What is the ‘renewable butadiene’ used in Kraton’s styrenic block copolymers?
Chemicals giant Sabic is supplying engineering plastics maker Kraton with certified renewable butadiene from its TRUCIRCLE portfolio for use in the latter firm’s certified renewable styrenic block copolymers (SBC).
What is ‘renewable butadeine’?
Sabic’s certified renewable butadiene is derived from animal-free and palm oil-free ‘second generation’ renewable feedstock, such as tall oil, a by-product from the wood pulping process in the paper industry. This feedstock is not in direct competition with human food and animal feed production sources. According to the cradle-to-gate lifecycle analysis, from sourcing the raw feedstock to producing the polymers, each kilogram of the company’s bio-based butadiene reduces CO2 emissions by an average of four kilograms compared to fossil-based virgin alternatives. Additionally, each ton of the butadiene also cuts fossil depletion by up to 80 percent.
Mohammed Al-Zahrani, vice president, chemical at Sabic said: “After Sabic’s earlier successes in developing certified renewable and circular ethylene, propylene, and benzene, we are delighted to add certified renewable butadiene to our TRUCIRCLE portfolio.”
Renewable butadiene for SBC
Sabic’s certified renewable butadiene will be used in Kraton’s newly launched ISCC PLUS certified renewable CirKular+ ReNew Series to expand Kraton's existing suite of biobased products. Kraton successfully produced CirKular+ ReNew Series Hydrogenated Styrenic Block Copolymers (HSBC) at the group’s Berre plant earlier this year using Sabic’s renewable butadiene.
“Kraton’s ambition is to enable the bioeconomy and play a role in advancing the circular economy. Value chain collaboration is instrumental in achieving progress towards a circular economy. Kraton is excited to collaborate with Sabic in using certified renewable butadiene enables us to develop and produce styrenic block copolymers with up to 70% of certified renewable raw material content," said Holger Jung, Kraton senior vice president, and polymer segment president.
"This is an exciting innovation for our customers as it can help reduce the carbon footprint of fossil-based HSBC made in our Berre plant by up to 65%.”
International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC) PLUS certification is a globally-recognised system that provides traceability of recycled and renewable-based materials across a complex supply chain, by following predefined and transparent rules.