What’s New With Airable? – Carbonated Soy
March 3, 2022
Airable is cooking up carbonated soy-based products. Carbonates are used to produce polyurethane, which (as you’ve read before in this space) has a slew of applications (foams, fibers, coatings, etc.). However, traditional carbonates rely on starting materials (isocyanate reactants, to be precise) that are extremely reactive, powerful irritants that can cause marked inflammation. Workers in industrial settings have experienced health issues ranging from cold-like symptoms to severe asthma (and reportedly even asthma-related deaths). In addition to being toxic, isocyanates react with water to form carbon dioxide, contributing to the greenhouse effect. Airable’s carbonated soy product has 78% bio-renewable content. Better yet, the soy-based materials actually transform CO2 into a useful feedstock—a bio-based cyclic carbonate that can be used in non-isocyanate polyurethanes. The soy-based carbonates provide an excellent option for manufacturers looking for sustainable feedstocks.
