Novomer is commercializing a proprietary catalyst system that transforms waste carbon dioxide (CO₂) into high performance, low cost polymers for a variety of applications. These polymers contain up to 50% CO₂ by mass, sequestering this harmful greenhouse gas permanently from the environment. In addition, waste CO₂ is a very low cost starting material that enables competitively priced materials.

Polymers

Polypropylene Carbonate (PPC) – PPC is synthesized by combining CO₂ and propylene oxide in the presence of Novomer’s catalyst. It can be used in applications ranging from packaging to enhanced oil recovery (EOR).

Polyethylene Carbonate (PEC) – Carbon dioxide and ethylene oxide can be combined to synthesize PEC. PEC materials can be used in a number of applications. Of particular note, PEC can be used as an improved oxygen barrier layer, which is often required in the food and beverage industry.

Additional Materials – Novomer’s technology is not limited to ethylene and propylene oxide. Other commodity and specialty epoxides can be combined with CO₂ to create additional polymeric structures to optimize physical properties.

Application Diversity

Our CO₂ polymers can be made to have a broad range of material characteristics, from stiff solid plastics to viscous liquids, based on the molecular weight (or “size”) of our polymer chains. This enables our materials to be used in a number of different applications, like packaging at high molecular weights or coatings at lower molecular weights. This modification in material properties is made by simply adjusting the process used to make the polymer, while using the same catalyst. The ability of our CO₂ based technology to be so easily adjustable is one of the many advantages of Novomer’s catalyst system.