Spin-off Purtiso launched to close the loop on polyurethane
After years of research and development at KU Leuven, Purtiso has officially launched as a university spin-off dedicated to closing the loop on polyurethane (PU) waste. The company’s mission is to convert PU waste into high-value recycled building blocks in a profitable and scalable way, enabling true PU circularity. Building on this scientific foundation, the company is now scaling its patented process toward industrial implementation.
The PUR2ISO™ technology
At the core of Purtiso’s innovation is its patented PUR2ISO™ chemical recycling process, which efficiently converts PU waste back into its original polyol and isocyanate building blocks without phosgenation. This breakthrough allows for modular and safe recycling hubs that can be placed close to PU waste sources, significantly reducing logistics, costs and carbon emissions. While optimized for flexible PU foams, the process is designed to handle all major PU waste streams, including rigid, PIR, and elastomers.
At Purtiso, our mission is to turn PU waste into value. We are excited to build on academic breakthroughs to drive real circular industry innovation — and grateful to Moonshot Flanders' initiative for the early-stage support that helped launch this journey.
Moonshot projects as a foundation
The development of this patented process is the result of years of collaborative research at KU Leuven and participation in several research initiatives, including a VLAIO spin-off mandate and key Moonshot projects: CoRe², CoRe²-2 and CHRONICLE.
The CoRe² project developed efficient chemical recycling methods to break down step-growth end-of-life polymers such as polyesters, polyamides, and polycarbonates into their original building blocks. The recovered monomers and oligomers can then be reused to create new high-quality plastics.
Building on this knowledge, the follow-up project CoRe²-2 focuses on refining and scaling these chemical recycling methods to handle more complex and mixed polymer waste streams under milder, more energy-efficient conditions.
Meanwhile, the CHRONICLE project focuses on PU-based materials, developing innovative depolymerization techniques through chemolysis with ammonia or diamines. Insights from these projects in process optimization and circular design have directly shaped Purtiso’s approach.
Pilot-scale implementation
Having validated the PUR2ISO™ process at bench scale (TRL 4–5), Purtiso is preparing for pilot-scale implementation. This next phase aims to demonstrate continuous operation and industrial integration in collaboration with strategic partners. Purtiso is currently seeking industrial partners and technology investors to accelerate the industrial rollout of its patented process. Interested parties are welcome to contact Purtiso at info
purtiso.com (info[at]purtiso[dot]com).
