NovCAT - examining the technical and market feasibility of extending adoption of Econics novel catalysts

Econic Technologies is developing a breakthrough family of catalysts that incorporate carbon
dioxide (CO2) into economically viable polymers, replacing 30-43% of the non-renewable
raw materials, thus significantly reducing carbon footprint, offering new, high-value
properties, costs savings and potentially increasing market acceptance.
This project - "NovCAT" - will examine the technical and market feasibility of extending
adoption of Econics novel catalysts for the production and downstream market acceptance of
polycarbonate and thermoplastic blends.
The innovative catalyst technology will enable inherently safer, low-carbon thermoplastic
polycarbonates with enhanced properties to be manufactured from the co-polymerisation of
epoxides and CO2 to produce novel polycarbonates such as polycyclohexene carbonate and
polypropylene carbonate.
Currently polycarbonate is manufactured through a process combining phosgene and
bisphenol A (BPA). These constituents are non-renewable, hazardous and toxic. BPA exhibits
hormone-like properties that can cause potential adverse health effects. BPA-free PC products
will remove public safety concerns for food packaging and storage due to leaching of BPA.
Phosgene-free processes will be more economical, and present significant OH&S benefits,
with the elimination of inline phosgene production and associated safety measures.
The new catalyst has already been demonstrated to be highly robust to typical contaminations
within captured waste CO2, which is readily available from power production or other
manufacturing processes.
Customers will be interested in adopting such a catalyst to achieve the combination of
improved polymer sustainability and cost structure, with high-value characteristics in areas
such as high barrier properties for food packaging, UV resistance, clarity, flame retardant
properties, and process safety and public health benefits from removal of toxic materials