Carbon dioxide partly replaces petroleum in plastics and synthetics

CO₂ as a new raw material – becoming a jack of all trades

Carbon dioxide shows an unfamiliar side: The gas, which is known as being problematic for the climate, can now be reused as a valuable material source in plastic production. For example, for more sustainable production of mattresses and sports floors. The novel CO₂ technology is also used in the automotive industry. And even clothing and building insulation could be manufactured this way in the future. Securely bound in plastic or synthetic materials, carbon dioxide will find its way into many products used in our daily lives.

This groundbreaking use of CO₂ is the result of the award-winning process we have developed with our partner RWTH Aachen. It is more than just technical innovation in plastics and synthetic production: This process conserves fossil fuels, such as crude oil, and reduces the amount of atmospheric carbon dioxide because the carbon from CO₂ is essentially being recycled. It’s an innovative contribution to resource conservation. And it also promotes the circular economy, which we are committed to as part of our Group-wide strategy.

Meanwhile, at RWTH Aachen University, work is being conducted on the production of synthetic fibers with help of the innovative CO₂ technology. The topic is on the threshold of market maturity: Together with colleagues from the Technical University of Berlin and our experts, the researchers in Aachen have succeeded in producing high-performance fibers on a larger scale and processing their first garments.

Press release on sports floors with CO₂
Press release on fibers with CO₂

Moving away from oil

Intelligent use of carbon dioxide gaining momentum

We are not only driving forward our own developments for more sustainability and climate protection, but also supporting others in implementing their ideas to solve environmental challenges and greenhouse gas emissions. For example, we sponsored the new innovation prize "Best CO₂ Utilization 2020,” which was awarded by the renowned nova-Institut.

At the award ceremony, three young companies from the USA and Germany were honored. They can, for example, produce vodka from carbon dioxide, have developed CO₂-based energy storage solutions and created filters to extract the gas directly from the air. The award also illustrates how the conversion of CO₂ has become an asset and how crucial it is for people and the environment.

Berlin summit sees good prospects

Finding alternatives to oil and other fossil fuels is not a challenge for the chemical industry alone. Politics, science and the wider society are also beginning to recognize promising potential. This was made evident at the Raw Materials Summit 2019 in Berlin. We were proud to co-organize the event with the Technical University of Berlin and the DECHEMA Society for Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology to help demonstrate how the materials industry is pushing ahead with sustainable production. Themed “Carbon in the circular economy,” the event brought together representatives from across the value chain to explore the potential of sustainable raw materials from waste, plants and CO₂ as an alternative to crude oil. The importance of a vibrant start-up scene in realizing of sustainable processes and products was emphasized at the event. As part of this focus, the “Resource Innovator” prize was awarded to the young company Ineratec from Southern Germany.

The next Raw Materials Summit is currently planned for 2021 in the Rhineland.

Press release on the CO₂ Innovation Award
Press Release 2019 Raw Materials Summit

Catalyzing carbon dioxide change

The innovative CO₂ technology

Inert carbon dioxide does not exactly make things easy for chemists. In order to set molecules in motion, a great deal of energy normally has to be supplied, which makes no ecological or economic sense. But this has begun to change in recent years, thanks to an innovative catalyst that we developed together with RWTH Aachen University and the CAT Catalytic Center.

This innovation is a scientific breakthrough: With the help of the catalyst, carbon dioxide can finally be sensibly used for the production of plastics and synthetics. We operate a production facility at our site in Dormagen especially for this purpose. Our patented CO₂ technology is used here to produce polyol, a key precursor for polyurethane plastics such as foams or binders.

Up to 20 percent carbon dioxide can be chemically converted into the polyol which is marketed under the brand name cardyon®. The CO₂ remains chemically bound in the product and later in the application and is not released again into the atmosphere. The carbon dioxide comes from the exhaust gas stream of a neighboring chemical plant in Dormagen. With a production capacity of 5000 metric tons per year, our own plant offers the opportunity to explore the market and further develop the process.

In the future, we hope to increase the production of CO₂-based polyols. After all, not only do we want to help avoid CO₂ emissions, we also want to use as much carbon dioxide and thus contribute to a circular economy.

Giving carbon a second life, together

Cooperating across industrial and national borders is our path to success. And this was demonstrated in Carbon4PUR, a research project we led to bring together 14 partners across Europe. The goal: To develop a new technology to use exhaust gases from the steel industry, such as CO₂ and carbon monoxide, for plastics production.

Website about Carbon4PUR
Press release about Carbon4PUR