Polyurethane (PU) foams are widely used in sectors such as construction, automotive, furniture, packaging or agriculture, but their manufacture has significant environmental and safety limitations. They are produced from isocyanates, highly toxic compounds and reagents that pose health risks and difficulties in their industrial handling. In addition, they depend on fossil raw materials and, due to their cross-linked structure, are not recyclable, generating persistent and non-biodegradable waste. Although there is a growing demand for more sustainable alternatives, current solutions have failed to combine safety, circularity and industrial performance comparable to conventional foams.
EcoFoams is a technological platform developed by the POLYMAT group of the University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU) for the manufacture of bio-based, self-expanding and totally isocyanate-free polymeric foams. The technology is based on a reactive polymerization process in which the gas needed to generate the foam is produced internally during curing, without external foaming agents.
From this platform, three types of foams have been developed: bio-based polycarbonate foams for agricultural and hydroponic applications; NIPU structural foams with high mechanical performance; and a universal foaming process capable of generating flexible, semi-rigid or rigid foams from different polymeric precursors, maintaining a high renewable content and a circularity-oriented design.
The production method has been validated on a laboratory scale (kilogram scale) and has three patents filed, one for each technological line.
Benefits:
- Total elimination of isocyanates, reducing toxicological and safety risks.
- Self-expanding process, without external foaming agents.
- High bio-based content, with renewable raw materials.
- Adjustable properties, from flexible to rigid foams.
- Good mechanical performance, validated by standardized tests.
- Greater biodegradability compared to conventional PU foams.
- Circularity-oriented design, with potential for chemical recycling or reprocessing.
- Compatibility with industrial processes, with reaction times similar to PU.
The development team is looking to know the most suitable application sector for each of the foams developed, as well as to establish strategic collaborations that will allow this technology to be brought to market in the near future. The conditions and form of collaboration can be openly discussed if the technology presented is of interest.
Institution: Universidad del País Vasco (UPV/EHU), Grupo POLYMAT
TRL: 3-4
Protection Status: Patent Application
Contacto: Begoña Iborra / biborra@viromii.com