Compósitos de resina Poliuretana (PU) derivada de óleo de mamona e partículas de bambu (Dendrocalamus giganteus) foram preparados com 10, 15 e 20% em peso de PU pelo processo de prensagem. O objetivo do presente estudo foi criar uma solução para aproveitar resíduos da manufatura do bambu, minimizando impactos negativos ao meio ambiente, adicionando-lhe uma resina que não contém compostos orgânicos voláteis (COV). A sua caracterização foi feita através de análises físicas e termogravimetria. A associação de PU com partículas de bambu produziu efeitos esperados como a diminuição no teor de umidade, inchamento e absorção de água com o aumento do percentual de PU. Nos ensaios de dureza Shore D obteve-se um aumento gradual da rigidez superficial com o acréscimo em percentual de resina PU.

Composites of Polyurethane (PU) resin derived from castor oil and bamboo particles (Dendrocalamus giganteus) were prepared by pressing with 10, 15 and 20% weight of PU. The aim of this study was to develop a new application of wastes from bamboo manufacture, minimizing the negative impact to the environment, adding a resin free of volatile organic compounds (COV). The composite characterization was performed with physical and thermogravimetric analysis. The association of PU and bamboo particles produced the expected effects, including a decrease in moisture content, swelling and water absorption as PU percentage increased. The Shore D hardness increased with the percentage of resin PU in the composite.

This study addressed the use of conventional and vegetable origin polyurethane foams to extract C. I. Acid Orange 61 dye. The quantitative determination of the residual dye was carried out with an UV/Vis absorption spectrophotometer. The extraction of the dye was found to depend on various factors such as pH of the solution, foam cell structure, contact time and dye and foam interactions. After 45 days, better results were obtained for conventional foam when compared to vegetable foam. Despite presenting a lower percentage of extraction, vegetable foam is advantageous as it is considered a polymer with biodegradable characteristics.

The aim of this research was to study the biodegradation of a polymer derived from castor oil, which is a renewable, natural material that is a practical alternative for the replacement of traditional polyurethane foams. Due to its molecular structure, which contains polyester segments derived from vegetable oil, the polymeric surface is susceptible to microorganism attack. This study tested the biological degrading agent that was in contact with the microorganisms resulting from microbiological grease degrading agents, when foam was inoculated. Solid-media agar-plate tests were conducted for their potential to evaluate the biodegradation of polymeric particles by specific strains of microorganisms during 216 hours. The growth rate was defined. This technique provides a way of distinguishing the degradation abilities of microorganisms from the degradability of materials.