On February 7, 2017, BASF announced that the interior air quality of cars can now be improved with lower volatile organic compounds (VOCs), thanks to a new polyether polyol from BASF. The new grade is part of the Lupranol (R) brand which is used in the production of automotive applications made of highly resilient flexible and semi-rigid polyurethane foams. The low VOC grade polyol has been proven to significantly reduce VOC emissions, particularly aldehyde, making it a sustainable alternative in the production of polyurethane foams for automotive interior applications such as seats, headliners, and steering wheels.
   “Automotive OEMs in Asia, especially in China and Korea, are seeking solutions to enhance vehicle interior air quality, and this new grade will help them meet the increasingly stringent regulatory standards for VOC emissions,” said Andy Postlethwaite, Senior Vice President, Performance Materials Asia Pacific, BASF. “VOCs can be effectively reduced with changes to manufacturing processes. As such, we play a key role in contributing towards environmental sustainability and health.”
   Lupranol’s low VOC grade is the result of improvements made in the manufacturing process of the material. It has one of the lowest levels of aldehyde emissions – specifically formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, and acrolein – in polyurethane solutions available in the market for automotive applications. In the tests conducted by Center Testing International Group Co Ltd, a leading testing agency in China, the new Lupranol demonstrated a reduction in aldehyde emissions by 5-10% for formaldehyde, 30-40% for acetaldehyde and 30-40% for acrolein.
   Lupranol is well-suited for automotive applications as it produces highly resilient polyurethane foams, for example Elastoflex (R), with good physical properties. Compared to conventional foams, Elastoflex provides higher comfort, improved elasticity and better load bearing properties.