The Breakthrough Energy Catalyst foundation set up by Bill Gates and the European Investment Bank (EIB) are supporting this installation of the Rondo RHB100 heat battery, which is scheduled to begin operation at ����AV’s Brunsbüttel site at the end of 2026. The project will then produce ten percent of the steam required at the site, saving up to 13,000 tons of CO₂ emissions per year.

Rondo Heat Batteries combine century-old materials and cutting-edge automation to capture electricity and deliver high-temperature heat and power. Electrical energy is stored as heat, using bricks that have been used for heat storage at steel mills for centuries. The heat powers an ordinary boiler to deliver zero-emission steam. Renewable electricity can be intermittently stored when there is an excess available and a constant amount of steam can still be generated continuously.

"As an innovation company, we are always excited when we can further develop and test promising ideas that can bring us closer to our goals of a circular economy and climate-neutral production," says Dr. Thorsten Dreier, CTO of ����AV. “The heat battery is such an idea: a new technology that allows us to go one step further on our way to a sustainable future.”

“Rondo Heat Batteries deliver deep decarbonization by changing the fuel, not the factory,” said Eric Trusiewicz, CEO of Rondo Energy. “We’re honored to be working with ����AV to prove our safety, reliability, and efficiency under real conditions on a large scale over a long period of time. And we’re excited to be deploying in Brunsbüttel, where large flexible electricity loads are particularly valuable to the electricity grid.”

For ����AV, steam generation is an important part of the production process and accounts for a large proportion of energy consumption. The learnings from this first heat battery installation will provide experience and insights for ����AV to be able to assess whether larger-scale deployments are possible.

"The Expo in Dubai is a unique opportunity to show the world how we can tackle the many global challenges and shape a truly sustainable future. This will succeed if society and business consistently adapt to the circular economy," says Markus Steilemann, CEO of ����AV. "The chemical industry is contributing to this by making its processes and products even more environmentally compatible. With this in mind, we at ����AV are developing more and more ways to produce high-quality plastics using CO₂ instead of petroleum."

Science and industry discuss future topics

To accompany Expo 2020 in Dubai, ����AV and the Institute of Biological and Earth Sciences 2: Plant Sciences at Forschungszentrum Jülich are hosting #IndustryMeetsScience Talks, a virtual talk series highlighting and discussing current issues and global challenges such as endangered biodiversity, future mobility and the expansion of renewable energies. The talks feature high-profile opinion leaders from the fields of science and business.

"The #IndustryMeetsScience Talks are an exciting virtual talk series that highlights exemplary solutions to global challenges. Together, we want to highlight Germany's innovative solutions to key issues. I am pleased that we have been able to attract renowned experts for this purpose," says Professor Ulrich Schurr from Forschungszentrum Jülich. The first virtual talk on the topic of plant life and biodiversity will take place on October 15. This will be followed on October 21 by the topic of alternative raw materials with ����AV CEO Markus Steilemann.

The #IndustryMeetsScience Talks will be broadcast live on ����AV's popular social media channels, including , , und Youtube.

Part of the German Pavilion with focus on sustainability

����AV and Forschungszentrum Jülich are partners in the German Pavilion consortium at Expo 2020 Dubai. The exhibit on the circular economy is part of the German Pavilion, which is located on the grounds in the sustainability area and is organized by Koelnmesse GmbH on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy. In total, the German Pavilion showcases 36 innovative and creative exhibits designed to encourage guests to interact and raise awareness of the importance of sustainability in the present and future.

The exhibits are divided into the core themes of energy, city of the future and biodiversity, each of which represents a so-called lab. The ����AV exhibit on the circular economy will be located in the Lab City of the Future, which is divided into a series of innovative ideas and approaches that take a look at the mobility, buildings and life of tomorrow.

Expo 2020 will start on October 1, 2021 and run for a total of six months, until March 31, 2022.

The circular economy is regarded as a crucial systematic approach to achieving climate neutrality, conserving the limited resources of the earth and advancing the protection of the environment and nature. In the ����AV talk, participants discussed ways to achieve this under the slogan "Joint Solutions". The industry must, above all, make its production processes fossil-free throughout by consistently switching to renewable energies and replacing oil with renewable raw materials. At the same time, recycling needs to be massively expanded, which also requires behavioral changes in society.

German minister Schulze: “Keep plastics in circulation”

Environment Minister Svenja Schulze: “Waste prevention and recycling are central components of a true circular economy. If products are reusable and returnable packaging solutions are widespread, then we no longer need climate-damaging petroleum for plastic packaging. With recycling, we can keep plastics in circulation and reduce the use of primary raw materials. Too much plastic waste is still being burned, even in Germany. The Federal Government is making manufacturers responsible for packaging waste. With ambitious recycling targets, we have provided the decisive impetus for a plastics recycling industry in Germany. If a company only uses the resources that it really needs, then that amounts to an active contribution to climate protection.”

����AV CEO Steilemann: “Let’s initiate a raw material revolution”

Steilemann emphasized that climate-intensive industries such as chemicals, in which ����AV operates, must together initiate a real raw material revolution. "The oil age is coming to an end. We can achieve sustainable production with alternative raw materials such as biomass, CO₂ and waste, which are being circulated and do not release any greenhouse gases. There are more and more insights, ideas and inventions that we must implement together. But we also need better framework conditions for the investments that must be made."

Ørsted deputy CEO Neubert: “Foster cross-industrial partnerships”

For Neubert, Ørsted’s Chief Commercial Officer and deputy CEO, the consequent and accelerated expansion of green energy is crucial to achieve the circular economy and climate neutrality. Partnerships between companies in the energy sector and other industries could give important impetus for this. ”Ørsted plans to install 50 gigawatts renewable energy by 2030. A large share of this will be offshore wind. The continued and consistent expansion of wind energy in the North Sea and Baltic Sea will be essential to secure the electricity supply in Germany and Europe, as well as to enable the production of renewable hydrogen. Transnational projects, such as energy islands, are just one of many important innovative ideas."

Expert Kadner: “Involve also citizens in the transformation”

Kadner emphasized that not only production methods but also value chains must change: "If we want to leave the ‘throwaway society’ behind us and implement a true circular economy, we need new forms of cooperation. To create the networks we need for value creation, to successfully implement circular business models and achieve truly circular product management, all stakeholders - including citizens - must be involved." The Circular Economy Initiative Deutschland, whose office is headed by Kadner, is working together with experts from business, academia and civil society to demonstrate new approaches.

The broadcast was recorded and can be accessed . In addition, ����AV provides on the circular economy and the topics of alternative raw materials, renewable energy and innovative recycling.

Find here the press release about the event.

Webcast „Fully Circular Talks“:

Watch the webcast “Joint Solutions – Collaboration is key to drive the circular economy for plastics" .

Photos:

Circular Economy @����AV:

Find more information here.

����AV at a Glance:

Are you looking for more information? Here you could find further facts about ����AV.

"This nomination is an important confirmation of our efforts towards making chemistry more sustainable. It shows how crucial patents are for the development process of a technology," says Christoph Gürtler, who is responsible for the development of new processes and products at ����AV. "It is a tremendous honor to be part of the award ceremony on behalf of the interdisciplinary team from product research, process development, marketing and the many other minds driving our invention."

Successful cooperation between industry and science

"The plastics industry can make a significant contribution to combating climate change by switching to greenhouse gas-neutral production. To achieve this, we need to break away from petroleum and use alternative raw materials such as CO₂", says Dr. Markus Steilemann, CEO of ����AV. "The nomination for the European Inventor Award is an endorsement of our company as a pioneer in this field. I would like to extend my sincere congratulations to the many colleagues, including those at our partners, who contributed to the development of the innovative CO₂ technology – a genuine sustainability highlight."

The two nominees, Gürtler and Leitner, have played a significant role in the development and market launch of the platform technology, which originated in the collaboration between application-oriented science and research-oriented industry. Their involvement in a large number of patents related to the use of CO₂ is proof of this: together, the two hold over 100 patents on CO₂ technology.

Breakthrough in catalysis research yields success

����AV and RWTH Aachen University founded the CAT Catalytic Center in 2007. "The scientific community has long had the desire to be able to use carbon dioxide as a supplier of carbon for plastics. Experts have been working on this issue for nearly half a century," explains Walter Leitner.

CO₂ forms chemical compounds only with great difficulty. This is the problem that Christoph Gürtler and Walter Leitner's team had to solve. The team combined industrial and academic expertise. A great deal of creativity, perseverance and many experiments with catalysts finally culminated in success. The breakthrough was achieved by precisely controlling the reaction between CO₂ and the petroleum-based propylene oxide in the presence of a customized catalyst system. "We collaborated closely to develop the right catalyst that led us to success," says Gürtler.

The resulting so-called polyol was introduced to the market by ����AV under the product name cardyon®. It is already being used to produce soft foam for mattresses, for adhesives in sports floors, padding in shoes and in car interiors. Elastic textile fibers are currently on the threshold of market maturity. Research projects have successfully demonstrated that CO₂ can also be deployed for insulating materials made of rigid foam and for surfactants, for example in detergents.

Contributing to resource conservation and the circular economy

The use of CO₂ contributes significantly to the circular economy. Replacing conventional crude oil as a carbon source in part with the climate gas CO₂ preserves resources. The carbon, in turn, remains in the cycle without being released into the atmosphere. Moreover, initial studies have also shown that this technology makes it possible to produce more recyclable plastics whose components can be more easily recycled. An all-round sustainable innovation.

Launched in 2006, the European Patent Office's Inventor Award distinguishes outstanding European inventors and teams and is one of the most prestigious awards of its kind. The award ceremony will take place online for the first time on June 17 and will be broadcast live on the Internet. Three teams are nominated in the Industry category.

In the cross-sectoral project funded by the European Union (grant agreement no. 768919 ), 14 industrial and academic partners from seven countries investigated new technologies that allow converting gas streams from steel mills into polyurethane products. The consortium led by materials manufacturer ����AV investigated how carbon monoxide (CO) and -dioxide (CO₂) containing blast furnace gas from steel production can be used as a carbon source for polyols. Polyols are intermediates and key components of polyurethane-based insulation materials and coatings, and are typically derived from crude oil.

The conclusion: Ecologically as well as economically, the new technology was evaluated as beneficial. "Supposed waste gas can be efficiently used once again as a valuable material and fed back into the cycle: The results of the research project have the potential to revolutionize production processes. This is a great discovery and a significant milestone on the road to a circular economy. Alternative raw materials become a reality," says Dr. Markus Steilemann, CEO of ����AV.

New polyol can be produced from gas mixture

A key achievement of Carbon4PUR is the identification of novel catalysts that enable the production of new polyols. With the help of these catalysts, the research partners succeeded in producing polyols using carbon monoxide (CO) from gas mixtures at a laboratory scale. In the new intermediate, 27 percent CO could be bound.

Insights gained from Carbon4PUR could also have implications for the CO₂ technology developed by ����AV. The sustainable polyol cardyon® developed on this basis contains up to 20 percent carbon dioxide instead of crude oil and is used, for example, in the production of flexible polyurethane foam in mattresses, binders for sports flooring or elastic fibers. With the new knowledge the technology could possibly be extended to the use of CO₂-containing gas mixtures such as blast furnace gas from steel production.

Findings as groundwork for future research & development

As part of the research project, Carbon4PUR technology was successfully upscaled to a semi-industrial scale. First examples of applications have already been demonstrated by the Insulation business line of the Recticel Group (Belgium) and the chemical manufacturer Megara Resins (Greece), who have further advanced their product development on the basis of the research results. "We demonstrated that polyols based on the new Carbon4PUR technology can be successfully incorporated into rigid foams to make insulation boards with technical specifications comparable to the market reference," said Dr. Geert Snellings, Innovation Manager at Recticel. Megara Resins has succeeded in incorporating the new polyols into waterborne polyurethane dispersions for wood coatings.

In addition, as part of Carbon4PUR, RWTH Aachen University has investigated the acceptance of carbon capture and utilization (CCU) using the example of insulation boards in a scientific study. The term stands for the capture of carbon dioxide and its use for further chemical processes. "We found that the public still knows far too little about CCU technology. However, when end users receive adequate information, a generally positive attitude emerges," explains Prof. Dr. Martina Ziefle, Chair of Communications Science at RWTH Aachen University. "Nevertheless, there is still a remaining need to increase awareness of CCU to strengthen the technology’s and product’s acceptance."

Research alliance can create jobs

Carbon4PUR is a unique example of cooperation between partners from the entire value chain. As such, the novel collaboration between the steel and chemical industry was evaluated at the Marseille-Fos site in France. There, an ArcelorMittal steel mill and a ����AV production plant are located in immediate proximity. "The cross-sectoral project has once again strengthened the idea of alliance in European industry," said Dr. Alexis Bazzanella from DECHEMA. "At the same time, projects like Carbon4PUR show that European commitment to climate protection and resource efficiency can create and secure jobs."

The more sustainable raw material can already be used in many products and industries and enables similar or better properties than with fossil-based raw materials. New applications are consistently being developed. ����AV´s CO₂ technology has thus developed into a platform technology that contributes to resource conservation and circular economy and to reducing the ecological footprint.

Comfortable padding

The foams are characterized by durability and a high compression hardness – an important quality for athletic activities. Compared with products made of pure fossil raw materials, they have more favorable physical properties and, above all, better elasticity and a finer cell structure.

Plama-pur offers these products under the name ECO Foams. Its customers laminate the cut foam pieces onto self-adhesive materials and punch them out into various shapes according to the specifications.

Other sports applications

The CO₂-based precursor is also found in concept sneakers designed by Chinese shoe designer Axis Liu. More specifically, in a thin, translucent film made of the thermoplastic polyurethane Desmopan® 37385A, which matches the color and structure of the upper material. It is applied to the upper shoe by hot stamping and features good scratch and abrasion resistance. ����AV presented the sneakers at the K 2019 plastics trade fair in Düsseldorf.

At the end of 2018, cardyon® experienced another premiere in the sports sector: The material was used in the subfloor of the of a renowned sports club in Krefeld, in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia. In this application, too, CO₂ is used in a recycling process to save fossil raw materials.

Both shoes feature ����AV products derived from alternative raw materials such as CO₂, biomass and plastic waste. These are a valuable resource as they provide carbon that can be put to use beneficially in a circular economy, instead of being released into the atmosphere as waste gas. ����AV is pioneering the use of such raw materials to reduce its dependence on fossil materials and increase the sustainability of the value chain.

Walking with CO₂ technology

One example is the upper and inner lining of the two shoes. The base is a soft foam that ensures a good fit and comfortable footfall. Here, a precursor product was used that contains up to 20 percent carbon dioxide and is marketed by ����AV under the name cardyon®. The CO₂ replaces some of the fossil raw materials previously used, but does not compromise the favorable properties of conventionally produced foam.

Two different types of thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) are found in the outer soles of both women's shoes. One of them is also based on cardyon®; while in the other, 60 percent of the carbon content is derived from biomass. As a result, both products have a lower CO₂ footprint than fossil-based TPU and help close the carbon cycle.

High heels made from recycled plastic

����AV is also focusing on the recovery of plastic waste as part of its strategic program to support the circular economy, and is working with partners to develop new value-adding cycles to achieve this. For example, used polycarbonate products are shredded, cleaned, possibly mixed with new plastic and reused as recycled Makrolon®. In women's shoes, this lends lasting strength to the insole and heel.

No solvents

Footwear manufacturers such as Beira Rio want to offer more sustainable products for the benefit of their customers, but also want to improve hygienic conditions in production. That's why they are increasingly relying on water-based raw materials, which emit significantly fewer volatile organic components (VOCs) than the solvent-based substances used in the past.

INSQIN® technology is used in the lining, upper and heel of the women's pump, as well as in the synthetic upper material of the casual shoe. This technology is based on water-based polyurethane raw materials and was developed specifically for a more sustainable textile coating. Aqueous adhesives with the polyurethane dispersion Dispercoll® U provide the necessary strength in the upper and outer sole of both shoes.

"Buildings are responsible for a large share of global energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. This makes it all the more important for us at ����AV to contribute to the Circular Economy and make insulation even more sustainable and efficient in the future. Our goal is to end the use of fossil fuels and make our production processes more sustainable," says Sucheta Govil, Chief Commercial Officer at ����AV.

Using innovative CO₂ technology, ����AV already produces the CO₂-based precursor cardyon®, which is utilized in the manufacture of mattresses, sports flooring, textile fibers and components for vehicle interiors.

New, promising approach thanks to CO₂ technology

����AV has now succeeded in combining the petroleum derivative ethylene oxide with CO₂ in a chemical reaction to produce first polyols and finally rigid polyurethane foam. Up to 20 percent of petroleum-based raw materials are expected to be replaced by this process in the future. "With the development of these materials, we are endowing the greenhouse gas CO₂ with a new use with versatile applications," says Dr. Christoph Gürtler, Head of Catalysis and Technology at ����AV.

Together with ����AV's industrial partners puren gmbh, BYK-Chemie GmbH and PSS Polymer Standard Service GmbH, it proved possible not only to investigate a wide range of applications but also to develop new analytical methods for the CO₂-based materials. With RWTH Aachen University and the Technical University of Berlin, the ecological and economic potential of this expanded CO₂ technology was investigated along with the in-depth characterization of the novel materials. "The results of DreamResource very clearly demonstrate the diverse opportunities that arise from the use of CO₂ as a basic building block for polyols to produce a wide variety of polyurethane types. The interaction between industry and science plays an essential role in this innovative field," says Dennis Krämer, project manager for national and international research projects for CO₂ utilization at DECHEMA e.V.

Versatile and sustainable insulation

"This renewed expansion of the product range yields enormous leeway," continues Gürtler. Thanks to the promising combination of ethylene oxide and CO₂, surface-active substances can also be produced through this new route in addition to CO₂-based rigid polyurethane foam, which can be used in insulating boards for buildings, for example.

Lake Constance-based puren gmbh is one of the pioneers of rigid polyurethane foam technology and investigated the use of CO₂ polyols in the rigid foam segment in this research project.

Following more than three years of joint research in the collaborative project, over 400 kilogram of the CO₂-based polyol was successfully delivered to puren for further processing. "These initial rigid foam insulation boards made with a CO₂-based rigid foam polyol conform to standards and are already comparable with the market standard in terms of their key technical specifications. During further cooperation, we plan to manufacture additional prototypes and to enhance the properties with the aim of taking a giant step closer to the use of CO₂ as an alternative raw material in rigid foam insulation boards and ensuring rapid final development to market readiness," says puren Managing Director Dr. Andreas Huther. Thanks to this successful collaboration, CO₂ can now be used as an alternative raw material in the rigid foam sector. This will make building insulations even more sustainable and will further reduce the dependence on fossil raw materials.

In its search for a more sustainable solution for the offshore industry, molding company opted for a Desmodur^® elastomer system containing cardyon^® polyols. This cast polyurethane elastomer offers the following advantages:

• The part produced with this system shows very good hydrolysis resistance, as expected from such an offshore application, and is more durable than other elastomers such as rubber.
• The polyurethane system enables the production of elastomers with high-performance or even better mechanical properties such as tensile strength and tear resistance than corresponding conventional cast polyurethane systems made from fossil raw materials.
• The solution offers the possibility to reduce the carbon footprint and dependence on fossil raw materials.

"The use of CO₂ in chemical raw materials is a groundbreaking innovation that is in perfect harmony with our vision of recycling," comments Thomas Braig, Head of ����AV Elastomers. "What is important to us, of course, is a successful application in practical use. We are pleased when manufacturers choose this sustainable solution, and appreciate the trust they place in our innovations, especially in our Desmodur^® elastomer system, which contains cardyon^® polyols."

"Our goal is to provide our customers with the quality products they need," adds Arthur Brouwers, CTO of Polarttech. "The tests we conducted confirmed both the property profiles and the processing conditions of the system developed by ����AV." The newly developed solution surpasses Polarttech's previous system in terms of resilience and abrasion resistance. Moreover, its processing is easier thanks to a long pot life and excellent detaching when the part is demoulded. "The use of cardyon^® polyol in our system rounds off this project and makes it a perfect solution for everyone involved," says Arthur Brouwers, "especially for the environment!"

“The efforts of our Chinese colleagues together with INOV are an important step towards increasing awareness of the application possibilities of our innovative materials," said Daniel Meyer, Head of Business Unit Polyurethanes at ����AV. "The cooperation with our industrial partners will continue to be a focus in the future to further research and promote the use of our sustainable products. Our goal is to continuously reduce our CO₂ footprint and to align our business sustainably to the circular economy.”

The carbon dioxide for the walkway is contained in a binder, or more precisely, in one of its components, a so-called polyol named cardyon® which was developed by ����AV to synthesize plastics. This sustainable material can save up to one-fifth of crude oil in production – an innovative contribution to resource preservation and circular economy.

Breakthrough in the use of innovative materials in sports

The 66-meter-long and 1.2-meter-wide walkway uses polyurethane adhesive based on cardyon®, as well as the molecular structure design by INOV. It features outstanding elasticity and flatness, which brings more comfort. The walkway material has high yellowing resistance, with gorgeous and lasting color.

Xu Jun, chairman of INOV, said: “We are very honored to participate in the laying of this cardyon®-based walkway at ����AV’s Asia-Pacific Innovation Center. We hope to take this opportunity to continue to cooperate with ����AV in more fields and explore sustainable and innovative applications of polyurethanes.”

Using CO₂ to save oil resources

The material cardyon® is ����AV’s breakthrough product that turns CO₂ into a valuable raw material. Through close cooperation with RWTH Aachen University in Germany, inert CO₂ molecules are activated and used to partly replace crude oil to produce polyethercarbonate polyols. Since 2016, ����AV produces the new CO₂-based polyols at its Dormagen site near Cologne, using carbon dioxide from a neighboring chemical company, where it is produced as a byproduct.

“It is great to see the CO₂ walkway is laid at our Asia-Pacific Innovation Center, which is another example of our commitment to promoting innovation inspired by sustainability,” said Dr. Michael Schmidt, Head of Innovation for the Asia-Pacific region at ����AV. “We look forward to using CO₂ as new raw material in a variety of applications. We hope to form a closed loop in the use of CO₂, thereby saving oil resources and fostering a circular economy.”

So far, cardyon® has been used to produce soft polyurethane foam for mattresses and upholstered furniture, as well as sports floorings in the hockey facility of a renowned sports club in Germany. It is also used for the production of innovative elastic textile fibers. Latest development is an application of soft foams produced with cardyon® for automotive interior. ����AV and INOV are now jointly building the polyurethane walkway, marking the breakthrough use of cardyon® in China and further strengthening cooperation in the field of plastic runways.

Photos:

"We are now taking another important step towards using carbon dioxide as an alternative raw material in the chemical industry on an even broader scale," says Sucheta Govil, Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) of ����AV. "In doing so, we are accelerating the transformation to a circular economy and supporting our positive momentum for growth in recent weeks."

"Novel materials like cardyon^® are extremely important for the development and responsible production of sustainable foams," adds Michael Riedel, CEO of FoamPartner. "We are pleased to work with ����AV as one of the innovation leaders in the use of alternative raw materials."

The sustainable foams that FoamPartner will market in the future as a new product series under the name OBoNature^TM will be laminated with a textile in a next step and will thus be used in the interior of vehicles. They will be processed primarily in headliners, but also in door panels and armrests, as well as in car seat covers. In addition to their resource-conserving production, the particularly low-emission foams are characterized by a longer service life and material resistance. Moreover, thanks to their optimized lamination behavior, they can be processed in reduced material thickness while at the same time enabling faster laminating processes. This saves both material and manufacturing costs.

Strategic orientation ensures profitable growth

Technologies such as these make a significant contribution to the promotion of the circular economy, to which ����AV is fully geared. In addition to alternative raw materials such as CO₂, biomass and waste materials, the focus is on the development of innovative recycling technologies and the use of clean energy sources such as wind power in production.

This long-term strategic orientation along innovation and sustainability trends drives the profitable growth of ����AV. Despite the significant impact of the coronavirus pandemic in the first half of 2020, the company has experienced a stable upward trend in global demand since mid-May. In July, volumes sold were already back at the previous year's level, and the positive trend continued in August. For this reason, ����AV expects an EBITDA of around EUR 350 million for the third quarter, compared with EUR 125 million in the previous quarter.

Versatile application accelerates circular economy

����AV has developed a novel technology with which up to 20 percent CO₂ can be incorporated into so-called polyols. These are key components for polyurethanes, a widely used and versatile type of plastic. In this way, fossil raw materials are replaced, making ����AV an important contribution to resource conservation. Since the carbon contained in CO₂ is recycled, the new process also supports the circular economy.

CO₂ polyols of the brand cardyon^® are already being used in numerous other applications. In addition to foams in mattresses and upholstered furniture, they are already being used for special adhesives for sports flooring underlays. In a further research project, it has also been possible to produce elastic textile fibres based on cardyon^®. They can be used, for example, in stockings and medical textiles, replacing conventional oil-based elastic fibers. Among other things, ����AV is working with various textile manufacturers to bring fibre production to industrial scale and the novel fibres to market maturity.

“The increasing use of alternative raw materials and the overall transformation from a linear to a circular economy are essential to achieve a future-proof, sustainable economy and society,” says Dr. Markus Steilemann, CEO of ����AV. “This objective demands a high level of innovative strength and increased investment in research and development at universities.”

To this end, RWTH Aachen University is expanding the research branch “Electrochemical Reaction Engineering” with a new professorship. Here, electrochemical processes, which have long been known from chlorine production, are to be further developed using renewable energies. One of the aims is to make the climate gas CO₂ even more usable as a raw material for the chemical industry. Methods for improved storage of the alternative energy carrier hydrogen are also being focused on here. This is an important contribution to establishing CO₂-neutral value chains in the long term. The goal is to scale up electrochemical processes to industrial standards.

The university appointed Dr. Anna Mechler as Professor of Electrochemical Reaction Engineering on May 1, 2020. Mechler studied applied natural and material sciences in Wuppertal and Osnabrück and received her doctorate in electrochemistry at the Max Planck Institute for Iron Research in Düsseldorf and the Ruhr University Bochum. Before moving to the RWTH, she headed a research group for electrocatalysis at the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Energy Conversion in Mülheim an der Ruhr.

The professorship acts as a bridge between research activities in the field of industrial electrochemistry at RWTH Aachen University and the Forschungszentrum Jülich (Jülich Research Center), thus strengthening the Jülich Aachen Research Alliance (JARA). The integration of the professorship into the Competence Centre for Industrial Electrochemistry ELECTRA will further intensify the cooperation between the two institutions.

The winner of the “Best CO₂ utilization 2020” award is the American start-up Air ����AV from New York, turning the climate gas CO₂ into high-quality alcohol using a new technology. First application is a sustainable vodka. The start-up receives marketing and PR support. A total of 13 young companies participated in the contest, which ����AV is supporting for the second time as its main sponsor together with nova Institute and the industry organization CO₂ Value Europe. Five business ideas from four nations were shortlisted and were reviewed online by the approximately 100 participants of the conference.

Sucheta Govil, Chief Commercial Officer of ����AV, responsible for innovation, awarded the winner during the online conference: “Start-ups like Air ����AV are crucial to ensure that CO₂ is no longer seen as a problem only, but as a solution. The ideas presented by the innovative start-ups demonstrate how a meaningful use of CO₂ adds value throughout the value chain. While we use carbon dioxide as a resource, our customers develop products out of CO₂ that are particularly attractive to end users.”

Even in the current challenging situation due to the spread of the Coronavirus, developers and founders worldwide continue to work on solutions for climate protection. “This year's conference shows how important research on the use of CO₂ is for sustainable development and that ambitious researchers make important contributions, which are recognized by our prize”, stressed Michael Carus, Director of the nova Institute and organizer of the online conference.

����AV already successfully uses carbon dioxide as a raw material. Since 2016, the material manufacturer has been using CO₂ to produce polyols as a component for soft polyurethane foam. This is used to produce mattresses and so carbon dioxide finds its way to the end consumer. Within the framework of the Carbon4PUR research project, the company, together with partners, continues to focus on the goal of enhancing the use of waste gases from steel production to manufacture polyurethane.

More about Carbon4PUR can be found here:

ldquo;Team CO₂”, which made it among the three finalists and presented its innovation on stage in Berlin, consists of Dr. Christoph Gürtler and Dr. Berit Stange from ����AV, as well as Professor Walter Leitner, who teaches and performs research at RWTH Aachen and the Max-Planck Institute for Chemical Energy Conversion. The trio played a major role in the development and market launch of this innovative method. The German President’s Prize (or “Deutscher Zukunftspreis”) is handed out annually for outstanding achievements in technology and natural science that lead to market-ready products.

“Innovation is a perfect fit for the times”

“We are very happy that we made it to the final round. The idea behind CO₂ innovation fits in perfectly with the times: Fossil sources such as crude oil can no longer be the industry’s central resource if the world is heading towards a future that is low in greenhouse gases," said ����AV CEO Dr. Markus Steilemann. “The award has encouraged us to continue working intensively on developing innovative solutions for greater sustainability in many areas. Together with partners from the business and scientific community, we will continue to forge ahead with the development of alternative resources such as CO₂. As a chemicals and research location, Germany can make a name for itself in this field.”

Contributing to resource conservation and circular economy

According to team spokesperson Gürtler, using CO₂ contributes to resource conservation by partially replacing the conventional raw material oil as the sole source of carbon. At the same time, it also makes it possible to produce more recyclable plastics whose components could be recycled more easily. In addition, the circular economy will benefit from the reuse of carbon dioxide. “We also see considerable potential for value creation by using CO₂,” stressed Gürtler, who is responsible for developing new methods and products at ����AV.

“With the new platform technology, CO₂ can be used to develop a wide range of high-quality plastics,” explained Berit Stange. She is responsible for the circular economy in a leading position at ����AV and supports the marketing of the new method.

Chemical precursors with CO₂ (polyols) are already on the market for producing soft foams (polyurethane) for mattresses and soft furniture. The new material cardyon^® is now also used for sports flooring. Further areas of application include elastic textile fibers, insulation and car interior applications.

Breakthrough in catalysis research

The use of CO₂ was conceived in a research breakthrough. The difficulty that CO₂ has in forming chemical bonds was a great challenge that was overcome. The solution was essentially found in a custom-made catalyst. It controls the chemical reaction so that it is environmentally friendly, economical and efficient.

This breakthrough was achieved by experts from ����AV and the CAT Catalytic Center, a research institute jointly operated by the company and the RWTH Aachen. Experts had been searching for such a catalyst for decades.

“The chemical industry is actively pushing ahead with the transformation to a circular economy,” said Dr. Klaus Schäfer, Member of the Board of Management for Production and Technology at ����AV. The materials manufacturer organized the summit again joinly with the Technical University of Berlin and the Dechema Society for Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology.

Waste as a valuable resource

According to Schäfer, it is particularly important to see plastic waste as a resource: “After their use, products must no longer end up uncontrolled in the environment, but must be recycled in an ecologically efficient manner, for example through chemical recycling”, stated Schäfer with a view to politics.

The German government was represented by Rita Schwarzelühr-Sutter, State Secretary at the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU), who delivered the opening speach. The BMU as well as the Federal Ministry of Education and Research acted as patrons of the event.

Professor Christian Thomsen, President of the Technical University of Berlin, stressed that the academic sector could provide important impetus for research and development into new recycling processes and alternative raw materials. Thomsen: “The interaction of application-oriented basic research and science-based industry is the key to success”.

Promoting a start-up culture

Professor Kurt Wagemann, Managing Director of Dechema, emphasized the importance of a vibrant start-up scene for the realization of new ideas for sustainable production processes and products: “The start-up culture in Germany needs to be more pronounced so that Germany can keep up with international competition”.

Wagemann also selected the “Resource Innovator 2919”. This year's prize at the Raw Materials Summit went to Karlsruhe-based Ineratec GmbH, which was founded in 2016. The company has succeeded in downsizing large chemical plants to miniature size. With these decentralized reactors, high-quality raw materials for the chemical industry can be produced from exhaust gases such as CO₂.

Born in 1963 in Pfarrkirchen, Germany Leitner began his scientific career at the universities of Regensburg, Oxford and Jena and at the Max Planck Institute for Coal Research in Mülheim an der Ruhr. He is active in numerous scientific committees and holds a number of honorary offices. For example, he has been a member of the Executive Board of DECHEMA Gesellschaft für Chemische Technik und Biotechnologie since 2018.

The research of Leitner and his team is documented in more than 300 publications in scientific journals and books. He has given over a hundred guest lectures at international conferences and research institutions around the world. Leitner has been involved in the filing of more than 60 patents and patent applications. He has also received numerous honors and awards, including the Otto Roelen Medal of DECHEMA, the Wöhler Prize for Sustainable Chemistry of the German Chemical Society (GDCh) and the Sustainable Chemistry Award of the European Association of Molecular Sciences.

Leitner co-developed the concept of the CAT Catalytic Center in Aachen, a joint research facility of RWTH Aachen University and materials manufacturer ����AV. Since 2007, he has acted as Academic Director there.

The scientist lives in Aachen and Mülheim, is married and has two adult children.

The team has now presented the innovation to the public in Munich. ����AV researcher Gürtler emphasized that the process makes a contribution to sustainability and resource conservation by partially replacing the conventional raw material crude oil with CO₂ as a carbon supplier. In addition, the reuse of CO₂ contributes to the recycling economy. “We see considerable value creation potential for industry in the use of CO₂,” added Gürtler, who is responsible at ����AV for the development of new processes and products.

Sustainable platform technology

His colleague, Ms. Stange, emphasized that this is a platform technology that allows the CO₂ to be used for a wide range of high-quality plastics (polyurethanes). “Chemical preproducts with CO₂ to produce soft foam for mattresses and upholstered furniture are already available on the market,” says Stange. At ����AV, she is responsible for recycling management in a managerial function and has played a decisive role in the marketing of the new technology.

“As alternative carbon sources, carbon dioxide as well as plants and plastic waste have the potential to revolutionize production in the plastics industry,” stressed ����AV CEO Dr. Markus Steilemann. “����AV is a pioneer in this field. Fossil raw materials such as oil can no longer be the main resource of our industry if the world embarks on a more sustainable future.”

Breakthrough in catalysis research

The use of CO₂ took off with a breakthrough in catalysis research, as Professor Leitner explained: “It takes a lot of effort for CO₂ to form chemical compounds. The major challenge was to develop a tailor-made catalyst in order to control the reaction so that it is both economical and efficient”.

Experts from ����AV and the CAT Catalytic Center, a research facility jointly operated by the company and RWTH Aachen University, have succeeded in this – for Leitner an “exemplary cooperation between application-oriented science and research-based industry”. Experts had been searching for such a catalyst for decades.

“Professor Leitner's research activities on the catalytic conversion of carbon dioxide are like a condensate of the excellence strategy of RWTH Aachen with the motto 'Knowledge. Impact. Networks', making them a prime example of our university, non-university and industrial research,” said Professor Ulrich Rüdiger, Rector of RWTH Aachen University. “Just as the university strategy describes the knowledge creation process and its transfer into integrated and interdisciplinary networks, Professor Leitner's innovations create substantial knowledge that has an enormous impact on science, society and the climate.”

About ����AV:

With 2018 sales of EUR 14.6 billion, ����AV is among the world’s largest polymer companies. Business activities are focused on the manufacture of high-tech polymer materials and the development of innovative solutions for products used in many areas of daily life. The main segments served are the automotive, construction, wood processing and furniture, and electrical and electronics industries. Other sectors include sports and leisure, cosmetics, health and the chemical industry itself. ����AV has 30 production sites worldwide and employs approximately 16,800 people (calculated as full-time equivalents) at the end of 2018.

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This news release may contain forward-looking statements based on current assumptions and forecasts made by ����AV. Various known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors could lead to material differences between the actual future results, financial situation, development or performance of the company and the estimates given here. These factors include those discussed in ����AV’s public reports which are available at www.covestro.com. The company assumes no liability whatsoever to update these forward-looking statements or to conform them to future events or developments.

Stange was born in 1976 in Schwäbisch-Hall in southern Germany. She began studying chemistry in Marburg in 1996 and completed her doctorate in 2005. In the same year she started her professional career and joined the predecessor company of ����AV. Initially, she worked in the Polycarbonates Division as a laboratory manager and consultant for major customers in the field of medical technology, as well as holding other responsibilities. In 2014, she moved to Polyurethanes as Assistant to the Segment Manager, who she supported at the same time in his function as Chief Innovation Officer of the ����AV Group.

Stange is responsible for more than 20 patents and patent applications.

She is married and lives in Leverkusen, Germany.

Gürtler studied chemistry at the University of Bonn and the Technical University of Berlin, where he received his doctorate in 1996. He began his career the following year with the Bayer Group, to which ����AV belonged at the time. There, he was initially entrusted with laboratory and project management and spent some time at the headquarters supporting the Board of Management. In 2007, Gürtler joined catalysis research, where he has held management positions ever since, and which he has further developed into a technology development group.

In the same year Gürtler founded the CAT Catalytic Center together with Professor Walter Leitner of RWTH Aachen University. He is still a member of the management team of this research institution in Aachen, which is run jointly by the university and ����AV.

Gürtler is also a member of a number of other scientific committees such as the Advisory Board of the "Global CO₂ Initiative". He is also the author and co-initiator of more than 140 patents and patent applications, including 48 on the utilization of CO₂. Furthermore, he is also involved in numerous EU studies and papers, including a study by the German Academy of Engineering Sciences (acatech) on the use of carbon dioxide. In 2014, Gürtler was awarded the Otto Bayer Medal by Bayer AG.

The chemist lives in Cologne with his wife.

“The Challenge provides a global space in which young people with innovative ideas – from around the world – can develop their concepts under high-pressure, professionally supported conditions,” explains David Ward, secretary general of UNITECH International, the uniting organization of the contest. Challenge completed – ideas awarded

After two intensive days of workshops led by innovation coach and CEO of NOSCO, Jesper Müller Krogstrup, the six finalist teams pitched their ideas to the Carbon Footprint Challenge 2019 jury.

����AV supports the Challenge already in the second year. “We want to foster innovation and sustainability by supporting students and young professionals in their personal and professional development,” explains Wolfgang Miebach, Head of Human Resources at ����AV.

The goal of the expert jury is to supply the young innovators with a broad variety of networking opportunities from a global perspective. Jens Peter Joschek, Head of Innovation Excellence at ����AV and jury member, summarizes: “All teams provide the broad variety of perspectives needed to solve the global issue of climate change and bring inspiration from their local environment, from farming in Ireland to water scarcity in India. This links perfectly with the open innovation culture of the companies supporting the Challenge.”

The 350 ideas represent a mixture of technologies and approaches to achieve a climate positive impact. Innovations ranging from gamification through digital applications to educate and change behaviors to the winning idea, coatings for fruit and vegetables with the purpose of decreasing food waste, are represented in the 2019 challenge. Overall 3460 registrations, 1400 comments and 1230 likes coming from 56 countries underline the mission of the Carbon Footprint Challenge – make good ideas grow and turn in to a sustainable business opportunity through professional support and collaboration.

About CFC2019:

The Carbon Footprint challenge is an initiative with its roots in Unitech International. In the multi stakeholder environment created by the Unitech network, the Carbon Footprint Challenge initiative was born in order to use the platform to take action in a topic of such high importance, climate change.

Find more information at

About UNITECH International:

The Unitech International Society was founded in 2000 for the academic and corporate worlds to jointly develop a group of talented young engineers to enable them to successfully manage future challenges in global industry and to help bridge the gap between the corporate and academic world. Unitech also provides a platform for networking and exchange of ideas.

Find more information at

About ����AV:

With 2018 sales of EUR 14.6 billion, ����AV is among the world’s largest polymer companies. Business activities are focused on the manufacture of high-tech polymer materials and the development of innovative solutions for products used in many areas of daily life. The main segments served are the automotive, construction, wood processing and furniture, and electrical and electronics industries. Other sectors include sports and leisure, cosmetics, health and the chemical industry itself. ����AV has 30 production sites worldwide and employs approximately 16,800 people (calculated as full-time equivalents) at the end of 2018.

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Forward-looking statements

This news release may contain forward-looking statements based on current assumptions and forecasts made by ����AV. Various known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors could lead to material differences between the actual future results, financial situation, development or performance of the company and the estimates given here. These factors include those discussed in ����AV’s public reports which are available at www.covestro.com. The company assumes no liability whatsoever to update these forward-looking statements or to conform them to future events or developments.

The elastic fibers are made with a chemical component that consists in part of CO₂ instead of oil. This precursor called cardyon^® is already used for foam in mattresses and sports floorings. And now it is being applied to the textile industry.

“That’s a further, highly promising approach to enable ever broader use of carbon dioxide as an alternative raw material in the chemical industry and expand the raw materials base,” says Dr. Markus Steilemann, CEO of ����AV. “Our goal is to use CO₂ in more and more applications in a circular economy process and save crude oil.”

Sustainable production process

The fibers are made from CO₂-based thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) using a technique called melt spinning, in which the TPU is melted, pressed into very fine threads and finally processed into a yarn of endless fibers. Unlike dry spinning, which is used to produce conventional elastic synthetic fibers such as Elastane or Spandex, melt spinning eliminates the need for environmentally harmful solvents. A new chemical method enables carbon dioxide to be incorporated in the base material, which also has a better CO₂ footprint than traditional elastic fibers.

“The CO₂-based material could be a sustainable alternative to conventional elastic fibers in the near future,” states Professor Thomas Gries, Director of the Institute of Textile Technology at RWTH Aachen University. “Thanks to our expertise in industrial development and processing, we can jointly drive establishment of a new raw materials base for the textile industry.”

Development of the method of producing fibers from CO₂-based thermoplastic polyurethane has been funded by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT). It will now be optimized as part of the “C��₂Tex” project, which is to be funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) so as to enable industrial production in the future. “C��₂Tex” is part of “BioTex Future,” a project initiative of RWTH Aachen University. The initiative is devoted to developing production and processing technologies to facilitate the future market launch of textile systems from bio-based polymeric materials.

Development partners display interest

What makes the CO₂-based TPU fibers so special is their properties: They are elastic and tear-proof and so can be used in textile fabrics. Initial companies from the textile and medical engineering sectors have already tested the CO₂-based fibers and processed them into yarns, socks, compression tubes and tapes.

The aim of launching CO₂-based textiles on the market is to promote a material cycle in the textile and clothing industry based on sustainable resources.

About ����AV:

With 2018 sales of EUR 14.6 billion, ����AV is among the world’s largest polymer companies. Business activities are focused on the manufacture of high-tech polymer materials and the development of innovative solutions for products used in many areas of daily life. The main segments served are the automotive, construction, wood processing and furniture, and electrical and electronics industries. Other sectors include sports and leisure, cosmetics, health, and the chemical industry itself. ����AV has 30 production sites worldwide and employed approximately 16,800 people (calculated as full-time equivalents) at the end of 2018.

About Institute of Textile Technology (ITA) at RWTH Aachen University:

The Institute of Textile Technology (ITA) at RWTH Aachen University is involved in the project. The ITA is part of the faculty of Mechanical Engineering at the RWTH and conducts research in the fields of materials, production processes and products for technical applications of textile structures. It has a fully equipped technology center with about 250 textile machines and test benches across all textile process stages from spinning to joining. Furthermore, various laboratories (textile testing, polymer analysis) and workshops are staffed by experts (mechanics, electronic software and hardware).

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This press release may contain certain forward-looking statements that are based on current assumptions and forecasts issued by the management of ����AV. Various known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors could lead to material differences between the actual future results, financial situation, development or performance of the company and the estimates given here. These factors include those discussed in ����AV’s public reports which are available at www.covestro.com. The company assumes no liability whatsoever to update these forward-looking statements or to conform them to future events or developments.

The 17th “International Conference on Carbon Dioxide Utilization” (ICCDU) was held under the motto “From Science to Application”. “We are delighted that numerous creative ideas for the use of CO₂ have already resulted in innovative products and processes that are being marketed by large industrial companies as well as agile start-ups. These are promising steps to make chemistry even more sustainable,” said Walter Leitner, Professor at RWTH Aachen University and Director at the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Energy Conversion and one of the ICCDU Chairmen.

Cooperation as the key to success

Co-Chairman Dr. Christoph Gürtler, Head of Catalysis Research at ����AV, added: “CO₂ is a very inert molecule which makes it anything but easy to use. The key to success lies in the cooperation between application-oriented science and research-based industry.” With this approach, ����AV, for example, succeeded in developing a platform technology in close cooperation with RWTH Aachen University to use CO₂ as a building block for foam and other plastics.

One particular focus of the conference was the coupling of carbon dioxide and electricity from renewable energy sources. Through this process, fuels and important chemical building blocks such as methanol, formaldehyde or formic acid can be produced in a particularly sustainable manner. “The ‘decarbonization' of energy generation by wind and solar plants with the help of the greenhouse gas CO₂ can contribute to the 'defossilization' of the chemical industry,” emphasized Professor Leitner.

About ����AV

With 2018 sales of EUR 14.6 billion, ����AV is among the world’s largest polymer companies. Business activities are focused on the manufacture of high-tech polymer materials and the development of innovative solutions for products used in many areas of daily life. The main segments served are the automotive, construction, wood processing and furniture, and electrical and electronics industries. Other sectors include sports and leisure, cosmetics, health and the chemical industry itself. ����AV has 30 production sites worldwide and employs approximately 16,800 people (calculated as full-time equivalents) at the end of 2018.

This press release is available for download from the ����AV press server at www.covestro.com.
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This news release may contain forward-looking statements based on current assumptions and forecasts made by ����AV. Various known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors could lead to material differences between the actual future results, financial situation, development or performance of the company and the estimates given here. These factors include those discussed in ����AV’s public reports which are available at www.covestro.com. The company assumes no liability whatsoever to update these forward-looking statements or to conform them to future events or developments.

In the run-up there had been 20 submissions for the "Best CO₂ Utilisation 2019” prize, which the nova-Institut is awarding for the first time. The recycling of carbon dioxide plays a central role here. Every idea has the claim of being able to be implemented industrially in the long term. This shows how important the topic has become in the meantime and how active numerous companies have already become in this field, according to Michael Carus, CEO of the nova-Institut.

Looking at CO₂ from different angles

“C��₂ is increasingly seen from different angles, namely as a valuable raw material," emphasized ����AV CEO Dr. Markus Steilemann, who chose the three winners. "This will enable the chemical industry to make its production more sustainable, to replace fossil resources such as crude oil and to drive forward the circular-flow economy.”

Five nominated companies presented their solutions during the conference in short presentations and the winners were chosen by the audience. First prize went to Canadian company Carbicrete, which developed a technology to produce cement-free concrete. Cement is replaced with ground steel slag and the concrete is cured with CO₂ instead of heat and steam. The new product is more cost-efficient, has better properties and is more sustainable than cement-based concrete.

Nordic Blue Crude, a company from Norway, was in second place. It succeeded in producing synthetic crude from CO₂ as well as renewable power and water. The crude is usable as diesel or kerosene and can be refined to gasoline. In third place was b.fab from Germany, which was honored for a process technology to efficiently convert CO₂, water and renewable energy into value-added chemicals such as lactic acid.

����AV has itself developed a technology with scientific partners to use CO₂ in plastics production. The company already produces chemical components (polyols) for foam and binders used in mattresses and sports floors. Numerous other applications are under development.

About ����AV:

With 2018 sales of EUR 14.6 billion, ����AV is among the world’s largest polymer companies. Business activities are focused on the manufacture of high-tech polymer materials and the development of innovative solutions for products used in many areas of daily life. The main segments served are the automotive, construction, wood processing and furniture, and electrical and electronics industries. Other sectors include sports and leisure, cosmetics, health and the chemical industry itself. ����AV has 30 production sites worldwide and employs approximately 16,800 people (calculated as full-time equivalents) at the end of 2018.

About nova-Institute:

nova-Institute is a private and independent research institute, founded in 1994; nova offers research and consultancy with a focus on bio-based and CO₂-based economy in the fields of food and feedstock, techno-economic evaluation, markets, sustainability, dissemination, B2B communication and policy. Every year, nova organises several large conferences on these topics; nova-Institute has 30 employees and an annual turnover of more than EUR 3 million.

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This news release may contain forward-looking statements based on current assumptions and forecasts made by ����AV. Various known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors could lead to material differences between the actual future results, financial situation, development or performance of the company and the estimates given here. These factors include those discussed in ����AV’s public reports which are available at www.covestro.com. The company assumes no liability whatsoever to update these forward-looking statements or to conform them to future events or developments.

The consortium invites representatives from industry, politics, media and authorities to a field trip on March 20 in the port city of Fos-sur-Mer next to Marseille to inform about the status and discuss the future infrastructure needed to scale up research under real industrial conditions. Fos-sur-Mer could be an ideal location for such a pilot plant.

“We must consider waste as a resource. A cross-sector approach as pursued by the Carbon4PUR consortium is the right way to reach this goal”, says Dr. Markus Steilemann, CEO of ����AV. “Together, we can make more use of alternative carbon sources like CO₂ in order to close the carbon loop and save direct fossil resources such as crude oil.”

Researching industrial symbiosis

Carbon4PUR is a consortium of 14 industrial and academic partners from seven countries, coordinated by ����AV. The cross-sector project, which runs until 2020, receives funding from the European Union and aims at researching and developing a new technology that can transform steel mill gas streams such as CO₂ and carbon monoxide (CO) into so-called polyols – chemical key components of polyurethane-based foams and coatings that are otherwise obtained from crude oil. The decisive idea is to avoid physical separation of CO and CO₂ to make the process particularly efficient and economical.

Carbon4PUR is unique because it brings together partners from the whole value chain to work collaboratively on processes and specifications. For each step, different sectors have to cooperate in ways they have never done before. To date, the project has shown first promising results: Test quantities of polyol intermediates have been obtained both from CO and CO₂. The consortium will work on exploiting and transferring project results to key stakeholders and additional EU industries.

In the future, carbon as a feedstock in the form of mixed waste gases from the ArcelorMittal plant in Fos-sur-Mer could undergo catalytical transformations in the nearby ����AV plant to become a chemical intermediate. This could be further used by Belgium-based polyurethane foam manufacturer Recticel and Greek raw material supplier to the coatings industry Megara Resins to form end products. Academic and institutional partners are RWTH Aachen University, TU Berlin, Dechema, Imperial College London, the universities of Gent and Leiden, the French Commissariat à l’énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives, South Pole Carbon Asset Management, Grand Port Maritime de Marseille and PNO Consultants. They investigate the sustainability and various technical and economical questions.

If you are interested in further information on Carbon4PUR: Please find this online.

You can register for the stakeholder event on March 20, 2019, by sending an email to man.carbon4PUR@covestro.com. Updated information about the event is available at .

About ����AV:

With 2017 sales of EUR 14.1 billion, ����AV is among the world’s largest polymer companies. Business activities are focused on the manufacture of high-tech polymer materials and the development of innovative solutions for products used in many areas of daily life. The main segments served are the automotive, construction, wood processing and furniture, and electrical and electronics industries. Other sectors include sports and leisure, cosmetics, health and the chemical industry itself. ����AV has 30 production sites worldwide and employs approximately 16,200 people (calculated as full-time equivalents) at the end of 2017.

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Disclaimer

This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 768919. The information contained in this document has been prepared solely for the purpose of providing information about the Carbon4PUR consortium and its project. The document reflects only the Carbon4PUR consortium’s view and the European Commission is not responsible for any use that may be made of the information it contains.

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release may contain forward-looking statements based on current assumptions and forecasts made by ����AV. Various known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors could lead to material differences between the actual future results, financial situation, development or performance of the company and the estimates given here. These factors include those discussed in ����AV’s public reports which are available at www.covestro.com. The company assumes no liability whatsoever to update these forward-looking statements or to conform them to future events or developments.

“With curiosity and courage ����AV is advancing the development of polyurethanes to make the world a brighter place,” says Daniel Meyer, Global Head of the Polyurethanes segment. “We don’t leave anything to chance but are specifically pushing existing boundaries to make more efficient insulating materials, even lighter materials, and even more resource-saving products possible.”

All new developments must meet ����AV’s sustainability targets. “We take a comprehensive approach to the entire product life cycle, including social, ecological and economic aspects,” says Daniel Meyer. “Our products are manufactured on the basis of carbon. Our goal is to draw the maximum benefit from the carbon we use.”

Even more efficient refrigerators

Polyurethanes make an important contribution to securing global food supplies: Some 95 percent of the world’s refrigerators are thermally insulated with rigid polyurethane foam – and the Baytherm^® Microcell polyurethane system can raise their insulating performance by another ten percent. That means greater energy and cost savings in households and reduced CO₂ emissions. A leading appliance manufacturer is already using this system in its production.

Carbon dioxide as a raw material

����AV has developed a method for using the greenhouse gas CO₂ to synthesize polyurethane components. It markets these raw materials, known as polyols, under the brand name cardyon™ for the production of flexible polyurethane foam, and operates a new production plant for them at its Dormagen site. Up to 20 percent of the fossil raw materials previously used in these products have been replaced by carbon dioxide. A special catalyst gives the molecule the required level of reactivity.

New model for affordable housing

Providing fast, affordable and sustainable housing is a global challenge. ����AV is breaking new ground in its search for creative solutions. Together with industry partners, governments, government agencies and society, ����AV is developing models for affordable housing and running specific projects locally. One example is a multipurpose building in Bergisch Gladbach, Germany, that was planned and built by the local council, the French prefabricated building manufacturer Logelis and ����AV.

Next-generation rotor blades

In keeping with its sustainability strategy, ����AV develops materials and technologies for generating renewable energy – with a focus on wind power. The company has developed an innovative technology for manufacturing rotor blades for wind turbines. The rotors are fabricated in a special process from a polyurethane resin and a fiberglass fabric. For the resin ����AV recently received the vital DNV GL certification for China and can now supply its products to rotor blade manufacturers there.

Proud past, exciting future

Dr. Otto Bayer could only have dreamed of such developments. But even 80 years ago, he lived out ����AV’s corporate values: curious, courageous, colorful. He stubbornly pursued his goal of enhancing the efficiency of plastics manufacturing and en route discovered polyurethane chemistry, which became his passion. He even stuck to his guns when his superiors shook their heads at the bubbly mass he produced in his experiments, saying it was at most a “substitute for Swiss cheese”. Far from it! With incredible creativity he and his team discovered a whole string of potential applications.

Polyurethanes: Milestones of a success story

1937 – Otto Bayer invents polyurethane chemistry
1943 – New brands: Desmodur^® (isocyanates) and Desmophen^® (polyols)
1952 – First flexible foam made of TDI and polyester polyols
1958 – Premium coatings made of Desmodur^® and Desmophen^® (“DD coatings”)
1962 – Premiere of rigid polyurethane foam as an insulating material in refrigerators
1967 – First car with an all-plastic body at the K’67 trade show
1970 – Metal-faced sandwich panels for building envelopes
From 1970 onwards – Introduction of Baydur^® polyurethane systems for rigid integral foams
1980 – Car seats with various foam hardness levels
1990 – Viscoelastic foams open up a new dimension in comfort
1995 – Blowing agents with no HCFCs
1998 – Introduction of the Baypreg^® spray system for composites
2000 – Polyols for coatings and adhesives based on Impact™ technology
2005 – Advances in polyurethane composites
2012 – Baytherm^® Microcell for insulating refrigeration systems - CO₂ technology
2016 – Market launch of cardyon™ - First rotor blade made of polyurethane resin in Asia
In the future – continuously pushing the boundaries of innovation

About ����AV:

With 2016 sales of EUR 11.9 billion, ����AV is among the world’s largest polymer companies. Business activities are focused on the manufacture of high-tech polymer materials and the development of innovative solutions for products used in many areas of daily life. The main segments served are the automotive, construction, wood processing and furniture, and electrical and electronics industries. Other sectors include sports and leisure, cosmetics, health and the chemical industry itself. ����AV has 30 production sites worldwide and employs approximately 15,600 people (calculated as full-time equivalents) at the end of 2016.

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This news release may contain forward-looking statements based on current assumptions and forecasts made by ����AV management. Various known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors could lead to material differences between the actual future results, financial situation, development or performance of the company and the estimates given here. These factors include those discussed in ����AV’s public reports which are available at www.covestro.com. The company assumes no liability whatsoever to update these forward-looking statements or to conform them to future events or developments.