Stahl, a Netherlands-based supporter of environmentally friendly chemistry, has introduced a new line of recycled carbon-based polyurethanes called NuVera. NuVera replaces petroleum-based chemicals with green substitutes, allowing fashion, shoes, upholstery, and a variety of other consumer goods to reduce their environmental footprint dramatically.

Stahl started working with key production collaborators on Star's Nu Vera series, with the intention of developing renewable carbon-based building blocks that weren't previously available on the market. According to Stahl, these new building blocks would allow the production of biomass-based and/or carbon-captured polyurethane polymers.

Plant-based biomass such as vegetable oil and sugar are used to make Stahl NuVera products. It may also be made from captured carbon, which is the third green raw material type. CO2 released from manufacturing processes is collected and used as a raw material for the manufacture of polymer building blocks.

NuVera materials can be used in preskin and topcoat blends, PUD resins, adhesives, and basecoats, among other coating applications. There are currently 4 polyurethane resin binders in this series, all of which are available as co-solvent-free, water-based dispersions. To improve the NuVera, Star is currently designing new materials with high solids (solvent-free) and cross-linking agents. All NuVera materials, according to Stahl, meet the most recent guidelines and legislation, including the ZDHC Version 2.0 Production Restricted Substances List (MRSL).

Group Director of Performance Coatings and Polymers at Stahl, Uwe Siebgens said that Stahl is committed to reducing the industry's environmental impact by implementing renewable carbon-based technologies as a founder member of the Renewable Carbon Initiative. It will speed the transition to more sustainable content solutions with the introduction of the ground-breaking NuVera range, allowing producers to satisfy consumer needs for high-quality, sustainable materials.

The commercial launch of Star's Nu Vera sequence is scheduled for the second half of 2021.