ABSTRACT
The typical raw materials for polymers and plastics are oil; natural gas; coal; agricultural products such as corn, soybean, etc.; chemicals such as benzene, glycols, isocyanates, phenols, sodium chloride, etc. These raw materials are not directly convertible to polymers and plastics but have to be chemically treated and converted to monomers such as ethylene, propylene, vinyl chloride, and others that are the starting materials for polymers. These types of activities typically take place in refineries or specialized laboratories. There is a school of thought that contends that without the plastics industry, these monomeric products would be side and waste products from refinery activities. The current era of “green and sustainability” is encouraging the use of agricultural and non-fossil-type raw materials. A project at the Kansas Polymer Research Center (KPRC), Pittsburg State University, utilizes soybean as raw material for the making of polyurethane foams [1-4]. This effort turns soybean into polyols that are subsequently polymerized into polyurethanes and foam products [5].
