Kumho P&B Chemicals to Recycle Resin for Wind Turbine Blades

‘Recyclable Thermosetting Resin Manufacturing Technology’ Contract
Recycling Using Raw Materials Such as Epoxy Resin and Carbon Fiber
CEO Shin Woosung: “We Will Become a Leading Eco-Friendly Composite Material Company”

Kumho P&B Chemicals is set to accelerate the development of recycled plastics.

On the 23rd, Kumho P&B Chemicals announced that it has signed a patent and technology license agreement with the Korea Institute of Materials Science for the "manufacturing technology of recyclable thermosetting resin."

Thermosetting resin refers to resin that hardens when heated. It is widely used across various industries due to its light weight, excellent mechanical properties, and material processability, but it is difficult to decompose after use, so it is disposed of by landfill or incineration.

The technology being transferred this time eliminates the need for disposal methods such as landfill or incineration. It allows hydrolysis-based decomposition treatment while maintaining the basic physical properties of the thermosetting resin.

Exterior view of Kumho P&B Chemicals Gimpo Research Center [Photo by Kumho P&B Chemicals]

The decomposed products can be recycled as raw materials such as epoxy resin or carbon fiber, which is expected to contribute to a resource-circulating economy based on LCA (Life-Cycle Assessment). A Kumho P&B Chemicals official stated, "As the only domestic company offering blade waste disposal solutions, we will proactively prepare for the rapidly growing global blade market."

Since the typical design life of wind turbines is 20 to 25 years, the volume of decommissioned wind turbines is increasing, especially in Europe. Kumho P&B Chemicals plans to apply this technology to recyclable epoxy resin for blades in line with environmental regulations on wind turbines in European Union (EU) member countries. In the future, the company intends to expand its application to various composite materials such as hydrogen storage tanks for vehicles.

Shin Woosung, CEO of Kumho P&B Chemicals, said, "Kumho P&B Chemicals will actively utilize bio-based raw materials and upcycling technology to establish itself as a leading eco-friendly composite material company for the sustainable development of the epoxy resin business."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.