The construction industry is expected to enter carbon dioxide (CO2)-based materials in the near future, as the German company Covestro has developed rigid polyurethane foam insulation panels for construction. As part of the "Dream Resources" project, the company conducted three years of research funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF). The board was developed in cooperation with Puren gmbh.

This product uses 20% carbon dioxide (a greenhouse gas) to replace the oil in the rigid polyurethane foam. This technology is seen as an important step forward for the climate-related construction industry. Buildings are the main culprit in global large-scale energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. From this perspective, the product may contribute to the circular economy and make insulation more sustainable and efficient in the future. Covestro’s Chief Commercial Officer, Sucheta Govil, said: “Our goal is to stop the use of fossil fuels and make our production process more sustainable”.

The process involves combining the petroleum derivative ethylene oxide with CO2 (through a chemical reaction) to produce polyols, and finally rigid polyurethane foam. It replaces 20% of petroleum-based raw materials. "With the development of these materials, we have given the greenhouse gas CO2 new and multiple uses," said Christoph Gurtler, a scientist at Covestro.

The company has been producing carbon dioxide-based cardyon for the manufacture of mattresses, sports flooring, textile fibers and automotive interior components. Under the "Dream Resources" project, more than 400 kg of carbon dioxide-based polyols were successfully delivered to Puren for further processing. Initially, the rigid foam insulation board made of CO2-based rigid foam polyol meets the standard and has been comparable to market demand in terms of key technical specifications. "The company is working to further enhance its market readiness characteristics," said Puren MD of Andreas Huther.

Our editorial values

Printable version | November 25, 2021 1:25:45 PM | https://www.thehindu.com/life-and-style/homes-and-gardens/new-insulation-boards/article34283103.ece

© THG Publishing PVT Co., Ltd.

If you haven’t already done so, we have some tips for you to get started