Catalysts that use carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide to produce polymers. Carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide are ideal feedstocks for chemistry because they are abundant, renewable, and easily extracted at low costs. This technology polymerizes carbon dioxide and epoxides into polycarbonates that can be used as feedstocks to produce pharmaceuticals and plastics. Novomer Inc. uses polycarbonate coating in their electronics through a process called Novo™. Novomer’s catalyst operates at moderate temperatures and is highly selective towards the β-Propiolactone target monomer, reducing energy consumption compared to other existing biodegradable products. This new process can potentially sequester and avoid approximately 180 million metric tons of yearly carbon dioxide emissions. Their product, Rinnovo™ uses this technology to produce a high molecular weight poly (3-hydroxypropionate), a homopolymer of beta-propiolactone, that can be used for packaging and other thermoplastic applications. They have also developed an alternative route to producing glacial acrylic acid (GAA) that can be used in plastics.
Cornell University, Geoffrey W. Coates
