Issue 17/2020 - Bio-based prepolymers significantly reduce the carbon footprint of polyurethane products

Lanxess has developed the new MDI polyether-based polyurethane prepolymers, which are rich in renewable bio-based raw materials and will be marketed under the brand name Adiprene Green, which is a perfect replacement for traditional petroleum-based polyether-based prepolymers for the production of durable, high-performance polyurethane elastomer products, with the overall goal of helping polyurethane processors reduce the carbon footprint
of their products through bio-based prepolymers.

Compared with traditional petroleum-based polyether prepolymers, the Adiprene Green series uses starch-based polyether polyol raw materials, which can significantly reduce_CO2 emissions by 20%~30% (depending on the specific polyurethane system).

At the same time, the product is easy to use and processed in essentially the same
way as conventional prepolymers.
There is no need to adjust the material handling method, processing temperature or even mixing ratio
.
In addition, the reactivity curve and release time of Adiprene Green prepolymers are similar
to petroleum-based polyether prepolymers.

Adiprene Green prepolymers react with 1,4-butanediol to produce a range of high-performance polyurethane elastomers
with hardness ranging from 40 Shore A to 60 Shore D.
Adiprene Green prepolymers can be flexibly selected for hand mixing or machine mixing according to site conditions
.
At the same time, Adiprene Green prepolymers can also be used
in conjunction with Vibracat catalysts from LANXESS.
The Adiprene Green range is ideal for applications where elastomer performance is critical, such as roller coatings, industrial rollers, paper machine shoe covers, and air-free tires
.