Markets, rigid urethane foam

Over 4 billion PETP bottles will be available for colleetion across Europe in 1999. PUR Products has introduced technology into the UK which involves glycolysis of postconsumer PETP into materials for the manufacture of rigid urethane foams for building insulation. This application offers a substantial new market for aromatic polyester polyols derived from glycolised PETP recyclate. PUR(PRODUCTS)LTD. 

The structural semi-flexible and rigid urethane foams, combining high strength with low density and low cost, have found wide interest and early acceptance in divergent markets although this development is still quite new. The semi-flexible foams are used primarily in the transportation industry. At medium densities,... 

Other growth areas among rigid foams eire in the furniture industry (high density foams) and in packaging where in most cases very low density foams (0.5 - 1.0 Ib/cu ft)are being used. More recently, rigid urethane foams have been utilized in the manufacture of structural foams (3 ), and this market promises to be a major factor in the future. 

Monofunctional, cyclohexylamine is used as a polyamide polymerization chain terminator to control polymer molecular weight. 3,3,5-Trimethylcyclohexylamines ate usehil fuel additives, corrosion inhibitors, and biocides (50). Dicyclohexylamine has direct uses as a solvent for cephalosporin antibiotic production, as a corrosion inhibitor, and as a fuel oil additive, in addition to serving as an organic intermediate. Cycloahphatic tertiary amines are used as urethane catalysts (72). Dimethylcyclohexylarnine (DMCHA) is marketed by Air Products as POLYCAT 8 for pour-in-place rigid insulating foam. Methyldicyclohexylamine is POLYCAT 12 used for flexible slabstock and molded foam. DM CHA is also sold as a fuel oil additive, which acts as an antioxidant. StericaHy hindered secondary cycloahphatic amines, specifically dicyclohexylamine, effectively catalyze polycarbonate polymerization (73). 

Polyisocyanates. The polyisocyanates which can be used for preparing isocyanate-based foams are mainly aromatic compounds and some aliphatic or aralkyl polyisocyanates. Major polyisocyanates in the market are listed in Table 3. TDI is widely used for flexible foams. Pure MDI is used for elastomers and coatings. Modified TDI and modified MDI are used for high-resilience flexible foams. Polymeric isocyanates (polymeric MDI or oligomeric MDI) are mostly used for preparing rigid urethane and isocyanurate foams, and in part, for preparing flexible and semi-flexible foams. 

Mexican urethane demand has been constrained by raw materials costs. Flexible foam markets will show some strength in the 80 s, reflecting a steady auto production and moderate increases for furniture and bedding uses. Rigid foam applications are still in the early stages of market development but, commercial/industrial insulation uses are increasing well. Mexico leads Latin America in urethane elastomer usage, paced by its demand for shoe sole applications. 

Due to the low cost, the excellent physico-mechanical properties of the resulting urethane - isocyanuric foams, thermal and fire resistance and low level of smoke generation, the most important applications of aromatic polyester polyols are for rigid PU/PIR foams in the boardstock market (continuous rigid foam lamination) and for building insulation. 

The principal use of rigid foam in the transportation market is for insulation of refrigerated truck trailers and bodies as well as refrigerated rail cars. The liquid urethane ingredients are usually poured into large panels held in a fixture. These are then used as integral components walls, roofs, or floors of the trailer or rail car. Additional uses are insulated truck bodies, recreational vehicles, and cargo containers. 

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