Basf and Autoliv China launch innovative "Recycled by design" polyurethane foaming technology solutions

 April 15, 2024 - At CHINAPLAS 2024, BASF will introduce its innovative "recycled by Design" polyurethane foam technology, which simplifies the process of recycling polyurethane foam, enables large-scale recycling, and reintroduces recycled materials into "recycled by design" foam formulations. Basf has partnered with Autoliv China, a leading global automotive supplier, to manufacture the steering wheel using a "design recovery" foam solution containing recycled materials, which will be on display at the show. Wallice Li, Vice President of Supply Chain Management and Sustainability at Autoliv China, said: "By utilizing a 'recycled by design' polyurethane foam solution containing recycled ingredients, Autoliv has taken another concrete step towards recycling and reducing the environmental impact of its products. In our production line trials, we found that the physical properties of the 'recycled by design' PU steering wheel are comparable to those of conventional PU manufactured in use today." The "recycling by design" technology was specially developed by BASF and has been tested at its pilot facility in Shanghai. Silvia Mok, Vice President of BASF and head of Polyurethane Business Management, Asia Pacific, Characteristic Materials Business Unit, said: "BASF and Autolive continue to achieve technological breakthroughs and demonstrate production efficiency through their ongoing cooperation. With our 'Recycled by design' foam solutions, we are contributing to the transformation of the polyurethane value chain and closing the loop on many polyurethane applications. We continue to drive innovation and validation of the recyclability of 'recycling by design' technology, which is critical to the growth of the industry." Currently, the recycled material content used in polyurethane foam solutions can be up to 20% by weight percentage (wt%), depending on the different product applications. The mechanical properties of the polyurethane foam solution containing the recovered material remain unchanged even after multiple cycles. In addition to automotive steering wheels, BASF has developed "recycled by design" polyurethane foam solutions for automotive, furniture and footwear products, including applications such as car seats and sofas.