Thermosets from Birch Bark: A Holistic Approach Using Green Solvents and Processes.

ABSTRACT: Many recent efforts toward sustainable polymer development use building blocks from renewable biomass feedstocks. However, issues arising from the processes used to extract starting materials from biomass are often overlooked, despite the safety and environmental hazards associated with energy-intensive separation processes and solvent utilization. Here, we describe a holistic approach toward using green solvents and processes to synthesize polyester thermosets from birch bark, a waste product from the paper and pulp industry. Betulin, a diol with a pentacyclic ring structure, was extracted from the bark of silver birch trees via reflux boiling using green solvents available from biobased sources. Ethanol and 1:1 ethanol:ethyl acetate mixtures were effective solvents for extraction, with a

SUBMITTER: Dodge ML 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12355430 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature