There are more than 1000 commercially available polymers. However, only a few data, such as polyolefin, PVC, polystyrene and polyester, have occupied the main market share in terms of quantity. In these data, polyurethane (PU) has been the target of sustainability research. There are many driving factors behind the research on sustainable polyurethane and its subsequent commercialization.

There is a large demand in the end market

Through its various forms - rigidity; flexibility; Coatings, adhesives, sealants and elastomers (CASE); And others. Polyurethane is deeply rooted in the end market. As we all know, the closer a data is to the end consumer market, the greater the interest in sustainability. Consumers' environmental awareness affects their consumption patterns, which accelerates the pace of manufacturers' migration to raw materials and processes that are considered more sustainable and environmentally friendly than alternatives.

Strong growth of polyurethane

According to the data, polyurethane accounts for about 6% to 8% of the polymer market in the United States. Although the output of polyurethane is relatively low compared with other polymers, it is predicted that its annual growth rate of about 7% will make polyurethane an attractive investment project and a sustainable choice that may be adopted by the whole industry.

Multiple ways to achieve sustainability

The basic precursor of polyurethane, namely polyol, can be produced by recycling or from renewable resources. The method of recycling polyurethane to obtain polyol and using it with original polyol to produce polyurethane is currently being commercialized. Polyols selected from renewable resources (such as plants) are also widely used to manufacture polyurethane foam and coatings in many products. Therefore, the availability of the two options leads to a two-pronged approach to achieving sustainability. Progress in isocyanate is slow, but it is expected that the progress will be accelerated as the development of renewable aniline continues to be studied.

The sustainable polyurethane has been commercialized for ten years. However, in the past few years, the pace of commercialization has been greatly accelerated. Here we will analyze the current situation of sustainability from the perspective of suppliers and customers.

PU supplier

Global polyurethane suppliers are increasingly using bio-based or recycled raw materials. For example, Costron is using polyester polyols based on succinic acid as raw materials for thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) and water-based polyurethane dispersions (synthetic leather applications). BASF is working hard to achieve recyclability, producing recycled raw materials of the same quality as the original resin by recycling mattresses. Its process decomposes flexible polyurethane to obtain polyols. Dow's mattress recycling project converts the discarded mattress foam into original polyols through chemical recycling.

PU customers

Construction and construction: The main consumption of polyurethane in the construction industry is in hard foam insulation materials. However, the demand for bio-based polyurethane and other sustainable polyurethane products is mainly driven by the application of coatings and adhesives. PPG provides bio-based architectural coatings based on adhesives developed by DSM. These resins come from bio-based polyurethane and acrylate.

Automobile: Automobile companies claim that soybean based polyols have been used in polyurethane foam seat cushions, seat backs and headrests. Volvo uses limited bio-based data in its cars. It has tried to use soy based foam in car interiors, such as seats; However, its main focus is on the use of recycled materials.

Footwear and sports: It is reported that sports companies use bio-based TPU in limited soles. This bio-based TPU contains polyols derived from castor oil and is mixed with traditional petroleum-based polymers. Last year, Adida launched its 100% recyclable high-performance running shoes. Each component is made of 100% recyclable TPU.

Household appliances: Due to the precise performance specifications of household appliances, the application of bio-based data is quite slow. Türkiye's multinational electrical appliance manufacturer introduced a 'biological freezer' in 2019, which uses biological polyurethane insulation materials.

From customers to data suppliers, converters and OEMs, various factors are driving the demand for sustainable polyurethane. However, efficiency requirements, relatively difficult processability, limited supply of raw materials and high costs hinder the transformation of demand. To meet these challenges, major polyurethane suppliers and many start-ups are developing bio-based or recycled polyurethane raw material substitutes. With the rise of the sustainable development movement, this trend is expected to be further strengthened in different application fields in the future.