Development of Isocyanate-Free Polyurethane-Based Thermal Insulation Coating - NIPURE

Project summary

Europe’s insulation industry consumes ~16 million tonnes of polyurethane (PU) annually, with over 90% based on toxic isocyanates and fossil feedstocks. This leads to health risks, fossil dependence, and unsustainable end-of-life practices. NIPURE breaks this linear model by developing non-isocyanate PU (NIPU) foam from domestic waste oils and cenospheres from power-plant ash. This eliminates toxic precursors and valorizes waste for circular carbon and mineral reuse. The project supports EU climate goals by avoiding virgin fossil inputs, reducing emissions, and enabling recyclability. LCA will quantify the environmental benefits. To enhance EU industrial resilience, NIPURE builds domestic feedstock value chains and delivers a TRL6 demonstrator aligned with REACH. TEA will guide its scale-up, ensuring the solution meets technical, economic, and regulatory needs.