With a global market valued in excess of £15 billion, polyols are key building blocks in polyurethane, which is used to make automobiles, bedding, furniture, footwear and other industrial and household products. Econic Technologies’ new tunable catalyst enables polyol manufacturers to incorporate bespoke amounts of captured CO2 emissions into these polyol chains during the manufacturing process. The amount of CO2 can be dialled up or down depending on the performance requirements of the application.

The tunable catalyst means CO2 can be incorporated at low pressures via equipment that is retrofitted easily and economically to existing production plants. By allowing for a reduction of oil-based feedstocks, Econic Technologies says the catalyst could save a typical production unit with an output of 50kte/annum in excess of £36 million per year.

Not only does the catalyst enable manufacturers to use their own carbon dioxide emissions as a raw material, but by reducing quantities of environmentally demanding, oil-based inputs, it further lowers emissions.

Dr Rowena Sellens, CEO of Econic Technologies, says: “From cars and mattresses, to footwear and fridges, polyols and the polyurethanes they make are a fundamental component of an incredibly wide range of applications. The positive potential for businesses and the planet, provided by Econic Technologies’ catalysts, is huge – and so are our ambitions.

“As the tunable catalyst moves out the lab and into mainstream use, we are aiming to work with our customers to totally transform polyurethane manufacturing: making it greener, cheaper and safer.”