Pittsburgh, December 19, 2007 — Continuing its leadership in sustainable products and practices, Bayer MaterialScience (BMS) LLC announces the availability of several bio-based offerings for flexible polyurethane foam. These renewable-content polyols are designed for use in the production of flexible slabstock foam for furniture, mattress and cushioning applications.
With up to 20 percent renewable content, Bayer MaterialScience´s natural oil polyols have performance properties essentially equal to those of petroleum-based polyols, but are derived from seed-based oils.
“Our lab data indicates that Bayer’s bio-based polyols are very comparable to petroleum-based polyols, which means that our customers won’t have to sacrifice any performance or processing properties in order to utilize a renewable product,” according to Dr. Stanley Hager, research fellow, flexible foam raw materials, Bayer MaterialScience. “The state-of-the-art performance of our polyols makes them essentially a drop-in replacement for petroleum-based products that have been perfected over many years. Some other natural oil polyols offered by other companies do not possess the proper functionality and reactivity, resulting in a polymer with diminished properties compared with petroleum-based polyols.”
Bayer’s bio-based polyols are prepared using the company’s proprietary IMPACT catalyst technology. The patented technology is in itself a sustainable process, as it allows for the rapid production of polyols with less waste and less byproducts. And because BMS’ bio-based polyols can be processed by standard slabstock machines and technologies, no special modifications are required to produce a more environmentally friendly product that is comparable to traditional petroleum-based products.
“At Bayer MaterialScience, we believe that practicing sustainable chemistry not only is in the best interest of society, but also makes good business sense. For that reason, we are excited to offer bio-based polyols that give our customers the option to substitute a renewable raw material and yet still produce the same, high-performance end product,” said Jerry MacCleary, senior vice president, head of Polyurethanes North America Marketing and Business Development, BMS. “Technologies like IMPACT and materials offerings like our natural oil polyols are key ingredients in the formula for sustainable production in the future.”
About Bayer
Bayer MaterialScience LLC is one of the leading producers of polymers and high-performance plastics in North America and is part of the global Bayer MaterialScience business with nearly 14,900 employees at 30 sites around the world and 2006 sales of 10.2 billion euros from continuing operations. Our innovative developments in coatings, adhesive and sealant raw materials, polycarbonates, polyurethanes and thermoplastic urethane elastomers enhance the design and functionality of products in a wide variety of markets, including the automotive, construction, electrical and electronics, household and medical industries, and the sports and leisure fields. Our inorganic basic chemicals unit produces chlorine and related essential products for the chemicals industry. Let us give life to your vision. Bayer MaterialScience – Where VisionWorks.
Bayer Corporation, headquartered in Pittsburgh, is a subsidiary of Bayer AG, an international health care, nutrition and innovative materials group based in Leverkusen, Germany. In North America, Bayer had 2006 net sales of 7.8 billion euros and employed 17,200 at year end. Bayer’s three subgroups, Bayer HealthCare, Bayer CropScience and Bayer MaterialScience, improve people’s lives through a broad range of essential products that help prevent and treat diseases; protect crops and enhance yields; and advance automobile safety and durability. |
