Antifreeze is a liquid additive used most commonly in vehicle cooling systems to regulate temperature and prevent the system from freezing in cold weather or overheating in hot conditions. The majority of antifreeze products are made from Ethylene Glycol, which is toxic if ingested, and must be disposed of properly to prevent harm to the environment. For these reasons, antifreeze is not currently something that ranks high when it comes to sustainability.
We are interested in finding a more sustainable substitute for our antifreeze products so we can stop relying on Ethylene Glycol. There are four base compounds that can be used to formulate antifreeze products today. The specification(s) that our antifreeze / coolant products must meet are ASTM D6210 and ASTM D3306. These specification documents are attached to the challenge page for your review. The four accepted base compounds today are:
- Ethylene-glycol (includes Bio MEG)
- Propylene-glycol (includes Bio Based PG)
- Glycerin
- PDO (1,3 Propanediol)
Your idea should be a potential new base product that would have similar properties to that of Ethylene-glycol but would be generally more cost effective.
1) Propose a new potential base product that could be used to create antifreeze in a more sustainable way than existing accepted base compounds
- Where did you learn about the idea for your proposed new base product?
- What applications is it currently being used for?
2) What would you call an antifreeze product that uses your proposed idea as the base ingredient?
- Please make sure the name conveys sustainability as a core element of the product.
Awards:- $1,600
Deadline:- 19-02-2025
