Eco-friendly Thermal Control: Innovative Automotive Interiors with Biobased PCM-Loaded Foams
The ECO-FRIEND project aimed to develop biobased high-content foams for vehicle interiors, functionalized to improve thermal insulation and energy efficiency. In particular, biobased flexible and rigid polyurethane (PUF) foams were produced, containing microparticles of biobased Phase Change Materials (PCM).
The PCM and the PUF were synthesized using polyols derived from renewable waste sources, such as used cooking oil, offering a sustainable alternative to traditional petrochemical-based PUF widely used in the automotive industry. Bio-PCMs, both developed within the project and commercially available, play a key role in allowing the foams to absorb and release heat in response to variations in external temperature, contributing to the regulation of the vehicle's internal climate, reducing the need for air conditioning, fuel consumption, and promoting decarbonization.
Various formulations of PUF containing PCM were used to produce prototypes with shapes and structures suitable for the creation of substrates for rigid or soft automotive interior coverings, such as upholstery, door panels, and seat interiors, designed and tested by academic and industrial partners to meet industry standards in terms of acoustic insulation, mechanical performance, flame resistance, comfort, and safety.
