North American Passive House Network Conference 2018

Carbon dioxide (CO2) is one of the primary greenhouse gases emitted into the Earth’s atmosphere and a main factor of global warming. For nearly half a century, scientists have sought to capture CO2 and transform it from an inert pollutant into commercially viable products that can drive growth and innovation.
Through a partnership between Covestro, university, industry and government experts, carbon capture and catalytic technologies makes it possible to harness waste CO2 and convert it into a component in polyurethane foam.
These advances conserve a significant percentage of petroleum-based raw materials traditionally used and the resulting foam retains the same quality with reduced solvent and energy requirements.
Cracking the catalytic barrier needed to convert CO2 into a raw material has opened a world of possibilities, the least of which include replacing nonrenewable petrochemical feedstocks with captured greenhouse gases. Covestro and its research partners are studying catalysis with other C1 molecules, like methane and carbon monoxide, to develop sustainable solutions for organic intermediates and polymeric materials.