Polyurethanes Markets

Polyurethanes. About 3% of the U.S. polyurethanes market in 1988 was derived from the condensation product of polyisocyanates with low molecular weight polyadipates having hydroxyl end groups (195). In 1986 this amounted to 29,000 t, or 4% of total adipic acid consumption. The percentage was similar in Western Europe. About 90% of these adipic acid containing polyurethanes are used in flexible or semirigid foams and elastomers, with the remainder used in adhesives, coatings, and spandex fibers. 

Isophoronediisocyanate (46) [4098-71 -9J m.a.de by phosgenation of IPD (88) competes effectively in this same polyurethane market, predorninandy coatings, and is the major commercial appHcation of isophoronediamine. 

Polyester Polyols. Initially polyester polyols were the preferred raw materials for polyurethanes, but in the 1990s the less expensive polyether polyols dominate the polyurethane market. Inexpensive aromatic polyester polyols have been introduced for rigid foam appHcations. These are obtained from residues of terephthaHc acid production or by transesterification of dimethyl terephthalate (DMT) or poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) scrap with glycols. 

Polyurethane multiblock copolymers of the type described by Eqs. 2-197 and 2-198 constitute an important segment of the commercial polyurethane market. The annual global production is about 250 million pounds. These polyurethanes are referred to as thermoplastic polyurethanes (TPUs) (trade names Estane, Texin). They are among a broader group of elastomeric block copolymers referred to as thermoplastic elastomers (TPEs). Crosslinking is a requirement to obtain the resilience associated with a rubber. The presence of a crosslinked network prevents polymer chains from irreversibly slipping past one another on deformation and allows for rapid and complete recovery from deformation. 

There has been a group of catalysts developed by polyurethane raw material suppliers with the polyurethane market in mind. Mercury-based catalysts, because of their toxicity, have been banned in some countries or severe restrictions placed on their use. Bismuth-based catalysts are recommended in their place. 

Despite some business depressions, the world polyurethane market has shown remarkable growth through the 1980s and 1990s reaching about 6.6 million tons of isocyanates and polyols in 1995. 

Data from Upjohn Polymer Chemicals [31] and Stinson [32]. The total European polyurethane market was estimated to be 1.41 million metric tonnes in 1988 with the largest use sectors being transportation, 27.8% furniture, 21.4% buildings, 16.6% appliances, 5.4% and foot-ware, 5.2% Chem.Brit [33]. 

To properly assess the impact of these factors would be far beyond the scope of this paper. Nevertheless, a good market researcher enjoys facing up to the challenge, and I shall endeavor to forecast the 1990 worldwide polyurethane markets. 

With a few exceptions, the polyurethane markets in Latin America are in their early stages of development and offer a significant potential demand over the next decade. The current polyurethane demand is centered in Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, and Venezuela, representing 85% of the total demand of 448 million pounds expected in 1980 as shown in Table III. 

Japan is the principle supplier of both polyurethane and raw material products throughout the region. They represent over 60% of the 1980 polyurethane demand of 990 million pounds listed in Table VI. Korea and Taiwan are developing significant polyurethane demand, much of it destined for export markets. Australia and New Zealand are steadily developing their domestic polyurethane markets. Finally, the other countries (with a few exceptions) are in the preliminary stages of using polyurethane products. 

VotyuX tkcLneA. Polyurethanes are a versatile group of polymers which span a wide range of physical properties and applications. Polyurethane markets are predicted to grow at an annual rate of 7-10% in the next 10 years (7). Many polyurethane applications are for network polymers, and these have been reviewed elsewhere in this treatise (7). ... 

Manno, P. J. "Outlook for Worldwide Polyurethane Markets," ACS Symposium on Urethane Chemistry and Applications, Las Vegas, NE, Aug. 24-29, 1980. 

W.L. Carlstrom, R.T. Stoehr and G.R. Svoboda in Proceedings of the SPI 28th Annual Technical/Marketing Conference, Polyurethane Marketing and Technology - Partners in Progress, San Antonio, TX, USA, 1984, 1972, p.65. 

The Alliance for the Polynrethanes Indnstry operates a recycled polyurethane markets database that allows searches for either buyers or sellers of polyurethane. ... 

Alliance for the Polyurethane Industry, Recycled Polyurethane Markets Database, http // www.polyurethane.org/recycling/markets/markets search.asp. 

The findings described in this chapter focus on fluorous copolyoxetane soft block surface modifiers. These copolyoxetane polyurethane modifiers bring about new surface properties due to surface concentration and/or phase separation of the soft block. An important theme concerns the effectiveness of a fluorous chaperone in conferring a surface function to a commodity or base polyurethane at 2 wt% or less. Thus, from one perspective, this chapter describes literally and figuratively the interface between specialty fluoropolymers and commodity polyurethanes. A significant applications niche would result if only a small fraction of the 55 billion polyurethane market (2016) [1] employed specialty fluorous modifiers. 

In 1997, before Bayer reached the commercial stage with their HTPBD, direct competition emerged with the introduction of HTPBD produced by anionic polymerization of butadiene. This material was developed by the Czech company Kaucuk and was marketed under the trade name Krasol . The lower feedstock cost of butadiene versus cyclooctadiene gave Krasol a cost advantage in this already cost-disadvantaged specialty polyurethane market segment. Bayer abandoned its line of ROMP-derived HTPBD before a commercial launch, whereas Krasol was successfully commercialized and is now marketed by Cray Valley. 

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