Foaming pilot of PES-based polyols
The objective was to validate the use of recycled polyols containing textile polyester in industrial rigid PU insulation board production.
What was achieved and what that learned
The recycled polyol was successfully used at 30 parts substitution of virgin polyol in industrial production. The resulting insulation panels showed properties close to the standard reference products, with approximately 3.5% recycled content in the final panels. The presence of textile dyes gave the foam a light green outer surface and a pink core, while maintaining the expected performance.
An industrial batch of recycled polyol produced from RESTER polyester was transferred to SOPREMA’s Saint-Julien-du-Sault plant and tested on a production line manufacturing PIR insulation boards.
Future visions
Future work will focus on increasing the share of recycled polyol in PU foam formulations while maintaining panel performance and production stability.