Techno-economic Analysis and Life Cycle Assessment of Biomass-Derived Polyhydroxyurethane and Nonisocyanate Polythiourethane Production and Reprocessing

Chao Liang; Yasheen Jadidi; Yixuan Chen; Ulises Gracida-Alvarez; John M. Torkelson; Troy R. Hawkins; Jennifer B. Dunn

doi:10.1021/acssuschemeng.4c04046

Techno-economic Analysis and Life Cycle Assessment of Biomass-Derived Polyhydroxyurethane and Nonisocyanate Polythiourethane Production and Reprocessing

Chao Liang, Yasheen Jadidi, Yixuan Chen, Ulises Gracida-Alvarez, John M. Torkelson, Troy R. Hawkins, Jennifer B. Dunn^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

Chemical and Biological Engineering

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

2 Scopus citations

Abstract

Nonisocyanate polyurethanes (NIPUs) show promise as more sustainable alternatives to conventional isocyanate-based polyurethanes (PUs). In this study, polyhydroxyurethane (PHU) and nonisocyanate polythiourethane (NIPTU) production and reprocessing models inform the results of a techno-economic analysis and a life cycle assessment. The profitability of selling PHU and NIPTU is rationalized by identifying significant production costs, indicating that raw materials drive the costs of PHU and NIPTU production and reprocessing. After stepping along a path of process improvements, PHU and NIPTU can achieve minimum selling prices (MSPs) of 3.15 and 4.39 USD kg^-1, respectively. Depolymerization yields need to be optimized, and polycondensation reactions need to be investigated for the reprocessing of NIPUs into secondary (2°) NIPUs. Of the NIPUs examined here, PHU has a low depolymerization yield and NIPTU has a high depolymerization yield. Fossil energy use, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and water consumption are reported for the biobased production of PHU, NIPTU, 2° PHU, and 2° NIPTU and compared with baseline values for fossil-based PU production. There are options for reducing environmental impacts, which could make these pathways more sustainable. If barriers to implementation are overcome, 2° NIPUs can be manufactured at lower cost and environmental impacts than those of virgin NIPUs.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	12161-12170
Number of pages	10
Journal	ACS Sustainable Chemistry and Engineering
Volume	12
Issue number	32
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1021/acssuschemeng.4c04046
State	Published - Aug 12 2024

Funding

Northwestern University and Argonne National Laboratory were supported by the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) under contracts DE-EE0008928 and DE-AC02-06CH11357, respectively. The authors are grateful to Nichole Fitzgerald and Andrea Bailey of the Bioenergy Technologies Office for their support and guidance. The views and opinions of the authors expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of the U.S. Government or any agency thereof or of any commercial entity. Neither the U.S. Government nor any agency thereof, nor any of their employees or employees of contributing companies, makes any warranty, expressed or implied, assumes any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information, apparatus, product, or process disclosed, or represents that its use would not infringe privately owned rights.

Keywords

biopolymers
depolymerization
life cycle assessment
nonisocyanate polyurethanes
techno-economic analysis

ASJC Scopus subject areas

General Chemistry
Environmental Chemistry
General Chemical Engineering
Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1021/acssuschemeng.4c04046

Cite this

Liang, C., Jadidi, Y., Chen, Y., Gracida-Alvarez, U., Torkelson, J. M., Hawkins, T. R., & Dunn, J. B. (2024). Techno-economic Analysis and Life Cycle Assessment of Biomass-Derived Polyhydroxyurethane and Nonisocyanate Polythiourethane Production and Reprocessing. ACS Sustainable Chemistry and Engineering, 12(32), 12161-12170. https://doi.org/10.1021/acssuschemeng.4c04046

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title = "Techno-economic Analysis and Life Cycle Assessment of Biomass-Derived Polyhydroxyurethane and Nonisocyanate Polythiourethane Production and Reprocessing",

abstract = "Nonisocyanate polyurethanes (NIPUs) show promise as more sustainable alternatives to conventional isocyanate-based polyurethanes (PUs). In this study, polyhydroxyurethane (PHU) and nonisocyanate polythiourethane (NIPTU) production and reprocessing models inform the results of a techno-economic analysis and a life cycle assessment. The profitability of selling PHU and NIPTU is rationalized by identifying significant production costs, indicating that raw materials drive the costs of PHU and NIPTU production and reprocessing. After stepping along a path of process improvements, PHU and NIPTU can achieve minimum selling prices (MSPs) of 3.15 and 4.39 USD kg-1, respectively. Depolymerization yields need to be optimized, and polycondensation reactions need to be investigated for the reprocessing of NIPUs into secondary (2°) NIPUs. Of the NIPUs examined here, PHU has a low depolymerization yield and NIPTU has a high depolymerization yield. Fossil energy use, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and water consumption are reported for the biobased production of PHU, NIPTU, 2° PHU, and 2° NIPTU and compared with baseline values for fossil-based PU production. There are options for reducing environmental impacts, which could make these pathways more sustainable. If barriers to implementation are overcome, 2° NIPUs can be manufactured at lower cost and environmental impacts than those of virgin NIPUs.",

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Liang, C, Jadidi, Y, Chen, Y, Gracida-Alvarez, U, Torkelson, JM, Hawkins, TR & Dunn, JB 2024, 'Techno-economic Analysis and Life Cycle Assessment of Biomass-Derived Polyhydroxyurethane and Nonisocyanate Polythiourethane Production and Reprocessing', ACS Sustainable Chemistry and Engineering, vol. 12, no. 32, pp. 12161-12170. https://doi.org/10.1021/acssuschemeng.4c04046

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T1 - Techno-economic Analysis and Life Cycle Assessment of Biomass-Derived Polyhydroxyurethane and Nonisocyanate Polythiourethane Production and Reprocessing

AU - Liang, Chao

AU - Jadidi, Yasheen

AU - Chen, Yixuan

AU - Gracida-Alvarez, Ulises

AU - Torkelson, John M.

AU - Hawkins, Troy R.

AU - Dunn, Jennifer B.

PY - 2024/8/12

Y1 - 2024/8/12

N2 - Nonisocyanate polyurethanes (NIPUs) show promise as more sustainable alternatives to conventional isocyanate-based polyurethanes (PUs). In this study, polyhydroxyurethane (PHU) and nonisocyanate polythiourethane (NIPTU) production and reprocessing models inform the results of a techno-economic analysis and a life cycle assessment. The profitability of selling PHU and NIPTU is rationalized by identifying significant production costs, indicating that raw materials drive the costs of PHU and NIPTU production and reprocessing. After stepping along a path of process improvements, PHU and NIPTU can achieve minimum selling prices (MSPs) of 3.15 and 4.39 USD kg-1, respectively. Depolymerization yields need to be optimized, and polycondensation reactions need to be investigated for the reprocessing of NIPUs into secondary (2°) NIPUs. Of the NIPUs examined here, PHU has a low depolymerization yield and NIPTU has a high depolymerization yield. Fossil energy use, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and water consumption are reported for the biobased production of PHU, NIPTU, 2° PHU, and 2° NIPTU and compared with baseline values for fossil-based PU production. There are options for reducing environmental impacts, which could make these pathways more sustainable. If barriers to implementation are overcome, 2° NIPUs can be manufactured at lower cost and environmental impacts than those of virgin NIPUs.

AB - Nonisocyanate polyurethanes (NIPUs) show promise as more sustainable alternatives to conventional isocyanate-based polyurethanes (PUs). In this study, polyhydroxyurethane (PHU) and nonisocyanate polythiourethane (NIPTU) production and reprocessing models inform the results of a techno-economic analysis and a life cycle assessment. The profitability of selling PHU and NIPTU is rationalized by identifying significant production costs, indicating that raw materials drive the costs of PHU and NIPTU production and reprocessing. After stepping along a path of process improvements, PHU and NIPTU can achieve minimum selling prices (MSPs) of 3.15 and 4.39 USD kg-1, respectively. Depolymerization yields need to be optimized, and polycondensation reactions need to be investigated for the reprocessing of NIPUs into secondary (2°) NIPUs. Of the NIPUs examined here, PHU has a low depolymerization yield and NIPTU has a high depolymerization yield. Fossil energy use, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and water consumption are reported for the biobased production of PHU, NIPTU, 2° PHU, and 2° NIPTU and compared with baseline values for fossil-based PU production. There are options for reducing environmental impacts, which could make these pathways more sustainable. If barriers to implementation are overcome, 2° NIPUs can be manufactured at lower cost and environmental impacts than those of virgin NIPUs.

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KW - depolymerization

KW - life cycle assessment

KW - nonisocyanate polyurethanes

KW - techno-economic analysis

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Techno-economic Analysis and Life Cycle Assessment of Biomass-Derived Polyhydroxyurethane and Nonisocyanate Polythiourethane Production and Reprocessing

Abstract

Funding

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

UN SDGs

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