is rapidly expanding. However, conventional petroleum-based foams cause environmental concerns due to their slow to nearly absent biodegradability and reliance on non-renewable resources. Recent advances have focused on integrating biobased components such as lignocellulosic biomass, comprising of lignin, cellulose, and hemicellulose, in foam formulations to enhance sustainability and performance. This review presents a comprehensive overview of biobased PU and PF hydrophilic foams, highlighting their synthesis, properties, applications (floral, hydroponic, and environmental remediation), biodegradability, life cycle analysis and critical analysis of the economic, environmental, and technical challenges involved in developing and commercializing biobased foams for hydrophilic applications. © 2024 Elsevier Ltd

AB - The market for hydrophilic polyurethane (PU) and phenol-formaldehyde (PF) foams is rapidly expanding. However, conventional petroleum-based foams cause environmental concerns due to their slow to nearly absent biodegradability and reliance on non-renewable resources. Recent advances have focused on integrating biobased components such as lignocellulosic biomass, comprising of lignin, cellulose, and hemicellulose, in foam formulations to enhance sustainability and performance. This review presents a comprehensive overview of biobased PU and PF hydrophilic foams, highlighting their synthesis, properties, applications (floral, hydroponic, and environmental remediation), biodegradability, life cycle analysis and critical analysis of the economic, environmental, and technical challenges involved in developing and commercializing biobased foams for hydrophilic applications. © 2024 Elsevier Ltd

KW - Floral

KW - Foam

KW - Hydrophilic applications

KW - Hydroponics

KW - Phenol formaldehyde

KW - Polyurethane

KW - Wastewater remediation

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85209687947

UR - https://www.scopus.com/record/pubmetrics.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85209687947&origin=recordpage

U2 - 10.1016/j.biombioe.2024.107493

DO - 10.1016/j.biombioe.2024.107493

M3 - RGC 21 - Publication in refereed journal

SN - 0961-9534

VL - 192

JO - Biomass and Bioenergy

JF - Biomass and Bioenergy

M1 - 107493

ER -

A comprehensive review of biobased polyurethane and phenol formaldehyde hydrophilic foams for environmental remediation, floral, and hydroponics applications

Abstract

UN SDGs

Research Keywords

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