Tosoh to build new plant for emission-free PU catalysts

Construction of the Rzeta plant will begin in September 2013 and is expected to be completed by November 2014. According to Tosoh, the company developed Rzeta in response to concerns about volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions from PU foams produced using conventional PU catalysts. As an emission-free PU foam reactive amine catalyst, Rzeta is said to make possible the manufacture of PU foams that do not emit the VOCs or odour characteristic of amine chemicals and thus are better for the environment. The absence of VOCs also means that Rzeta-produced PU foams used in proximity to other resins, such as polyvinyl chloride and polycarbonates, will not change their colour, says the company.

Rzeta is said to enable the production of PU foams with the same high level of durability as those made using conventional catalysts. In Rzeta, therefore, Tosoh brings to the marketplace a proprietary PU catalyst technology that is eco-friendly and that ensures advanced functionality. According to the company, the new catalyst meets demands for a cleaner planet through reduced VOC emissions without diminishing the quality of the products whose manufacture depends on it. Tosoh has a 40-year history as a global ethyleneamine derivative solution provider.