Cardyon: reuse of CO2 for polyols production
Organisation or Company
Type of organisation or company
Country
Germany
City
Dormagen
Language for original content
Key Area
Project elaborated in partnership
Yes
Partners
Sector
Submitted by
Covestro
Covestro
Description
Covestro has developed an innovative technology that allows using CO2 as raw material for the production of chemical building blocks for high-quality plastics. The most widely known of the numerous possible applications for these building blocks, called polyols, are polyurethane flexible foams used for mattresses and furniture. The new polyols, commercially available under the trade name cardyonTM contain up to 20% CO2, and have comparable or even better properties than the conventional ones, made of crude oil. They are being produced in Covestro’s new facility in Dormagen, Germany, since 2016.
Main activity field
Identified challenge (s)
Main results
- Reduction of fossil resource depletion of up to 15% – compared to conventional polyols;
- Contribution to circular economy by bringing CO2 back to the value chain;
- Reduction of industrial CO2 emissions by saving fossil fuels in the production process;
- Development of a new platform technology with potential impact for the plastics industry in total;
- Providing CO2-based plastic components with the same or better performance than conventional products;
- Meeting increasing demand in value chain and at end consumers for sustainable, environmentally compatible products;
- Construction of new production plant in Dormagen.