Recently, the 9th Shandong Scientists & Technologists Innovation Competition concluded successfully. Low-VOC Polyether Polyol Technology Dedicated to Polyurethane Waterproof Coatings, independently developed by Sinochem Dongda, stood out from 611 participating projects across Shandong Province thanks to its groundbreaking innovation and remarkable application value and was awarded the Second Prize. The achievement injects new momentum into technological upgrading within the polyurethane waterproof coating sector.

Against the backdrop of increasingly stringent global environmental policies and growing demand for the green transformation of the construction industry, conventional high-VOC (Volatile Organic Compound) polyurethane waterproof coatings release harmful gases during construction and service. They can hardly meet environmental standards including the 14th Five-Year Plan for Volatile Organic Compound Pollution Prevention and Control, nor satisfy the rigorous requirements of high-end buildings for indoor air quality and engineering durability. Targeting this industrial bottleneck, Sinochem Dongda delivered an innovative achievement after years of technological research and development: a special polyether polyol for low-VOC polyurethane waterproof coatings. The technology addresses high pollution issues in the coating industry at the raw material source and drastically cuts the VOC content of raw materials. Meanwhile, it maintains key performance indicators of waterproof coatings such as tensile strength, elongation at break, water resistance and weather resistance, advancing the shift of polyurethane waterproof materials toward greener and higher-performance products.

This achievement has been incorporated into the national 14th Five-Year Plan research project (No. 2022YFC3801603-02). Appraised by the China Polyurethane Industry Association, the technology has reached the internationally advanced level. As the world’s first commercially available product in the polyurethane waterproof coating sector, it outperforms European and American equivalent products in industrialization progress and fills the domestic market gap for high-end eco-friendly polyether polyols.

At present, the technology has achieved successful industrialization, and related products have been applied in numerous key building waterproof projects. Verified by field application and testing conducted by authoritative institutions including the National Center for Quality Supervision and Test of Chemical Building Materials, its environmental performance and service performance have won high recognition from industrial customers. The popularization and application of this achievement can effectively replace traditional polyether products, facilitate the low-emission, high-performance and green transformation of China’s polyurethane waterproof coating industry. It bears great significance for elevating the overall technical standard of the sector and advancing ecological environmental protection.

The award and promotion of this technological achievement recognize the R&D team’s years of dedicated efforts and pioneering innovation, and fully demonstrates the company’s strength in scientific and technological innovation within the construction material field. Driven by technological innovation, more eco-friendly technological achievements will emerge continuously, providing robust impetus for the transformation and upgrading of China’s building materials industry and its pursuit of green and low-carbon development.