On December 3, 2024, our Managing Director Dr. Albrecht Läufer took part as an expert in a panel discussion at the Foam / Adhesives & Bonding Expo conference in Stuttgart. The topic was “Finding Bio-Based Alternatives to Polyurethane Foams and Adhesives in Healthcare”.
The healthcare industry is a major consumer of flexible foams and EVA (ethylene vinyl acetate) foam rubber for hospital mattresses, pillows, wound care products, orthopaedic supports, prosthetics and in medical devices. Polyurethane (PU) products are also used extensively in coating, sealant, adhesive and bonding applications.
The polyols and isocyanates that make up polyurethane are generally derived from petroleum. The healthcare and medical industries are looking for more sustainable alternatives, sources and chemicals that are bio-based, biodegradable and recyclable, but offer the same performance in terms of compressive stress, elasticity and resilience.
In this session, the experts discussed possible solutions from different perspectives:
– available alternative chemical substances that could replace polyurethane
– the potential for a generational shift in materials in the industry
– the challenges of cost and supply chain transition
Here are a few impressions:
