Foam News: Algae Experiment

A topic of great concern for every responsible foam manufacturer is the environment, and most importantly sustainability. Once considered one of the most difficult materials to reuse and recycle, polyurethane is being cast in a new light by significant innovations across the industry. eFoam is proud to be at the forefront of environmentally friendly, sustainable production, which you can read more about in our guide to eco-friendly packaging foam.

Polyols from algae

Researchers at the University of San Diego managed to create the base component of polyurethane – polyols – from algae present within waste oils from algae biomass. This came out of a wider project into renewable, biodegradable materials for a range of products including fabrics, adhesives, patent leathers and fragrances. The innovation is useful for the sustainable foam manufacturer and is also an effective way to tackle the roughly 70% of microalgae by-product wasted in other industries. Algae is considered by many researchers as a leading renewable resource for replacing fossil fuels, so the team reasoned that if it could replace such fuels, it could also produce polyurethane – a component of many everyday items.

How the process works

Working with a green microalgae (N. Salina), the researchers first extracted the oil from the organism. This oil is more widely recognised as the source of omega-3 fatty acids in dietary supplements, yet after those products are made, around 70% of the remaining microalgae by-product is wasted or burned. To reduce that waste, the team purified and converted the algae as part of the large-scale research, after which the waste forms azelaic acid – one of the fundamental components of all flexible polyurethanes. N. Salina was chosen as it produces a significant amount of the specialist acid needed for high biomass content and large-scale production. After purifying the oil through physical and chemical methods, the natural metabolic components that normally prevent the required reactions were removed, allowing those reactions to take place and form polymers, and in turn an eco-friendly polyurethane foam.

The development was published in the journal Green Chemistry. For more on related developments, see our guide to the latest innovations in polyurethane foam, or to discuss eFoam's own environmental and sustainability practices, please contact us.

Frequently asked questions

Can polyurethane foam be made from algae?

Researchers at the University of San Diego created polyols – the base component of polyurethane – from waste oils within algae biomass, as part of wider research into renewable materials for products including fabrics, adhesives and fragrances.

How is algae turned into foam?

Oil is extracted from green microalgae (N. Salina), then purified and converted; the waste forms azelaic acid, one of the fundamental components of flexible polyurethanes. Removing the natural metabolic components that prevent the reaction allows polymers, and an eco-friendly foam, to form.

Why use algae for foam?

Algae is seen as a leading renewable resource for replacing fossil fuels, and the process also helps tackle the roughly 70% of microalgae by-product that is otherwise wasted or burned after omega-3 supplements are made.