Bayer MaterialScience develops first bio-based crosslinker

Bayer MaterialScience (BMS) said at a press conference a few days ago that it has developed the first bio-based polyurethane crosslinker.

The company claims that its cyclopentane diisocyanate (PDI) is a new type of isocyanate with a carbon content of 70%. Daniel Meyer, Business Director, Coatings, Adhesives, Specialty Products and member of the BMS Executive Committee, said the company's recent innovations also include world-leading PDI derivatives as curing agents for coatings and adhesives.

Meyer told reporters and industry experts that the company plans to release the first PDI-based product on the market in April 2015, and start to have a production capacity of up to 20,000 tons per year (enough to cover 20 million vehicles) in 2016 for commercial manufacture. He says the material can be topcoated 30 percent faster than existing two-component polyurethane coatings. In the medium term, it is likely to be suitable for hybrid plastics, composites, and metal undercoating.

This innovation is the result of the joint cooperation between BMS, the Fraunhofer Institute in Germany and the German machinery and equipment manufacturer DURR. Collaboration in innovation is in line with BMS' strategy to develop new products, Meyer states: "Our aim is to bring together partners from our value chain and to incorporate their technologies into our research and development as early as possible, ensuring that our customers in the market success. In addition, we will provide more and more materials and solutions.”

The innovation will be on public display at the European Coatings Show in April.