Polyols are key ingredients in flexible polyurethane foams, used in furniture and bedding. Historically, polyurethane has been made from petrochemical polyols. The idea of replacing these polyols with biobased polyols is not new, but the poor performance, color, quality, consistency, and odor of earlier biobased polyols restricted them to limited markets. Previous biobased polyols also suffer from poor chemical reactivity, resulting in foam with inferior properties. Several new developments by various companies have helped overcome these shortcomings.

Cargill has successfully developed biobased polyols for several polyurethane applications, including flexible foams, which are the most technically challenging. Cargill makes BiOH™ polyols by converting the carbon–carbon double bonds in unsaturated vegetable oils to epoxide derivatives and then further converting these derivatives to polyols using mild temperature and ambient pressure. These polyols provide excellent reactivity and high levels of incorporation leading to high-performing polyurethane foams. These foams set a new standard for consistent quality with low odor and color. Foams containing these polyols retain their white color longer without ultraviolet stabilizers. They also are superior to foams containing only petroleum-based polyols in standard tests.
In large slabstock foams, such as those used in furniture and bedding, BiOH 5000 polyol provides a wide processing window, improved comfort factor, and reduced variations in density and load-bearing capacity. In molded foams such as automotive seating and headrests, BiOH 2100 polyol can enhance load-bearing or hardness properties relative to conventional polyols. Their use reduces the environmental footprint relative to today's conventional polyols for polyurethane production. These polyols harvest carbon that plants remove from the air during photosynthesis. All of the carbon in BiOH™ polyols is recently fixed. In conventional polyols, the carbon is petroleum-based. Replacing petroleum-based polyols with these polyols cuts total energy use by 23% including a 61% reduction in nonrenewable energy use, leading to a 36% reduction in carbon dioxide emissions. For each million lb of BiOH™ polyol used in place of petroleum-based polyols, about 700,000 lbs (2,200 barrels) of crude oil are saved, thereby reducing the dependence on petroleum. These polyols diversify the industry's supply options and help mitigate the effects of uncertainty and volatility of petroleum supply and pricing. Cargill is the first company to commercialize biobased polyols on a large scale in the flexible foam market. Formulators can now use biobased polyols in flexible foam without compromising product performance.

Croda的100％基于Bio的Priplast聚酯多醇可帮助满足不断增长的高性能市场需求，100％可再生的涂料和粘合剂可再生构件。这些多元元已经开发了100％可再生碳含量（ASTM D6866），非常可再生。这些产品可以帮助满足运动服和消费电子产品的积极环境形象，以及运输行业的可更新性和轻量级目标。他们提供：
Durability, a unique combination of thermo-oxidative, UV and hydrolysis resistance
Excellent moisture protection barrier
Flexibility also at low temperatures
Adhesion to a wide range of substrates, including low polarity plastics
Excellent flow properties with efficient substrate wetting
100% renewable content
Priplast 3238是一种完全无定形的双功能多元醇，尤其是为反应性PU应用而创建的。Priplast 3293是一种半晶类型，用于更高的模量和强度反应性PU粘合剂，非常适合PUD。Priplast 3286是无定形的，对交联2K系统的功能较高。进一步的成绩正在发展。这些100％基于生物的priplast等级以及具有良好耐用性的PU粘合剂也会产生。水分驱除性和柔韧性是通过缺乏应变硬化的橡胶样行为获得的。

Myriant的Bio-核酸可用于生产具有可再生含量高达100％的聚酯多元醇，其性能与脂肪酸聚醇可比，并且长期具有比源自凡士林的多元元的价格稳定性。使用琥珀酸多元醇可以竞争性，稳定的长期价格提供配方剂可再生内容。Myriant产生了一系列发育多元醇。

随着制造商寻找高价石油化学物质的替代品，基于大豆聚氨酯的市场不断扩大。大豆多元醇的性能像石化对应物一样，使制造商能够在不牺牲性能的情况下提高最终产品的可持续性。在某些情况下，产品甚至可以随着更轻的重量，更大的强度和更好的耐用性而增强。BioBasedTechnologies®于2005年开发了其首个基于Agrol Soy的Polyol。第二年，Agrol被美国环境保护局评为P2获奖者，因为该产品背后的创新化学有助于预防污染和其他环境目标。它具有多种功能，使制造商能够制定从柔性到箱子到刚性泡沫的应用程序。这些基于大豆的多元醇不含超细纤维，并且具有高的R值。结果，包含Agrol的产品改善了消费者的健康状况，并帮助创造更舒适的生活环境。它们还可以帮助产品用户以更好的能源效率和提高耐用性节省资金，并且对环境负责。最近，生物生物基技术通过引入Agrol Prime系列迈出了基于大豆多元元的发展的下一步。AGROL系列的最新添加均具有主要的羟基功能，这将使它们在高于当前的Agrol多元醇的水平上使用。 The versatile Agrol Prime series can be used in slabstock foam, molded foam, adhesives and coatings. Agrol 1.7 AO+ and Agrol 3.0 AO+ are low-volatile-organic-compound (VOC) polyols with antioxidants added to the formulation for use in slabstock foam.

Dow Polyurethanes has engineered a bio-based polyol that does not compromise performance. Bio-based polyols made with RENUVA™ Renewable Resource Technology dispel unwanted odors and address the needs of the industry by offering excellent performance and high levels of renewable content. The Technology breaks down natural oil and functionalizes it, then uses a distinct process to polymerize the molecules into designed polyols with control of functionality and molecular weight for greater quality and consistency. The technology is giving birth to an enhanced generation of greener performance-based, polyols. According to life-cycle analysis, the manufacturing of bio-based polyols with RENUVA™ Technology is greenhouse gas neutral and uses 60% fewer fossil fuel resources than the manufacturing of conventional polyols. Using these bio-based polyols helps reduce impact on the environment. Dow's tailor-made, bio-based polyols offer benefits that cover numerous applications within the adhesives and sealants marketplace. Key among these are:
• Improved water resistance
•优异的耐化学性
• Ease of application
• Good adhesion on a variety
of substrates
• High flexibility
Additionally, bio-based polyols made via this revolutionary process have virtually no odor, and their low viscosity reduces the need for solvents, resulting in a reduction in volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in your applications. Advantages high levels of renewable content, reduced environmental impact, and exceptional product performance can also be added.

The green & bio polyol market worth US$3,077 mln for a consumption base of 1,104 Kilotons by 2018, as per MarketsandMarkets. North America is currently the largest consumer of green & bio polyols. USA is the largest consumer in North America. Corn and Soybean are primarily used as feedstock to produce bio-based polyols in North America. Market demand is driven from end user industries such as automotive, packaging and furniture. The automotive industry in North America is the largest consumer of green & bio polyols. Almost 70% vehicles manufactured by Ford Motor Company in North America contained seat components that use green & bio polyols. Cargill Inc. (USA), The DOW Chemical Company (USA), Johnson Controls Inc. (USA), etc are among the largest manufacturers in north America. Polyurethane rigid foams are currently the biggest application, with consumption is expected to increase from 456.8 kilotons by 2018. Polyurethane rigid foams have insulating properties; thus, making them appropriate for use in applications such as refrigeration, packaging, construction, etc. The environmental benefits of rigid polyurethane foam are significant, and include increasing energy efficiency and reductions in construction costs, and reducing overall project costs. Asia-Pacific is currently the fastest growing consumer of green & bio polyol based polyurethane rigid foams.