Abstract
The electronic structures of furfuryl alcohol and its protonated intermediate were investigated using INDO method. The initial stage of the acid-catalyzed polymerization of furfuryl alcohol was successfully explained from the calculated results. The curing reaction of low-nitrogen furan binder catalyzed by p-toluene sulphonic acid at temperatures between 25 and 200 degree C was studied using infrared spectro-photometric technique. The chemical structures of the polymer produced are shown to have important influences on the compressive strength of the furan binder molds.
