Bayer MaterialScience develops eco-friendly isocyanate for PU industry

Bayer MaterialScience, one of the leading players in polyurethanes (PU), has developed pentamethylene diisocyanate (PDI) - 70 percent of whose carbon content comes from biomass without generating any direct competition for food production. The company will introduce the new isocyanate at the European Coatings Show 2015 from April 21-23 in Nuremberg, Germany.
 
Customers are increasingly demanding products based on renewable raw materials. Environmental compatibility is becoming a market requirement. With the addition of PDI to its portfolio, Bayer MaterialScience can for the first time offer its customers an eco-friendly hardener component, which for them is a key differentiating factor. A comprehensive technology platform currently is being developed to evaluate additional uses for PDI-based raw materials in coatings, adhesives and other applications.
 
Bayer MaterialScience intends to bring the first PDI-based product to market in April 2015. Commercial manufacturing is to follow in 2016 with an annual capacity of up to 20,000 metric tons. These products will be manufactured in existing plants using energy-efficient gas-phase technology.
 
Meanwhile, Bayer MaterialScience has reaffirmed its commitment to its planned global capital expenditures. The company plans to complete construction next year of a new, 50,000 tpa production facility for hexamethylene diisocyanate (HDI) in Caojing, China. The company will also expand capacities for polyurethane dispersions (PUD) at the Dormagen site in Germany. Over the next few years, plans for Caojing include an expansion of PUD capacities – until 2017 – and a new production facility for isophorone diisocyanate (IPDI).