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10/23/2007

OSC Recieves Third R&D 100 Award for Soy-Based Polyols

Contact:

Jamie Butts

Communications Director

614-476-3100

jbutts@soyohio.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 23, 2007

Ohio Soybean Council Receives Third R&D 100 Award for Soy-Based Polyols

COLUMBUS, OH Thursday, the Ohio Soybean Council (OSC), in conjunction with Battelle Memorial Institute, received its third R&D 100 award for the development of soy-based polyols. Award recipients are determined by an independent judging panel and editors of R&D Magazine, and only the top 100 innovations of the year receive this honor. OSC Chairman Dan Corcoran of Pike County, and OSC board member Dale Profit of Van Wert County, along with John Lumpe, OSC Executive Director, Tom Fontana, OSC Director of New Use Development, and researchers from Battelle accepted the award on behalf of OSC and Battelle at the R&D 100 awards banquet in Chicago.

"This is a very prestigious award, and it is an honor to be recognized for our close work with Battelle," said Corcoran. "These soy-based polyols could replace a large amount of petroleum used in industrial applications, helping to increase the value of soybean products like glycerin."

In the United States, over 3 billion pounds of petroleum-based polyols are used in the production of various foams, coatings, and adhesives. Besides the issues of energy security and environmental impact, the price of petroleum and petroleum polyols continues to rise. In order to reduce the amount of petroleum used in industrial applications, it is necessary to have a practical alternative that is also cost-effective.

Soy-based polyols were developed to fully replace the petroleum equivalent, and is made from low-cost soybean glycerin. Additional benefits include low viscosities, an absence of odor and color, and it requires less energy to produce compared to petroleum polyols.

"Many people don't realize how much energy is used to produce certain industrial materials," said Fontana. "Because soybeans are a renewable resource, and less energy is required to create the soy-based polyols, this is an exciting development for everyone involved in the process."

For more than a decade, OSC has invested soybean checkoff dollars to research and develop new industrial uses for soybeans. The most recent R&D 100 award for polyols is just another milestone in the success that OSC has seen in developing new products through its work with Battelle. OSC and Battelle were previously honored with R&D 100 awards for soy-based plasticizer in 2002 and soy-based toner in 2003.

"OSC has taken many opportunities to work with Battelle and their research team and make this a joint effort," said Corcoran. "They do such great research, and are very willing to take on these kinds of projects that seek to benefit Ohio soybean farmers."

Headquartered in Columbus, the Ohio Soybean Council is governed by a 18-member volunteer farmer board, which directs the Soybean Promotion and Research Program. The program's primary goal is to improve soybean profitability by targeting research and development projects through the investment of farmer-contributed funds.

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