Articles


February 25, 2022

This week in the lab, R&D Chemist Ethan Springer has been working on synthesizing a soy-based compostable polyol. Polyols are used to produce polyurethanes and polyesters, which have a multitude of different uses: coatings and cushions, foams and furniture, belts and bedding…even electrical components! The global market for polyols is already enormous and is expected to reach $34 billion by 2024. However, conventional polyols (synthesized from petrochemical sources) have environmental impacts. As a result,… Read More

February 18, 2022

  Dylan Karis never knew that soybeans could be so versatile, that their potential applications go way beyond vegetable oil and tofu. That is, until he became Airable’s lead chemist. He joined the Airable team in 2020, bringing a PhD in chemistry and a whole lot of experience synthesizing polymers. Now he gets to apply all that knowledge to work that is less academic and more focused on real-world utilization. He’s an advocate of a… Read More

February 10, 2022

This week in the lab, Connor Young and Trevor Holm have been working on a soy-based all-purpose cleaner. All-purpose cleaners are meant to remove stains, dirt, and grease without damaging surfaces. However, while surfaces may remain intact, traditional all-purpose cleaners present hazards to humans, pets, and the environment. These cleaning agents usually include harmful chemicals such as chlorine, ammonia, and sodium hydroxide—and even formaldehyde and butyl cellosolve (a neurotoxin). The soy-based formulation provides a green… Read More

February 4, 2022

By Matt Herman, Clean Fuels Alliance America Fleet managers and vehicle owners are rapidly adopting more sustainable forms of mobility to meet organizational sustainability goals or to simply lessen one’s carbon footprint. This includes the use of renewable fuels such as biodiesel and renewable diesel, but it also means increasing the adoption of battery electric vehicles (BEV) and hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEV). New owners of these alternative powertrain vehicles are having to grapple… Read More

February 3, 2022

Remember Roof Maxx? The Council has incredible success sponsoring this revolutionary soy-based roofing treatment, which has seen significant market growth (annual revenue in the millions!). The Airable team recognized an opportunity and decided to build on this achievement with a new roofing formulation: soy-based wet patch for repairing roof leaks. The soy material presents an alternative to the petroleum-based solvents commonly found in today’s commercial roof patch products, and it’s low in volatile organic compounds… Read More