Crestron: Launch of ISCC-certified bio-based MDI and TDI products
Crestron announced the launch of ISCC certified bio-based MDI and bio-based TDI products.
Crestron has signed its first commercial order in Asia Pacific for ISCC PLUS certified low carbon footprint MDI based on a mass balance approach with a partial share of biomass feedstock with China Peak Group. MDI is widely used in footwear, textiles and automotive interiors. It is also used in the production of polyurethane rigid foam, which is used in refrigeration equipment and the construction industry as an efficient insulation material.
Crestron has signed its world's first commercial order for bio-based TDI with Centro Group, a leading global manufacturer and marketer of polyurethane upholstery products headquartered in Hong Kong, aiming to help customers in downstream industries reduce their carbon footprint by providing more and more sustainable raw materials. The first TDI products based on a mass balance approach with partial biomass feedstock share are to be delivered in the first quarter of 2022 from Crestron's Shanghai integration site.
BASF expands climate-friendly portfolio with first zero-carbon-emission MDI
BASF has expanded its methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI) portfolio with the launch of Lupranat® ZERO (Zero Emission, Renewable Source), a greenhouse gas-neutral aromatic isocyanate. Lupranat ZERO has an accounting cradle-to-gate product carbon footprint (PCF) of zero; this means that on its way out of the BASF plant gate to the customer - all product-related greenhouse gas emissions and the bio-based carbon combined in the product - no additional CO2 is generated.
Lupranat ZERO will first be used in Lupranat M 70 R for the production of MDI polyisocyanurate panels (also known as PIR or polyiso) and rigid polyurethane foam for the construction industry. Rigid foam boards are very durable and are used for insulation.
Wanhua Chemical developed the world's first 100% bio-based TPU material
Wanhua Chemical's 100% bio-based TPU products use bio-based PDI made from corn stalks, and additives such as rice bran wax are also sourced from renewable resources such as non-food chain corn and grated hemp. With the advantages of resource saving and renewable raw materials, it can minimize the carbon emission of end consumer products. The product also has excellent high strength, high toughness, oil resistance, yellowing resistance and other properties, and continues to empower the green transformation of footwear, film, consumer electronics, food contact and other fields.
In addition, Wanhua Chemical has a variety of bio-based TPU products. In 2021, Wanhua Chemical's bio-based TPU product WHT-ECO13595 was awarded the UL Green Environmental Statement Verification Certificate, which is the first bio-based TPU product in the industry to receive UL certification. WHT-ECO13595 is made from biomass materials and can have a biobased content of up to 40%. Compared with traditional TPU, it is environmentally friendly, renewable raw material, low carbon and environmental friendly without sacrificing any comprehensive performance. According to statistics, every ton of bio-based TPU used can reduce carbon emissions by 20%-40%, contributing significantly to the achievement of the dual carbon target. Wanhua Chemical bio-based TPU covers polyester, polyether and other types of products, with many grades such as ECO82588, ECO87560, ECO12588, ECO66550, etc. The products have a hardness range of 50A-95A and bio-based content of 25-75%, and are widely used in many fields such as footwear, consumer electronics, medical and health care.
Centurion Launches APILON™ 52 BIO Bio-based TPU
Centurion's APILON™ 52 BIO grades are thermoplastic polyurethane elastomers (TPUs) containing raw materials from renewable sources that offer the same performance as traditional fossil-based TPUs.
The APILON™ 52 BIO material family includes flexible and rigid grades (ester-based, ether-based and mixed ester-ether-based). Centurion also offers specialty tactile compounds that impart rubber-like and matte properties to products. By reducing greenhouse gas (e.g. CO2) emissions and saving fossil resources for future generations, these bio-based bioplastics offer significant environmental benefits.
The broad range of APILON™ 52 BIO grades allows these polymers and compounds to be used in an extremely diverse range of applications, including footwear and leather products. In addition to these applications, APILON™ 52 BIO is also used in automotive and engineering, cosmetics and personal care, medical, packaging, sporting goods, toys and gadgets.
Crestron: GMO-free partially bio-based TPU midsole for hiking boots
Costron has partnered with German outdoor gear and footwear manufacturer VAUDE to create a bio-based foam midsole for its new Lavik Eco outdoor trail shoe. Costron sourced non-GMO raw materials for the durable Desmopan® EC TPU foam, which meets the brand's Green Shape standards without sacrificing performance.
Together with Vaude, Crestron identified and tested a start-up raw material supplier, Metabolic Explorer, which was able to supply bio-based 1,3 PDO (propylene glycol), the base material for the production of palm oil polymers.
Using non-GMO raw materials from Metabolic Explorer, all bio-based raw materials in the Desmopan® EC 33000 series are now sourced from the non-GMO material stream. This provides the same characteristics for VAUDE midsole components with a 53% bio-based plastic foam blend
For midsole and other applications, Desmopan® EC series bio-based TPUs exhibit strong abrasion resistance and flexibility over an extremely wide temperature range, as well as high elasticity at a range of hardness levels. The series offers water-resistant grades, excellent resistance to oil, grease and solvents, and good resistance to weathering and high-energy radiation. Compared to petroleum-based TPUs, the EC series can reduce the carbon footprint by more than 20% without compromising quality or performance.
Lanxess launches Adiprene Green, a bio-based polyurethane pre-polymer system
LANXESS develops new MDI polyether-based polyurethane prepolymers, enriched with renewable bio-based raw materials, marketed under the brand name Adiprene Green.
The overall goal of developing the Adiprene Green product line is to help polyurethane processors reduce the carbon footprint of their products through bio-based prepolymers. Compared to conventional petroleum-based polyether-based prepolymers, the Adiprene Green series uses starch-based polyether polyol raw materials, which can significantly reduce CO2 emissions by 20 to 30 percent (depending on the specific polyurethane system). Depending on the target hardness of the polyurethane elastomer, bio-based raw materials can be used in proportions of up to 30 to 90 percent.
Adiprene Green prepolymers are reacted with 1,4-butanediol (BDO) to yield a range of high-performance polyurethane elastomers in the hardness range from 40 Shore A to 60 Shore D.
The Adiprene Green range is ideal for applications where the performance of elastomers is critical, such as roll covers, industrial rollers, paper machine boot covers and non-pneumatic tires.
SK Chemicals starts mass production of bio-based polyols
SK Chemicals CEO Jeon Kwang-hyun recently announced that the company has established a mass production system of several thousand tons in size and has started operating a dedicated facility to produce a new bio-based polyol material "PO3G" (polytrimethylene ether glycol). The brand name for this material is ECOTRION.
Polyol is an important raw material used in the manufacture of spandex, polyurethane (artificial leather, foam, etc.) and polyurethane elastomers.
SK Chemical's ECOTRION is a 100% biomaterial-based eco-friendly material made from fermentation of plants as raw materials that can replace existing petrochemical-based polyols. ECOTRION has received eco-friendly certifications from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and VINCOTTE of Belgium and offers several advantages, such as being softer than existing materials when applied to textiles and artificial leather, and having improved elasticity and abrasion resistance, making it comfortable to wear and less prone to deformation. In addition, the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) assessment shows that ECOTRION has a 40% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions compared to existing petrochemical-based polyol production processes.
Hyundai's Basic Materials Research Center has partnered with SK Chemicals and LX Hausys to develop eco-friendly artificial leather. In this way, Hyundai and Kia have already developed artificial leather using SK Chemicals' ECOTRION for the seats of the Genesis GV60, and are considering it for other models.
Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) Develops Environmentally Friendly Bio-based Polyols
Researchers at the Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) have developed more than 10 new palm-based polyols for use in polymer products, particularly environmentally friendly polyurethanes.
The palm-based polyols developed include the Pioneer series of palm oil-based polyols, fatty acid-based polyols, and waste cooking oil-based polyols; and the PolyFAME series of fatty acid methyl ester-based polyols, acrylic acid epoxidized palm oil polyols, and co-polymer polyols, MPOB said.
Evante Introduces New Nymax™ BIO Low Absorbency and Bio-based Polyamide Formulation
Evante introduces the new Nymax™ BIO formulation, a family of bio-based polyamide materials that will help customers achieve their sustainability goals. The new material solves the challenge that many bio-based polyamide materials currently on the market do not meet the required water absorption rate.
Nymax BIO materials are available in both glass-filled and unfilled formulations, containing natural fillers made from 16% to 47% renewable plants (corn, straw or wheat). The carbon footprint value of renewable plant-based raw materials has been proven to be much lower than that of commonly used petroleum-based raw materials.
These bio-based materials offer lower warpage and superior surface appearance and coloring capabilities than traditional PA66 glass-filled materials, and Nymax BIO's low-absorbent polyamide formulations are dimensionally stable and long-lasting, effectively addressing water absorption (moisture absorption) in finished parts.
