At ERT Têxtil Portugal, a company in the automotive textile sector, polyurethane foam (PUR) is often used to produce multi-layer textiles. As a result, post-industrial waste is generated, which is then sent to landfill.

The development of a foam solvolysis process is intended to extract polyols. By optimizing the process, the specifications of the polyol used in the company’s foam injection unit should be achieved, so that new PUR foam can be produced. In this way, the cycle of this waste is closed, contributing to the circularity of the company’s processes.

In order to produce this demo, the initial step is to extract the polyols from the laminating polyurethane foam, provided by ERT, using a solvolysis process. This process has been carried out and optimized by AIMPLAS, taking into account the scope of the ERT polyol specifications. To guide the process optimizations, SOPREMA has characterized the polyols extracted in each test. Considering the polyols with the specifications closest to the objective, ERT has carried out foam production tests by partially replacing the ERT polyol with recycled polyol. In the future, products for the automotive sector should be produced using recycled foam.

The process will have a very positive effect on the circularity of the company’s processes. Currently, multi-layer textile waste, which includes PUR foam, goes to landfill because there is no other treatment option. By using this process, it will be possible to convert waste into raw materials, closing the waste cycle.