Sustainable polyurethane production without toxic isocyanate

Chemical compounds like isocyanate are toxic and trigger allergies or asthma. However, they remain indispensable for the chemical industry. They are needed especially in the production of PUR. These plastics are highly versatile and are therefore used in many products. Although the end product no longer contains isocyanates, special safety precautions are necessary during manufacturing to keep them away from humans and to avoid health hazards. For the first time, Fraunhofer researchers have now succeeded in producing polyurethanes without using isocyanates in the CO2NIPU (nonisocyanate polyurethane, NIPU) project.