Evonik Transforms PU Additives Stabilizer Portfolio Into Sustainable Low-VOC Formulations

Evonik, a solution provider for the polyurethane (PU) industry, has announced that it has transformed its entire portfolio of silicon surfactants available in Europe to include only low-cyclic or low-VOC (volatile organic compound) based products. Nearly two decades after first optimizing TEGOSTAB® silicon surfactants in 2003 to minimize cyclic siloxane content, Evonik has set the industry standard and continues to develop its portfolio to meet the highest global regulatory and sustainability requirements. Evonik continues to exceed these standards to meet its customers' demands and expectations. Today, most globally available surfactants contain levels well below the 0.1% required for each cyclic siloxane type in finished PU foam products. Cyclic siloxanes are the basic building blocks for siloxane polymers used as silicon surfactants in the PU foam industry. These surfactants are key to stabilizing PU foams for the construction, automotive and white goods industries and provide energy efficiency in insulation applications, for example. Ralph Marquardt, Head of Evonik's PU Business Division, stated: "Reducing cyclic silicone content addresses growing consumer demand for healthier, safer and more environmentally friendly products. With our market understanding and first-class innovation capabilities, we were the first company in the PU industry to optimize our silicon surfactant formulations to be more sustainable and often exceed today's strict VOC regulatory standards."   Source