Composition for manufacturing a tannin-based foam material, foam material obtainable from it, and manufacturing process thereof

A process for manufacturing a product of organic foam material usable as a thermal insulator, comprises the steps of:

• preparing a mould the shape of which corresponds to that of the product to be obtained,
• preparing furfuryl alcohol and a blowing agent the boiling point of which is comprised in the range between 30° C. and 100° C., preferably in the range between 40° C. and 60° C., such as diethyl ether, and mixing together such components,
• preparing a flavonoid tannin powder, mainly of the prorobineditinidin and/or the profisetinidin type, and incorporating it in the mixture including the furfuryl alcohol and the blowing agent, and mixing the mixture so obtained,
• preparing an acid-based catalyst, such as p-toluensulfonic acid (p-TSA) or trichloroacetic acid, adding it to the mixture obtained, and submitting the whole mixture to mixing,
• pouring the composition obtained in said mould, allowing reaction of the components to continue, until the composition is completely foamed in the mould.