Sun Yu, Chairman of Messite: Innovative additives help reduce carbon emissions from polyurethane foam

On July 28-30, the 18th China International Polyurethane Exhibition (PU China 2021) was held at the Shanghai World Expo Exhibition and Convention Center
.

As the world's largest and most influential polyurethane professional exhibition, Jiangsu Mesid Chemical Co.

Reporter from China Chemical Industry News: What innovations has Mestel made in polyurethane additives?

Sun Yu: Polyurethane additives generally refer to the raw materials for the synthesis of polyurethane, in addition to the main raw materials polymerized polyols and isocyanates, materials added to improve product performance and functions, including catalysts, foam stabilizers, flame retardants, foaming agents , Antioxidant, release agent, antistatic agent, modifier, curing agent, plasticizer, flame compounding agent and other additives
.

Additives can play a huge role in the production and application of polyurethane materials, especially in improving and enhancing product performance

Sun Yu:

Meside is one of the largest domestic production bases of polyurethane and silicone foam stabilizers.

It has an automated production line with an annual capacity of 22,000 tons.
The production scale and technical level are internationally competitive, and it can provide products and technical services to global polyurethane customers

Meside is committed to innovation and upgrading, and has established a technological innovation system that meets the characteristics of the industry.
R&D personnel account for 1/3 of the total number of employees
.

The company established Meister Research Institute, established an analysis center, a research and development center, and an application center, and formed four technology platforms covering basic research, structure and formula design, application technology development, and technology industrialization; undertook the Torch Project 3 of the Ministry of Science and Technology There are 5 provincial and ministerial-level science and technology projects

Reporter from China Chemical Industry News: At present, consumers' requirements for low-carbon and environmentally friendly performance of polyurethane products are continuously increasing.
What role can the innovative application of additives play?

Reporter from China Chemical Industry News: At present, consumers' requirements for low-carbon and environmentally friendly performance of polyurethane products are continuously increasing.
What role can the innovative application of additives play?

Sun Yu : Polyurethane additives are promising in promoting the environmental protection and low-carbon development of the polyurethane foam industry
.

　　Sun Yu

　　First, it can improve the performance of polyurethane insulation materials and promote energy conservation and emission reduction in the industry
.

Energy saving and emission reduction is one of the important ways to achieve carbon peak and carbon neutrality, and polyurethane rigid foam is the most important and effective thermal insulation material in the refrigeration, cold chain and building insulation industries

　　Second, it can promote the replacement of the foaming agent ODS (ozone depleting substances) and actively respond to climate change
.

With the development of the polyurethane foam industry in the direction of low carbon, energy saving, environmental protection and safety, especially the continuous upgrading of new foaming agents, there is an urgent need for new polyurethane additives to match them to exert ideal performance

　　Third, high-quality polyurethane additives can help reduce the low VOC and FOG of polyurethane foam products
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With the improvement of the environmental protection threshold, various regulations and industry specifications have increasingly strict requirements on the emission and low volatility substances (including D4/D5/D6) in polyurethane foam products

　　Fourth, the technological innovation of composite additives can help the green development of bio-based polyurethane foam
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With the rise of global oil prices, resource shortages and the prevalence of low-carbon concepts, the polyurethane industry has begun to use bio-based raw materials to produce polyurethane foam.
Many bio-based materials such as castor oil, soybean oil, palm oil, etc.
can be used to prepare bio-based polyols through transesterification.

.
At present, the synthesis mechanism, structure-performance relationship, degradation mechanism and controllability of degradation rate of biopolyurethane materials need to be further studied
.
Strengthening the innovative research and application of supporting additives and composite additives can promote the green development of bio-based polyurethane materials and help reduce carbon emissions in the polyurethane industry
.

　　Reporter from China Chemical Industry News: At this exhibition, what new experiences can Mestide's innovative products and solutions bring?

　　Reporter from China Chemical Industry News: At this exhibition, what new experiences can Mestide's innovative products and solutions bring?

　　Sun Yu : The market's requirements for high-quality polyurethane and the emphasis on environmental protection, and the continuous improvement of standards and specifications, promote the rapid development of polyurethane foam in a higher quality, safer and more environmentally friendly direction
.

Sun Yu

　　In the flexible foam industry, various regulations and industry specifications have increasingly stringent requirements for dispersive substances and low volatile substances (including D4/D5/D6) in polyurethane foam products
.
As the core additive of polyurethane foam, silicone foam stabilizer is the main source of D4/D5/D6 in polyurethane foam products
.
In response to this, Messed has developed a series of environmentally friendly silicone foam stabilizers with ultra-low ring release in accordance with the sustainable development trend of the market, which meets the environmental protection requirements of EU D4/D5/D6 content of <0.
1%
.
This series of products have been applied and promoted in European countries and have been widely welcomed by the market
.
This is the first time it has been launched in the domestic market and will bring a more environmentally friendly and comfortable experience to domestic polyurethane foam users
.

　　In response to the new global requirement to reduce the amount of halogen flame retardants, Messade also launched a safe flame-retardant silicone foam stabilizer product that is suitable for European and American furniture standards
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This product uses a polysiloxane-polyoxyalkylene copolymer modified with polar groups and a special structure to reduce the burning tendency of the foam, increase the flame retardant performance, and ensure that the foam product can pass the rigorous flame retardant test
.

　　The trend of low carbon and environmental protection has made bio-based polyols a new growth point for the polyurethane industry
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The new organic silicon foam stabilizer developed by Messite can be used in the green degradable bio-based polyurethane soft foam system to ensure improved odor and stable performance of upholstered furniture sponge products
.

　　In addition, Meside also brought low-VOC and low-FOG green and environmentally friendly silicone foam stabilizers, open-cell molded high-resilience foam stabilizers, and green and environmentally friendly polyurethane soft foam catalysts
.

　　Reporter from China Chemical Industry News: Regarding the development trend of polyurethane additives, what strategic deployments does Mestel have in the "14th Five-Year Plan"?

　　Reporter from China Chemical Industry News: Regarding the development trend of polyurethane additives, what strategic deployments does Mestel have in the "14th Five-Year Plan"?

　　Sun Yu : The "Fourteenth Five-Year Development Guidelines for China's Polyurethane Industry" proposes that the industry should increase the development and application of composite technologies for functional, green, safe and environmentally friendly additives, actively promote the replacement of foaming agent ODS, and establish and promote alkanes Guidelines for safe operation of foaming agents
.
This points out the direction of development for the polyurethane additives industry
.

Sun Yu

　　At present, the research and development and production of black materials (isocyanates) and white materials (polyether/polyester polyols) in China’s polyurethane industry have become internationally competitive, but there are insufficient innovations in key additives.
The homogeneity is serious, high-end products are still dominated by multinational companies, and the industry urgently needs to transform and upgrade
.
In addition, in the field of polyurethane foam, the basic research of single additives, the collaborative research of composite additives, and the application research of carbon emission reduction are also urgently needed to be strengthened
.

　　During the "14th Five-Year Plan" period, Messite will actively undertake the transformation and upgrading of the polyurethane foam additives industry.
By investing in the construction of 25,000 tons/year organic amine catalyst project, it will become the first large-scale domestic foam stabilizer + catalyst.
Polyurethane additives manufacturers have initiated a strategic shift from a single supplier of additives to a supplier of multiple additives and solutions
.
At the same time, the company must strengthen basic research and application research, innovate and develop high-performance, green, safe, and environmentally friendly additives to solve the problem of insufficient high-end products in the industry, and provide customers with combined products and supporting technical services while meeting market needs.
Promote the localization of key additives and enhance the international competitiveness of enterprises and industries
.