Automobile seat foams

Polyurethanes (qv) are now being made from polyols derived from soybean oil, eg, SoyOyl manufactured by Urethane Soy Systems Co. (USSC). Applications include carpet backing and padding, furniture and automobile seating foam, foam insulation, and others. 

The constmction of vinyl-coated fabrics varies according to its appHcation. A vinyl-coated fabric used for automobile seat covers is shown in Figure 3 a woven fabric is the substrate. The material is durable but stiff and heavy. Incorporating an expanded foam stmcture into the coating layer reduces the weight (Fig. 4), and replacing the woven substrate fabric with a soft knit fabric improves fiexibihty. 

Flexible foams are resiUent open-ceU stmctures with densities varying from 25—650 kg/m, depending on the choice of the raw materials. Most flexible foams are produced in the form of a slab or bun in a contiauous process in widths up to 2.4 m and thicknesses up to 1.2 m. A Hquid foamable mixture is pumped onto a conveyor, which moves through a tunnel where reaction and foaming occur (101). Similar mixtures can be placed in a mold and allowed to foam. This process is used in the manufacture of automobile seats (see Foamed plastics). 

Most automobile and furniture seating, foam mattresses, carpet underlay-ment, and other similar products are made from polyurethanes based on polypropylene glycol (PPG). PPG is the preferred raw material for these type of polymers because of the wide variation of possible properties of the end product and the relatively low cost. 

Flexible and rigid foams are the most popular types of polyurethane made in the United States. Flexible foams are used for cushioning, as in mattresses, upholstered furniture, and automobile seats. Semiflexible foams are component of carpet pads, sponges, packaging, and door panels for automobiles. Rigid polyurethane foams are used to produce insulation for roofs, refrigerators, and freezers. The construction industry accounted for more than half of all the rigid polyurethane foam made in 2002, primarily for... 

Poly(propylene oxide) glycols are utilized extensively as soft segments in urethane foams, which, among other applications, are used as automobile seats. It is frequently necessary to modify the growing species in propylene oxide polymerization with ethylene oxide in order to produce a polymer with acceptable reactivity with isocyanates and urethane product with desirable properties. 

The largest-volume use of flexible foam is furniture and bedding, which account for nearly 47% of the flexible polyurethane foam market. Almost all furniture cushioning is polyurethane. Automobile seating is either made from flexible slabstock or poured directly into frames, so-called deep seating, using HR chemical formulations. Semiflexible polyurethane foams find use in crash pads, arm and head rests, and door panels. 

Tetrabromobisphenol A di-2-hydroxyethyl ether Tetradecabromodiphenoxybenzene Tetrakis (2-chloroethyl) ethylene diphosphate Tris (2,3-dichloropropyl) phosphate flame retardant, EPS Tribromophenyl allyl ether flame retardant, ethyl cellulose Diphenyl octyl phosphate flame retardant, ethylene copolymers Ethylenebis (tetrabromophthalimide) flame retardant, expandable PS Dibromoethyidibromocyclohexane Tetrabromobisphenol A bis (allyl ether) Tetrabromocyclooctane flame retardant, extruded PS Tetrabromocyclooctane flame retardant, fabrics Antimony pentoxide Methylphosphonic acid, (5-ethyl-2-methyl-2-oxido-1,3,2-dioxaphosphorinan-5-yl) methyl methyl ester flame retardant, fibers Antimony pentoxide Tetrabromoethane flame retardant, filament winding Epoxy resin, brominated flame retardant, film Tetrabromobis (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate flame retardant, fire-retardant material Chlorinated paraffins (C12, 60% chlorine) Chlorinated paraffins (C23, 43% chlorine) flame retardant, flexible PU foam bedding Tetrakis (2-chloroethyl) ethylene diphosphate flame retardant, flexible PU foam furniture Tetrakis (2-chloroethyl) ethylene diphosphate flame retardant, flexible PU foam transportation Tetrakis (2-chloroethyl) ethylene diphosphate flame retardant, flexible PU foams furniture, automobile seating... 

Flexible plastic foams may be found in the form of very soft cushioning materials used in upholstery, clothing interlayers, automobile seats, vibration absorbers, etc. The most common flexible foam resins are polyurethanes, foamed vinyls, cellular polyethylene, cross-linked polyethylene, and silicone foam. Semirigid foams are used for floatation devices, marine bumpers, special electrical insulation on television cables, packaging, and a host of other applications. Rigid foams are used in the production of airplane parts, boats, electronic encapsulation, and many furniture applications where wood was formerly used. 

Dow Chemical Company announced in April 2001 that it has entered into an agreement with Mobius Technologies to promote polyurethane foam recycling technology developed by Mobius. This system pulverizes scrap foam into powder of less than 50 microns, which can be mixed into polyols and used as a filler in production of new foam, replacing up to 10 to 12 percent of the new polyol and thus lowering costs. The scrap can be from either flexible or molded sources and can be production scrap or scrap from post-consumer applications such as old automobile seats. " ... 

Today, polyurethanes, polyureas, and urea/urethane segmented block copolymers find use as elastomers, fibers, coatings, printing rolls, adhesives, sealants, rigid foams for thermal insulation and flexible foams for home and office furnishings, automobile seating and sound insulation, carpet underlay, and packaging. 

The molecule C3H6O is propylene oxide, an important raw material in the manufacture of unsaturated polyesters, such as those used for boat bodies, and in the manufacture of polyurethanes, such as the foam in automobile seats. Reaction (1-A) describes the stoichiometry of the chlorohydrin process for propylene oxide manufacture. This process is used for about one-half of the worldwide production of propylene oxide. 

Slabstock flexible polyether foam is used mainly for furniture cushioning, mattresses and vehicular seating. The largest application of moulded flexible polyether foam is in automobile seating. 

An important variant of the in situ process is foaming within a flexible cover. As the foam expands, it forces the cover outwards to conform to the interior shape pf a mold. We make extensive use of this process to make seat cushions for automobiles and office furniture. 

Some of the key factors that lead us to select polyurethane foam for upholstery are its durability, resilience, and controllable hardness (or softness, depending on your point of view). Vibration dampening and shock absorbance are important attributes in automobile and public transportation seating. Open cell foams are preferred for these applications because they allow for air and moisture transport, which improve the comfort of passengers who may occupy a seat continuously for several hours. This inherent breathability is also a valuable attribute in mattresses. Shock absorbance plays a key role in selecting flexible polyurethane foams for the packaging of fragile items. 

The first commercially produced SRIM part was the cover of the sparetire well in several automobiles produced by General Motors. Since then, SRIM automotive structural parts have included foamed door panels, instrument panel inserts, sunshades, and rear window decks. Nonautomotive applications include satellite dishes and seat shells for the furniture market. 

The major interest in flexible polyurethane foams is for cushions and other upholstery materials. Principal market outlets include furniture cushioning, carpet underlay, bedding, automotive seating, crash pads for automobiles, and packaging. The density range of flexible foams is usually 1-6 Ib/ft. (0.016-0.096 g/cm ). The foam is made in continuous loaves several feet in width and height and then sliced into slabs of desired thickness. 

High conversions and molecular weights are obtained because reversible reactions and side-product removal is not an issue. In RIM processes, liquid monomers are mixed using impinging jets and must quickly flow into the mold before the reacting mixture becomes too viscous. The complete cycle time for injection, reaction and umnolding (so that the mold can be used to make the next product) is often only 30-60 s. RIM is used to produce rigid molded polyurethane automobile parts and polyurethane foam seat cushions [3j. 

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