The material maker is part of the new European research project "PUReSmart", which consists of nine companies and academic institutions from six countries. The goal is to develop a complete cyclic product life cycle and turn polyurethane into a truly sustainable material. One of the materials made of polyurethane is soft foam and rigid foam, which are required for mattresses and upholstered furniture, as well as building insulation and cooling devices.
PUReSmart will operate for four years and will receive 6 million euros from the European Union under the Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Program (grant agreement number 814543). The project is coordinated by the Belgian company Recticel and aims to recycle 90% of old polyurethanes in order to manufacture components for existing or new products (for example, a polymer that combines heat resistance with the recyclability of thermoplastics New polymer). Intelligent classification methods are particularly important for effective chemical recovery.
Covestro is investigating the optimal chemical recovery of polyurethane after use during the project, as well as the qualitative treatment of the material flow generated during this period. The aim is to obtain high-quality raw materials for new polyurethane applications. "Polyurethane is a widely used and widely used plastic that provides comfort and safety in many applications around the world. As an insulating material, it helps save energy and thus contribute to sustainable development," Covestro "It's time to increase the sustainable value of a material at the end of its useful life," said Nikola Schuck, the head of Chuang's PUReSmart.
In addition to Covestro and Recticel, BT-Wolfgang Binder (Austria), WeylChemInnoTec (Germany), Ecoinnovazione SRL (Italy), and Ayming (France) also participate in the PUReSmart consortium, which represents a seamless and complete value-added in polyurethane post-processing chain. Other academic partners include the University of Ghent (Belgium), the University of Kourouven (Belgium), and the University of Castile (Spain).