Carbon dioxide used in sustainable polyurethane production
发布时间:2024年6月4日 04:47
Author机械工程师学会
Image 0
The polyurethane, which was made using carbon dioxide and without toxic isocyanates, could be used in biomedical applications (Credit: Fraunhofer IAP)
A team of researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute in Germany has used carbon dioxide and recycled material to make polyurethane in a more sustainable way.
The new process also avoids the use of toxic materials known as isocyanates, enabling safer production and biocompatibility.
Polyurethane is used as foam for mattresses, as packaging, elastic material for sporting goods, sealant, paint, adhesives, construction foam and much more. It is even used in medical applications, such as in tubes for intravenous catheters.
Instead of using fossil fuels such as oil or natural gas as a carbon source, the researchers used CO2 and polyurethane recyclates.
“This way, we can recycle the carbon and ensure that a lower amount of damaging CO2 is released into the atmosphere,” said project co-ordinator Dr Christoph Herfurth.
The team replaced isocyanates, which are normally used alongside chain extenders and polyols, with dicarbamate. “The polyurethane we produce in this way can also be certified as biocompatible,” said Dr Herfurth.
The process, which is already being used, requires high pressures and temperatures. The researchers are working on ways to optimise the technique to make it more efficient and industrially feasible, as well as working on more sustainable agents for foaming the polyurethanes.
The researchers aim to create three demonstrators to illustrate the various applications of the new form of polyurethane – tubes for medical applications, adhesives for bonding the tubes to devices such as catheters, and a polyurethane foam. They will highlight their work at the Medica 2021 event in Düsseldorf, 15-18 November.
Want the best engineering stories delivered straight to your inbox? The Professional Engineering newsletter gives you vital updates on the most cutting-edge engineering and exciting new job opportunities. To sign up, click here.
Content published by Professional Engineering does not necessarily represent the views of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers.
Share:
Read more related articles
Biomedical Cross-sector Manufacturing
产品
缤商APP用户后台
关于我们
公司简介加入我们
用户协议
隐私政策
联系我们
合作:135-8566-0971
客服:021-61673695
邮箱:support@bincial.com
地址:上海市浦东新区御桥路1220弄3号
DownloadAPP
视频号
WeChat
公众号
抖音
快手
Copyright© 上海播知科技有限公司 沪ICP备2023012989号-4