Polyurethane Foam From Renewable Polyol Coated With Self-Assembled Block Copolymers for Water Depollution

The presence of proteins in aqueous media intensifies the activities of bacteria and other microorganisms increasing the use of antibiotics, making processes more expensive due to the formation of biofouling. To mitigate contaminations by proteins of water resources, bio-based castor oil polyurethane foams were customized to improve the adsorption and recovery of water of pollutants. Hybrid ordered nanoporous coatings of self-assemble copolymers of poly(styrene-b-4-vinyl pyridine) (PS-b-P4VP) having titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles, were produced through the self-assembly nonsolvent induced phase separation (SNIPS) process and were deposited on the surface of the polyurethane foams to enhance the separation of contaminants. The added TiO2 nanoparticles could provide photocatalytic behavior to the foam and be explored for other functions. The performance of the material in water media enhanced at least 65% of the adsorption capacity of dispersed myoglobin on water and was then compared with another coated foam with a non-ordered copolymer. In addition, the flux of the water solutions through the modified foams was investigated to check if the obtained coatings were effective in the water transport and selection of pollutant substances. To our knowledge, this is the first modulated polyurethane coated with a copolymer aiming for multiple water-cleaning approaches.