polyol
Sign in to saveAlso known as polyalcohol, polyols, Polyhydroxy alcohol, polyhydric alcohol
In organic chemistry, a polyol is an organic compound containing multiple hydroxyl groups (). The term "polyol" can have slightly different meanings depending on whether it is used in food science or polymer chemistry. Polyols containing two, three and four hydroxyl groups are diols, triols, and tetrols, respectively.
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Encyclopedic overview
10 sectionsContents
- Classification
- Uses
- Low molecular weight polyols
- Sugar alcohols
- Polymeric polyols
- Polyols from recycled or renewable sources
- Properties
- See also
- References
- External links
In organic chemistry, a polyol is an organic compound containing multiple hydroxyl groups (). The term "polyol" can have slightly different meanings depending on whether it is used in food science or polymer chemistry. Polyols containing two, three and four hydroxyl groups are diols, triols, and tetrols, respectively.
== Classification == Polyols may be classified according to their chemistry. Some of these chemistries are polyether, polyester, polycarbonate and also acrylic polyols. Polyether polyols may be further subdivided and classified as polyethylene oxide or polyethylene glycol (PEG), polypropylene glycol (PPG) and polytetrahydrofuran or PTMEG. These have 2, 3 and 4 carbon atoms respectively per oxygen atom in the repeat unit. Polycaprolactone polyols are also commercially available. There is also an increasing trend to use biobased (and hence renewable) polyols.
Excerpted from Wikipedia’s “polyol” article, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.