We’re all familiar with the buzz around sustainability, but what does it really mean for the products we use every day? Enter bio-based TPU, a revolutionary material that’s not only eco-friendly but also incredibly versatile, finding its way into everything from sneakers to cars to cosmetics.
A Greener Alternative:
Traditional TPU, a durable and flexible plastic, is often derived from petroleum, a non-renewable resource. But bio-based TPU is different. It’s made from renewable biological materials, like corn starch or sugarcane, offering a sustainable alternative that’s just as strong and flexible as its petroleum-based counterpart.
The Power of Bio-based TPU:
Bio-based TPU is a chameleon, adapting to a wide range of applications:
- Sneakers and Footwear: Bio-based TPU is used to create durable and flexible soles for sneakers, offering a comfortable and sustainable option for athletes and everyday wearers.
- Leather Products: Bio-based TPU is used to create high-quality, eco-friendly leather alternatives, offering a sustainable and cruelty-free option for handbags, wallets, and other leather goods.
- Automotive and Engineering: Bio-based TPU is used to create durable and flexible components for cars, trucks, and other vehicles, offering a sustainable alternative to traditional petroleum-based materials.
- Cosmetics and Personal Care: Bio-based TPU is used to create sustainable packaging for cosmetics and personal care products, offering a more environmentally friendly option for consumers.
- Medical Care: Bio-based TPU is even finding its way into the medical field, used to create sustainable and biocompatible medical devices, offering a greener approach to healthcare.
The Green Advantage:
The use of bio-based TPU offers a range of benefits:
- Reduced Carbon Footprint: Bio-based TPU reduces the reliance on fossil fuels, minimizing the environmental impact of production and use.
- Renewable Resources: Bio-based TPU is made from renewable resources, reducing our dependence on finite resources like petroleum.
- Sustainability: Bio-based TPU is a sustainable choice, contributing to a greener future for the planet.
The Future is Bright:
The bio-based TPU market is booming, driven by a growing awareness of the need for sustainable materials and a desire for eco-friendly products. Major manufacturers like BASF, Covestro, Lubron, Shengyiao, and Wanhua Chemical are investing in research and development, creating innovative bio-based TPU products, and expanding their applications.
A Sustainable Choice
Bio-based TPU is a game-changer, offering a sustainable alternative to traditional TPU and paving the way for a greener future. By embracing bio-based TPU, we can reduce our environmental impact, create innovative products, and build a more sustainable world for generations to come.
As a new material with outstanding performance, thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer (TPU) is the best substitute for materials such as rubber and PVC. Traditional TPU is still mainly petroleum-based. Although it is an environmentally friendly material, it still needs to be degraded in specific environments. In recent years, bio-based TPU made from renewable bio-based raw materials (including crops, trees, other plants and their residues and inclusions) has gradually come into our sight.
Major manufacturers have launched
Bio-based TPU products
Major chemical companies around the world, such as BASF, Covestro, Lubrizol, Trinseo, Wanhua Chemical, etc., have launched their own bio-based TPU products.
On December 3, 2024, BASF announced the expansion of its sustainable product portfolio at its Lemförde plant in Germany. The plant is certified by the International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC) PLUS program to produce biomass-balanced thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU). chinaplas 2024SHAGN, BASF also brought new energy charging pile cables made of bio-based TPU, which shows its emphasis on bio-based TPU. It is understood that as early as 2012, BASF demonstrated its bio-based TPU – Elastollan® N, with a biomass content of more than 40% (according to ASTM D6866 standards), excellent hydrolysis resistance and good mechanical properties. With a wide range of hardness, it is an ideal sustainable solution for sports, leisure, shoe and other industries.
In 2024, Covestro has successively announced its layout in multiple TPU fields in China. Just last year, the company started construction of its largest TPU factory in Zhuhai. The production base is located in Zhuhai Gaolan Port Economic Zone, covering a total area of approximately 45,000 square meters. When fully completed in 2033, it will have a TPU production capacity of nearly 120,000 tons/year. It is understood that some of Covestro’s bio-based TPU series are sold under the name Desmopan® EC and are made of bio-based succinic acid and bio-based propylene glycol (Bio-PDO). The bio-based component content can be as high as 60%.
At Chinaplas 2024, Lubrizol announced a number of measures to strengthen its TPU business in China, including the expansion of the TPU production line in the Shanghai factory, the establishment of the Asia-Pacific High-Performance Film Product Innovation Center, and the launch of the “ESTANE® TPU Empowerment Ecosystem” . Lubrizol’s Bio TPU™ series is made from renewable materials, with a renewable material content of 30% to 70%, and has the same performance and advantages as traditional petroleum-based thermoplastic polyurethane.
Trinseo has launched a TPU grade with a bio-based content of up to 64%, demonstrating the potential of bio-based TPU in high-performance applications.
On June 17, 2022, Wanhua Chemical conducted in-depth research based on the bio-based integrated platform and launched a thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer (TPU) product made of 100% bio-based raw materials. This product uses bio-based pentamethylene diisocyanate (PDI) made from corn straw. Additives such as rice bran wax are also sourced from non-food chain corn, castor and other renewable resources. With the advantages of resource saving and renewable raw materials, it can Minimize the carbon emissions of end consumer products. At the same time, with its excellent high strength, high toughness, oil resistance, anti-yellowing and other properties, it continues to empower the green transformation of shoes and clothing, films, consumer electronics, food contact and other fields.
Meirui New Materials, Dadong Resin, Taiwan Gaoding, etc. also have plans in bio-based TPU.
What is bio-based TPU?
Bio-based TPU, some of the raw materials are derived from renewable natural resources (such as corn starch, wheat, potato, cellulose, etc.), and are made using biological, chemical and physical methods through refining, fermentation, synthesis and other procedures.
Compared with traditional petroleum-based TPU, bio-based TPU has the same performance advantages and characteristics, and its applications are generally the same.
It has excellent wear resistance, mechanical strength, chemical resistance, etc., meets the product requirements of high performance and durability, and has a wide range of end uses.
In the process of manufacturing bio-based TPU, a core step is the incorporation of bio-based monomers or intermediates during the polymerization stage. This includes bio-based isocyanates (such as MDI and PDI) and bio-based polyols. Currently, the supply of bio-based isocyanates on the market is relatively limited, while bio-based polyols are more common.
As far as bio-based isocyanates are concerned, since 2000, many companies including BASF, Covestro and Mitsui Chemicals have begun vigorously researching and developing PDI. These efforts bore fruit between 2015 and 2016, with the first batch of PDI products being launched on the market. Wanhua Chemical used bio-based PDI extracted from corn straw to successfully develop TPU products based entirely on bio-raw materials. By 2023, Gansu Yinguang Group also made a breakthrough and produced the first batch of PDI with a purity of over 99.5%, marking the realization of localized production of PDI products in China.
As for bio-based polyols, they are derived from biological resources, including bio-based polytetrahydrofuran (also known as polytetramethylene ether glycol, PTMEG), bio-based 1,4-butanediol (BDO), bio-based 1, 3-Propylene glycol (PDO), bio-based polyester polyol and bio-based polyether polyol, etc. These polyols not only play a role in TPU production, but are also widely used in many fields such as polyurethane soft foam, rigid foam, adhesives and coatings.
Bio-based VS recycling,
Which TPU path is better?
The industry has been trying to reduce the carbon footprint of TPU and reduce its impact on the environment. One way is recycling and the other way is bio-based.
Bio-based TPU and recycled TPU are both solutions for reducing environmental impact, but they differ in how they are implemented and how effective they are.
At the 2024 CHINAPALS exhibition, the concept shoes jointly created by BASF and China’s leading sports brand Li Ning became popular! It uses 100% recyclable thermoplastic recycled TPU material, whether it is the heel, upper, shoe rope, support piece that plays a supporting role, or the insole inside (including foam layer and insole cloth) and mid-layer, outsole , all produced with TPU and can be 100% recycled.
The upper fabric of the concept shoe displayed by BASF is made of recyclable monofilament fiber Freeflex™ TPU It has good wear resistance and can produce good bonding with the TPU film above and the foamed TPU midsole below; the shoe rope uses a double-layer structure material with a TPU extrusion in the middle. Foaming material, wrapped with Freeflex™ yarn, can provide anti-loosening, lightweight and Wear-resistant and elastic effect; the foam layer of the insole uses TPU supercritical physical foaming technology, and the surface layer uses Freeflex™ short fiber with antibacterial, wear-resistant and low-temperature toughness; the midsole of the shoe uses foam TPU material, TPU is first foamed into beads, and then formed by hot pressing.
The running shoes, made of 100% TPU, can be easily repurposed into new shoes at the end of their life cycle.
From this point of view, end products made of a single TPU material seem to be a feasible solution. Lubrizol, Wanhua Chemical, etc. have all made similar attempts on sports shoes.
In fact, the recycling and reuse of TPU is a complex process. It requires the establishment of a complete industrial chain closed loop, which is quite difficult to achieve in the short term. Even if products made entirely of TPU are launched on the market, if they lack the support of subsequent recycling and reuse links, their impact on the environment will not be much different from those of non-single material products. Therefore, from the perspective of plastic vision, the use of bio-based TPU is a more direct and effective solution from the perspective of reducing product carbon footprint.
As a thermoplastic elastomer with excellent comprehensive properties, bio-based TPU has a wide range of downstream product directions, such as footwear, leather products, automobiles and engineering, cosmetics and personal care, medical care, packaging, sporting goods, toys and gadgets, etc.
Prospects of bio-based TPU
As an emerging environmentally friendly material, bio-based TPU has broad market prospects. With the global emphasis on sustainable development and reducing carbon footprint, the demand for bio-based TPU is expected to continue to grow. The technological innovation and product development of major manufacturers will further promote the performance improvement and cost reduction of bio-based TPU, allowing it to be used in more fields.
For brand owners, using bio-based TPU is an excellent opportunity to establish their brand image. Especially when the number of bio-based TPU manufacturers is still very small and the output is not high, some start-up brands create a single product using bio-based TPU, which is very recognizable in the market. However, this means they pay higher costs.
In the long run, this kind of investment will help the brand stand out in the fierce market competition and build brand loyalty with environmental protection and sustainability at its core. In addition, with the advancement of technology and the realization of large-scale production, the cost of bio-based TPU is expected to decrease, which will further enhance its competitiveness in the market and bring both economic and environmental benefits to brand owners.
Transforming the Future: The Bio-Based TPU Revolution by BASF and Covestro!
The plastic revolution is here, and it’s green! Buckle up as BASF and Covestro lead the charge with bio-based TPU, a game-changer in the materials world that promises to reshape industries and our planet’s future.
What’s TPU Anyway?
Thermoplastic Polyurethane, or TPU, is the unsung hero of materials, flaunting versatility and strength. Traditionally petroleum-based, TPU is now stepping into the spotlight with a sustainable twist—bio-based TPU made from renewable resources like plant residues and agricultural products.
The Pioneers of Bio-Based TPU
BASF and Covestro, the titans of chemical innovation, are pushing the envelope:
BASF’s Sustainable Push: Over at their Lemförde plant in Germany, BASF has ramped up production of bio-based TPU, earning international sustainability certifications. Their Elastollan® N, with over 40% bio-content, is setting new standards in sectors from sports gear to automotive parts.
Covestro’s Expansive Moves: In China, Covestro is spearheading multiple initiatives, including building a massive TPU plant in Zhuhai, solidifying their commitment to sustainable material production. Their bio-based TPU products, branded under Desmopan® EC, boast up to 60% renewable content!
Bio-Based TPU Taking Over the Market
It’s not just BASF and Covestro on this green journey:
Lubrizol, Huntsman, and WanHua Chemical have all jumped on the bio-based TPU bandwagon, introducing products that blend performance with sustainability.
Why Bio-Based TPU Rocks
This isn’t just about ticking a sustainability box:
Environmental Impact: Reduced carbon footprint, less reliance on fossil fuels, and decreased environmental degradation make bio-based TPU a clear winner.
Performance Par Excellence: Superior durability, water resistance, and mechanical strength make it ideal for high-performance applications in sports, footwear, automotive, and more.
Challenges and the Road Ahead
While the bio-based TPU market is booming, it’s not without hurdles:
Cost-Effective Production: Achieving economies of scale and cost-effectiveness remains a challenge.
Recycling: Establishing a closed-loop recycling system for bio-based TPU is crucial for maximizing its environmental benefits.
The Future is Bright and Green
Demand for bio-based TPU is set to soar, fueled by technological innovations and a global push for sustainability. As companies continue to invest in research and development, we can expect bio-based TPU to become even more cost-effective and versatile.
Get Ready for a Greener World
The rise of bio-based TPU marks a pivotal moment in our journey towards a sustainable future. With giants like BASF and Covestro leading the way, we’re not just witnessing an industrial shift—we’re part of a revolution that promises a greener, more resilient planet.