Polymers put CO2 to use

摘要

US-BASED sustainable polymer specialist Novomer has developed a technology platform that produces valuable, high-performance polymers from waste carbon dioxide. Novomer's process is based on an innovative catalyst system that uses CO2 as a primary raw material in the production of polypropylene and polyethylene carbonates that contain between 43 and 50% CO2 by weight.The polymers are based on the co-polymerization of CO2 and propylene oxide (PO) or other epoxides and can be produced as both thermoplastic polymers and polyols for packaging and coating products. The firm also has developed chain transfer technology to produce low molecular weight CO2-based polyols for thermosetapplications that are commercially viable in coatings, adhesives, foams and composite resins.