Bayer MaterialScience: From megatrends to business

Photovoltaic module based on BMS materials

Solutions for climate protection

CEO Patrick Thomas, said: „This company cannot solve these problems by itself, of course, but it does have sustainable solutions in the form of innovative products, processes and applications that exist today or are being developed for tomorrow." He was speaking to journalists in Leverkusen to outline the company's plans for its presence at K 2010.

„Today, buildings are responsible for about 30 % of global greenhouse gas emissions and more than 40 % of global energy use. So the need for renewable forms of energy is clear," said Thomas. Retrofitting materials to combat climate change has significant benefits, and if buildings were retrofitted with polyurethane insulation – by far the most effective insulating material per unit weight – then real reductions in carbon dioxide emissions could be achieved.
Thomas said that over 14 % of all greenhouse gases worldwide came from the transportation sector, which meant it was ‚number three' as an emission source. "Lightweight composites can cut a vehicle's weight by up to 30 %," he said. „We are already supplying polyurethane composites as replacements for the metal roofs of cars, and we are beginning to supply polycarbonate glazing components as a substitute for glass. Replacing very energy-intensive steel and glass components in vehicles with polymers – which are much less energy-intensive and require much less energy to manufacture, and also reduce the weight of the vehicle – offers significant reduction potential."

Giving further examples, he said traditional light bulbs have a light efficiency of 3 % compared with up to 80 % for LEDs, and although there were challenges in manufacturing LEDs and managing their light, polycarbonate resin is one of the few materials that can withstand their high temperatures.

Baymedix materials for catheters

Materials from BMS also play an important role in the cool chain: Up to 50 % of food is wasted between the time it is produced and the time it is consumed. „Refrigerated transportation and cold storage are hugely important, and polyurethane insulation materials play a key role here," he said.

The company has developed second-generation thin-film solar cells that support the production of flexible photovoltaic modules. Makrofol PC films and Platilon TPU films are used in the process and with sheets made of Makrolon solar modules can be integrated directly in transparent roof structures.

Already on the market is the award-winning Solon Black 160/05 in-roof module, which is equipped with an ‚intelligent' frame and an integrated mounting system made of Bayflex PU foam.

A new, modular solar thermal energy system engineered by BMS and partners combines a heat-generating solar air collector with an optimised thermal insulation system. The solar air collectors are constructed from multi-wall sheets made of a newly developed, high temperature-resistant grade of Makrolon, and are installed on a roof like roof tiles.

Products from BMS are also set to become integral components of wind turbines, where the adhesives used to bond the blades are increasingly polyurethane-based instead of epoxy. Nanotubes can also be incorporated into the epoxy resins to reduce the weight of the blades. Currently, wind turbines can only be operated stably with rotors measuring up to about 60 m long. More electrical energy could be obtained by enlarging the rotors. Baytubes carbon nanotubes are significantly stronger than steel, but so light that they are ideally suited for manufacturing longer rotor blades, for example in combination with epoxy resins.

The Multitec PU spray system is an economical solution for manufacturing the housings of wind turbine nacelles. To protect wind turbines from corrosion, Bayer MaterialScience has developed special coating raw materials based on polyaspartics, which are eco-friendly and economical.

Innovative healthcare materials

Through the supply of PU and thermoplastic materials and films to manufacturers of medical products, the company is contributing to developments in medical technology. These applications range from highly functional coatings and special-purpose adhesives and plasters for wound dressings to thermoplastics for surgical and diagnostic instruments.

With two new developments, BMSe is extending its medical technology portfolio, now marketed under the name Baymedix. The first is a new lubricious coating for use on catheters and other medical products. With exceptional surface slip characteristics as well as high resistance and biocompatibility, the coating can be used wherever the physician needs to reduce the amount of friction between components of a medical product.

A second development is a PU based coating, which can release a drug over a pre-determined time. For a range of active ingredients – low molecular weight drugs and biopharmaceuticals – this time can be varied from a few hours to several months. The release of the drug is guided by a specific ratio of hydrophilic to hydrophobic components in the coating.

BMS is also developing Baymedix FG foams for wound dressings and the Bay­medix AT topical tissue adhesives. These products represent an alternative to stitching materials for closing wounds.