Demand for biobased materials to be used in adhesive and sealant formulations continues to rise. The latest market reports about the biobased chemicals market project demand to translate into a compound annual growth rate within the market of between 8% to 10% over the next eight years. Studies point to growing environmental mandates from countries around the globe and consumer preferences for more eco-friendly products as reasons for the growth in the market for biobased chemicals. A 2022 survey by professional services firm Accenture reported that a majority of consumers surveyed prefer brands that are eco-friendly.

However, the chemical industry struggles to keep up with this shift in consumer demand. In an April 2024 report, Planet Tracker found that in an analysis of seven leading chemical companies and their ambitions toward a Net Zero transition, “there is a substantial gap between their stated goals and the presence of actionable, robust strategies to achieve these targets.” Addressing issues faced when working towards a Net Zero business model means that companies in the chemical sector will need to use many different approaches simultaneously to achieve their sustainability goals. Among those approaches are new chemistries and new technologies that allow for additional recycling. One new technology platform that has the potential to facilitate more sustainable adhesive, sealant, and coating formulations can be realized through the use of a novel biobased monomer derived from renewable feedstocks.

Nuvone is a newly developed, biobased monomer designed for use in recyclable and compostable polymers. Developed by Valerian Materials with support from a BioMADE-funded project, the team has optimized Nuvone’s fermentation and downstream processing for commercial-scale production. This innovation offers a sustainable alternative to conventional polymers used in products like leggings, shoes, paints, and other flexible products. Notably, materials made with Nuvone can be depolymerized back to their original monomer form — enabling continuous reuse.

This breakthrough is transforming how polymers are produced, used, and recycled—helping to significantly reduce the environmental footprint of plastics. ASI reached out Mike Arbeiter, CEO of Valerian Materials, and Marc Hillmyer, founder and director of Valerian Materials, to discuss the new technology. In this interview, we discuss Nuvone’s technical performance, recyclability, and environmental impact compared to traditional petrochemical-based polymers, particularly in adhesives and sealants. Additionally, we explore lifecycle analysis, current commercial partnerships, and the projected timeline for market availability.

ASI: What specific properties make Nuvone a suitable alternative to traditional petrochemical-based polymers?

Mike Arbeiter and Marc Hillmyer: First off, Nuvone is a biobased monomer used in the production of a variety of polymers. Additionally, products from Nuvone can be compostable and regenerative, meaning that at the end of the life cycle of the product, it can be thermally depolymerized to capture the Nuvone monomer back for re-use over and over again. When looking for biobased alternatives for current products, it is important that the new solution has or exceeds the current technical performance metrics; the biobased adhesive needs to stick just as good or better than the current petroleum based variants. This is the case for Nuvone (citation: PNAS | June 10, 2014 | vol. 111 | no. 23 | 8357–8362). In addition to the proven performance, Nuvone offers the added benefits through its compostable properties, thermal recyclability, and low carbon footprint in its production method.

ASI: How does Nuvone's bio-based origin influence its performance in applications such as adhesives and sealants?

Arbeiter and Hillmyer: The performance of Nuvone-based adhesives is comparable to petroleum-based incumbents. However, while having performance characteristics of petroleum-based adhesive, an adhesive made with Nuvone is biodegradable and recyclable. One could of course also build the structure through traditional petrochemical processing but would not be obtainable at a commercially viable price to our knowledge.

ASI: Can you explain the regeneration process that allows Nuvone-based products to return to their monomer state?

Arbeiter and Hillmyer: At lower temperatures a high percentage of Nuvone can be converted into Nuvone-based polymers through a polymerization process. As the temperature is increased, the reverse is true and Nuvone-basaed polymers are converted back to Nuvone through a depolymerization process. The depolymerization process appreciably begins at temperatures in excess of 200 ℃ depending on exact conditions, and the rate of depolymerization then increases from there.

ASI: How does Nuvone’s lifecycle analysis (LCA) compare to conventional plastic production?

Arbeiter and Hillmyer: At this time, we do not have much detail here, but the biobased nature does help in a significant way to contribute to a smaller carbon footprint.

ASI: How does the environmental footprint of producing Nuvone compare to traditional polymer production?

Arbeiter and Hillmyer: We do not have a full analysis along these lines, but the efficient conversion of renewable sugar to Nuvone using low temperature and straightforward processes are beneficial. Also, conversion of Nuvone into polyols can be done at low polymerization temperature which saves energy.  Moreover, a big contribution to a lower environmental footprint we can currently envision is at the end of the product’s lifecycle. Due to its biodegradability, polyols built from Nuvone avoid microplastic accumulation.

ASI: Are there commercial partnerships or pilot programs currently using Nuvone-based materials?

Arbeiter and Hillmyer: Yes, Valerian Materials is currently working with two partners who are using Nuvone in the production of coatings and a specialized polyol.

ASI: What is the projected timeline for widespread availability of Nuvone-based products?

Arbeiter and Hillmyer: Valerian Materials will be shipping metric tons of Nuvone in 2025 and anticipates hundreds of metric tons in 2026.

For additional information about Valerian Materials and its Nuvone technology, visit www.valerianmaterials.com.