Eco-friendly composite resins based on renewable biomass resources: Polyfurfuryl alcohol/lignin thermosets

The properties of an innovative polyfurfuryl alcohol (PFA)/lignin combined matrix have been investigated. Furfuryl alcohol (FA) and lignin are, respectively, monomeric and polymeric precursors issued from biomass feedstock. In the present work, a plasticized lignin (PL) has been blended during polymerization of FA into PFA. Two kinds of samples were prepared at different FA/lignin ratio. Structural investigations were made on resins by ¹³C NMR while the thermo-mechanical performances of the combined materials were studied using thermogravimetric (TGA) and dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA). TGA results have permitted us to determine the thermal stability and the composition of the cured material on the basis of the ash content. According with these results, it was found that the lignin ratio in the cured material is more important than in the initial threshold. The TGA reveals that the PFA/PL thermo-oxidative degradation occurs at higher temperature compared to the natural (PL) component system, together with a lower rate of decomposition. This underlines a good interpenetration of lignin within the furanic matrix. The morphologies of the combined PFA/lignin systems, controlled by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), reveal a monophasic structure. These observations are in good agreement with the presence of a unique relaxation peak as shown in the DMA results.