The epoxy resin market is growing rapidly, driven by its use in industries like construction, automotive, electronics, and aerospace. Epoxy resins are valued for their strong adhesive properties, chemical resistance, and durability, making them key materials for coatings, adhesives, and composites. DGEBA, derived from Bisphenol-A, dominates the market, accounting for over 80% of epoxy resin sales. However, Bisphenol-A’s toxicity, especially its endocrine-disrupting effects, has led to stricter regulations, including its listing as a Substance of Very High Concern under REACH. In response, the industry is exploring renewable and non-toxic alternatives to traditional bisphenol-based epoxies. 

In this context, SPECIFIC POLYMERS’ R&D efforts are focused on developing greener and more sustainable solutions. Our main challenge is to develop relevant alternative to DGEBA resin. 

Green chemistry focuses on implementing innovative scientific solutions to tackle environmental challenges. Paul T. Anastas and John C. Warner developed the “Twelve Principles of Green Chemistry” in 1998.1 These principles are divided into two groups: “Reducing Risk” and “Minimizing Environmental Footprint.” These two main axes are fully aligned with our approach and the range of products we offer. Indeed, our two main R&D axes in this field are : 

(i) Bisphenol free epoxy. Here, we focus on the following principle “Less Hazardous Chemical Syntheses – Wherever practicable, synthetic methods should be designed to use and generate substances that possess little or no toxicity to human health and the environment.” 

(ii) Bio-based epoxy. Here, we focus on the following principle “Use of Renewable Feedstocks – A raw material or feedstock should be renewable rather than depleting whenever technically and economically practicable.’ 

¹Anastas, P. T.; Warner, J. C. Green Chemistry: Theory and Practice, Oxford University Press: New York, 1998, p.30. By permission of Oxford University Press.

Today, less than 10% of the 140 million tons of synthetic polymers produced annually are recycled, with thermosets being particularly challenging due to their permanent three-dimensional structure. Traditional recycling methods are costly, inefficient, and often rely on harsh chemicals, offering only partial recovery. Covalent Adaptable Networks (CANs) present a promising alternative for creating sustainable thermoset materials, addressing the critical issue of their end-of-life disposal.  

SPECIFIC POLYMERS focuses on developing vitrimer-like thermosets with reversible bonds and offering recyclability, repairability and reprocessability based on covalent chemistries such as transesterification, imine amine exchange, vinylogous transamination, olefin metathesis, disulfide exchange and hindered urea exchanges.

The most interesting pathway to synthesize NiPU is the polyaddition in between bifunctional cyclocarbonate and amine building blocks. Compared to the common synthesis of PU, the advantages of NiPU are: (i) a limited use of harmful precursors (neither isocyanate nor phosgene are needed as reactants), and (ii) the precursors (cyclocarbonates and amines) are not sensitive to moisture, which limits the well-known side reactions impacting PU synthesis. Those particular polymer materials have been widely studied and have found applications in a range of fields such as battery electrolytes, enzyme immobilization, adhesives and photopolymerizable coatings. Besides, poly(hydroxyurethane) appears o be an innovative and promising alternative to normal PU for tomorrow’s materials. Below, are some of our cyclocarbonate R&D products.

At SPECIFIC POLYMERS, we aim to develop non-isocyanate polyurethane (NiPU) materials to address sustainability issues, in addition to reducing product toxicity.