Dow Introduces Mass Balanced Polyurethane Solutions for Automotive Applications

As feedstock flexibility and mass balance become an increasingly common method of producing materials from bio-based or recycled waste sources, the number of new solutions based on this principle on the market is exploding
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Recently, Dow announced two product lines aimed at the automotive industry, manufactured with this mass-balanced approach
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The new polyurethane solution is based on a recycled feedstock derived from automotive waste that replaces virgin fossil fuel feedstocks
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Launched under the brand names Specflex C and Voranol C, the products will initially be offered to the automotive industry through two automotive suppliers, Adient and Autoneum
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These products were developed to help automotive OEMs meet market and regulatory demands for more circular products and achieve their sustainability goals
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The mass balance approach makes this possible by tracking the flow of materials through the value chain
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Quantities and sustainability characteristics of recycled and bio-components are carefully tracked, so when blended with other raw materials, they can be assigned to the final product based on verifiable bookkeeping
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An oft-cited advantage of the mass balance approach is that it creates the possibility to make the transition to the use of alternative materials more gradual
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"The automotive industry is going through a major change
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This is driven by market demand, the industry's own pursuits, and higher regulatory standards for emissions reductions and waste
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The EU's end-of-life directive is just one example," said Esther, global head of polyurethanes and mobility science at Dow "We have listened to the industry and are convinced that the mass balance approach is a proven and very effective way of allowing automotive OEMs to meet regulatory standards and reach their own ambitious goals," said Dr.
Quintanilla
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Mass Balance is a third-party agency accredited by an independent mass balance certification body that will verify that the quantities of polyurethane intermediates produced from recycled materials correspond to the appropriate quantities of final product, thus confirming the accuracy and auditability of the report
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Specflex C will enable a wide range of flexible foam systems typically used for comfort and acoustic purposes in interior, exterior and powertrain solutions in consumer and automotive applications
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Voranol C will be able to produce a wide range of low to high density foams, its low viscosity making it easier to handle and the flexibility to choose the optimum loading level for any application
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Adient, a market leader in automotive seating, and Autoneum, a leading supplier of acoustics and thermal management, are partnering with Dow to pioneer the use of these two new product lines
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