Ford Touts CO2-Based Foam and Plastic Parts

Ford Motor Co. is developing foam and plastic parts using carbon dioxide as a feedstock in place of petroleum-based polymers.

The company, which claims to be the first in the industry to work on the technology, expects to use such biomaterials in production vehicles within five years. Potential applications include seating and underhood components.

In 2013 Ford teamed with several companies and universities to develop the technology and evaluate potential applications. This led to a partnership with Waltham, Mass.-based Novomer Inc., which has developed a proprietary catalyst that transforms waste CO₂ into high-performance polymers that can be formulated into a variety of materials.

The biomaterial consists of as much as 50% CO₂-based polyols, which are combined with traditional polyols to optimize performance characteristics for different applications. Ford says the resulting foams and plastics meet automotive testing standards and are easy to recycle.

The CO₂-epoxide reaction can be achieved at moderate temperatures and pressures, Novomer says. The polymerization process requires significantly less energy to synthesize than conventional polyols. The catalyst also is said to be 300 times more active than previous synthesizing processes. Novomer says the finished polymers are equal to or less-expensive to produce than petroleum-based polymers.