By: ICN Bureau
Last updated : April 15, 2024 6:44 pm
BASF develops recyclable PU flexible foam
BASF is presenting new concepts and recycling methods for polyurethanes at UTECH in Maastricht. The leading international trade fair and conference for the global polyurethane industry will take place from April 23-25 in Maastricht, NL. Circular economy is one of the major topics in all PU sectors. BASF offers new, sustainable material developments and recycling methods for various industries, which will be presented at the BASF stand, E20.
BASF presents a new generation of flexible PU foams suitable for thermoplastic recycling at the end of their life cycle. These new meltable PU foams combine the advantages of recyclability with the comfort properties of conventional PU foams. The foams can be 100% recycled and used as a raw material for new foams. This is made possible by a recycling process developed by BASF, in which the old foam is transformed into a new polyol in an energy-efficient process. "With the development of our 'designed-for-recycling'-foam, we have a new type of product that makes it possible to use polyurethane waste as a raw material for new foams," says Dr. Lukas Wilm, R&D PU Flexible Foams, BASF Polyurethanes. After its first service life, the foam can be returned to the material cycle and used for new products in various application areas such as the automotive, footwear and furniture industries.
BASF introduces new circular economy concepts to enable the recycling of insulation materials in refrigerators. The use of the PU insulation material Balindur in vacuum insulation panels (VIP) in combination with ElastocoolF reduces the number of materials to just one and offers first-class insulation for refrigerators.
"We are developing an efficient process that makes it possible to reduce the use of fossil raw materials for the insulation of refrigerators," explains Dr Martin Baumert, Head of Technical Development Insulation Solutions, BASF Polyurethanes.