Skip to main content
Sister Publication Links
  • Rubber & Plastics News
Subscribe
  • My Account
  • LogIn
  • News
  • Technology Focus
    • Features
    • Technical Papers
    • Analysis: Rubber mixing plants of the future
      Analysis: US probes dumping by ESBR suppliers
      Opinion: Tire labels stuck in a rut
      Analysis: NR pricing takes one step forward, two steps back
    • Technical paper: Varying Si-substituents for rubber silanes
      White paper: Role of tire innerliners in improving 'in-use rolling resistance'
      White paper: Why tire air retention matters now more than ever
      Nippon Soda: Use of 1,2-polybutadiene in CSM rubber applications
  • Events
    • ERJ Events
    • ERJ Livestreams & Webinars
    • Industry Events
    • Journey to Automation Awards 2020
      Sustainability: Top 10 E4S projects table
  • Maps & Reports
  • People
  • Directory
  • Digital Edition
  • Brainiac
MENU
Breadcrumb
  1. Home
  2. News
July 07, 2017 12:00 AM

Covestro  “will get there” with CO2 elastomers

Shahrzad Pourriahi
  • Tweet
  • Share
  • Share
  • Email
  • More
    Print

    London – Covestro’s progress in commercialising polyurethane foam materials employing carbon dioxides (CO2) as a feedstock will be replicated in the field of thermoplastics polyurethane (TPU) elastomers, according to CEO Patrick Thomas.

    The Leverkusen, Germany-based company has already established a four kilotonne-per-annum (ktpa) plant for the manufacture of the CO2-based polyol feedstock and envisages a 100ktpa facility in the next five years.

    Among Covestro’s other target applications for CO2 are TPU elastomers – block copolymers comprising alternating sequences of hard and soft segments formed by reacting diisocyanates with short-chain diols and long-chain diols.

    There are, though, technical challenges, Thomas explaining that the TPU polymer molecules are “very sensitive” to molecular-build up due to the nature of the polyester polyols. He added that end properties are highly dependent on the polymerisation processes.

    “When you introduce something like CO2 you can actually destabilise that [process], so it needs a little more experimental work to actually find out,” the Covestro boss said.

    Thomas summarised: “Flexible polyols [are] probably the easiest, rigid polyols a bit more difficult, TPUs quite a lot more difficult. I think [TPUs] will get there, it is just the chemistry and the development process.”

    RECOMMENDED FOR YOU
    Calender maker Comerio Ercole on a roll
    Calender maker Comerio Ercole on a roll
    Bridgestone unveils major upgrade at off-road tire plant 
    Bridgestone unveils major upgrade at off-road tire plant 
    Michelin, ProovStation join hands in automated vehicle inspections
    Michelin, ProovStation join hands in automated vehicle inspections
    Free Newsletters

    Breaking news and in-depth coverage of essential topics delivered straight to your inbox.

    Subscribe today

    Get the latest news impacting the European rubber industry, from breaking news to razor-sharp analysis, in print and online.

    Subscribe now
    Connect with Us
    • LinkedIn
    • Twitter
    • Youtube

    Logo
    Contact Us

    @ 2019 European Rubber Journal. 
    European Rubber Journal is published bi-monthly by NUERJ Ltd.

    Registered Office: Castle House, 89 High Street,
    Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire HP4 2DF, United Kingdom. 

    Tel. + 44 (0)203 196 0141 

    Registered No. 13104613 England

    Email: [email protected]

    Website www.european-rubber-journal.com

    Customer service 

    Tel. + 44 (0)203 196 0141 

     

    Resources
    • About us
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise with Us
    • Media Kit
    • Ad Choices Ad Choices
    • Sitemap
    Legal
    • Terms and Conditions
    • Privacy Policy
    • Privacy Request
    Copyright © 2021. NUERJ LTD. All Rights Reserved.
    • News
    • Technology Focus
      • Features
      • Technical Papers
    • Events
      • ERJ Events
      • ERJ Livestreams & Webinars
      • Industry Events
    • Maps & Reports
    • People
    • Directory
    • Digital Edition
    • Brainiac