Industrial CO2 emissions transformed into paints, varnishes and adhesives for footwear and furniture
AIMPLAS helps companies apply circular economy criteria to their business models and turn legislative changes affecting the plastics industry into opportunities to improve company efficiency, reduce environmental impact and increase profitability. AIMPLAS also carries out research into areas such as recycling, biodegradable materials and products, and the use of biomass and CO2.
The PUCO2 project uses research and development to combat global warming caused by greenhouse gas emissions. Seventeen companies have taken part in the project, which will also be relevant to producers of adhesives for related sectors, as well as the textile, automotive and toy industries.
The PUCO2 project brings together the Metalworking, Furniture, Wood, Packaging and Related Technological Institute AIDIMME, the Plastics Technology Centre AIMPLAS and the Footwear Technology Centre INESCOP, with the support of the Valencian Institute for Business Competitiveness IVACE. They are exploring converting CO2 from industrial emissions into high value-added chemical products with applications in the footwear and furniture industries.
CO2 accounts for more than 60% of global warming due to the high volume of emissions. The PUCO2 project is working on developing systems for converting CO2 into isocyanate-free polyurethane and polyol-based polyurethane, and will then validate their use as paints, varnishes and adhesives in the footwear and furniture industries.
- The three technology centres working on the PUCO2 project have already collaborated with 17 companies. The project aims to use emissions from industrial facilities to produce different polymers and yield both environmental and economic benefits: the advantages for the environment are self-evident, while ensuring that resource use complies with circular economy principles will have economic advantages.
- The first adhesive samples have been successfully applied to materials used to manufacture footwear and are now being tested on furniture.
- The results are also expected to be of interest to adhesive producers in related sectors, as well as the textile, automotive and toy industries.