Polyurethanes world production

In 2002, the world production of polymers (not including synthetic libers and rubbers) was ca. 190 million metric tons. Of these, the combined production of poly(ethylene terephthalate), low- and high-density polyethyelene, polypropylene, poly(vinyl chloride), polystyrene, and polyurethane was 152.3 milhon metric tons [1]. These synthetic, petroleum-based polymers are used, inter alia, as engineering plastics, for packing, in the construction-, car-, truck- and food-industry. They are chemically very stable, and can be processed by injection molding, and by extrusion from the melt in a variety of forms. These attractive features, however, are associated with two main problems ... 

The major uses of aniline are in the manufacture of polymers, mbber, agriculmral chemicals, dyes and pigments, pharmaceuticals, and photographic chemicals. Approximately 67% of the world production of aniline is used in the manufacmre of rigid polyurethanes and reaction-injection-molded (RIM) parts for the constmction, automotive, and durable goods industries. 

The only hydrocarbon produced directly from natural gas (methane) is acetylene (world production 1998 about 120000ta , Talbiersky, 2006). Production is based on partial oxidation where about one-third of natural gas (methane) is converted into acetylene, while the rest is burned to reach a temperature of about 1500 °C. The entire process only takes a few milliseconds. Acetylene is also produced in arc furnaces. Up to the 1960s, acetylene was an important intermediate, but nowadays its relevance is small compared to olefins such as ethylene and propylene. Today, the most important product from acetylene is 1,4-butandiol, which is used for production of polyurethane and polyester plastics. Acetylene is also used for gas welding, as combustion with oxygen produces a flame of over 3000 °C. 

Today, nitric acid is one of the 15 largest commodity chemicals with an armual world production of about 55 million tonnes (Uhde, 2005). Approximately 80% is used as an intermediate in the production of nitrogeneous fertilizers, primarily ammonium nitrate (NH4NO3). The remainder (20%) goes into the production of various chemicals such as explosives [trinitrotoluene, C6H2(N02)3CH3] or of intermediates for polymers like caprolactam, adipic add (for polyamides), or dinitroto-luene (for polyurethane). 

Phosgene, COCI2, is a characteristic example for a chlorine-containing precursor substance for the production of chlorine-ffee endproducts. These endproducts, especially the polyurethanes and the polycarbonates, have a great variety of applications in daily life. The significance of phosgene as a consumer of chlorine rises steadily. 1989 the world production was ca 2.7 million tonnes, the growth rate in the 90s was 4%/year. 

The world production of polyurethane was about 16 billion pounds per year in 2010 to make PUR products in rubber, plastics, adhesives, sealants, fabrics, coatings, and both rigid and flexible foams. Over one-half of all polyurethane production goes into the manufacture of foam. Of that quantity, one-half is used to make flexible foam while the remainder is used to produce rigid foam. However, only about 800 million pounds of this production is used globally for high-performance rubber applications. 

About 90% of world production of TDI goes into flexible polyurethane foam. This foam is used in car seats, mattresses, and furniture. 

In 1985, world production of flexible polyurethane foams was about 3 billion pounds (1.4 million metric tons), with about half of that production and consumption in the United States. Of that total volume, approximately two-thirds, or 2 billion pounds (900,000 metric tons), was poly(alkylene oxide). 

The world production of cross-linked polyurethanes is approximately 9 million tons, taking into account the low density of foams that represents an important volume of material ... 

Main applications are in the pharmaceutical industry as directly compressible binder for heat-sensitive drugs and as intravenously applied infusion. Significance as RR results from derivatization to - polyetherpolyols by alkoxylation used in - polyurethane chemistry. The annual world production is reported to be 10000 mt. 

Homogeneous catalysis by lin compounds is also of great indusirial importance. The use of SnCU as a Friedel-Crafts catalyst for homogeneous acylation, alkylation and cyclizaiion reactions has been known for many decades. The most commonly used industrial homogeneous tin catalysis, however, are the Sn(ll) salts of organic acids (e.g. acetate, oxalate, oleale, stearate and ocToate) for the curing of silicone elasloniers and, more importantly, for the production of polyurethane foams. World consumption of tin catalysts for the.se Iasi applications alone is over 1000 tonnes pa. 

In recent years, we have become integrated into the much larger world of polyurethanes, but we have always begun our investigations with a focus on the surface chemistry. While our studies have been on the full range of polyurethane chemistries and the full range in which polyurethanes are produced, the chemical aspects in which we are most interested are foams (the bulk of polyurethane production), specifically open-celled foams, and more specifically products known in the industry as reticulated foams. 

These two examples show that a polyurethane — the reaction product of a polyol and an isocyanate — can serve in both geometric and chemical functions. This is essentially the theme of this book. Most polyurethanes are used for purposes other than the applications cited above. The true place of polyurethanes in the world today is based on the physical properties of the chemistry. What we hope to do is describe the polymer as a chemistry product with properties that are of use to scientists of various disciplines. 

Rigid foams are used for structural and insulation uses while the flexible materials are used for a vast variety of applications as seen in Figure 2.20. The versatility of polyurethane positions the product as unique in fire polymer world because of the breadth of applications. As we will show, small changes in chemistry can achieve a broad range of physical properties. This statement emphasizes the physical properties and serves as a testament, however, to the lack of chemical interest. It is supported by a description of the independent variables of density and stiffness and the range of products based on the primary attributes of polyurethanes. See Figure 2.21. 

World demand for nitric acid will continue to be largely dependent upon demand for solid ammonium nitrate fertilizer and nitrogen fertilizer solutions that incorporate ammonium nitrate. Since the early 1980 s, urea has been displacing ammonia nitrate as a fertilizer. The resulting reduction in demand for nitric acid has been partially offset by the increased use of ammonium nitrate in explosives and by the growth in production of polyurethane foams and nylon-6,6. World nitric acid production declined by about 5% between 1987 and 1999, but it is projected to increase marginally by 2005. The declines occurred mainly in the former Soviet Union, Eastern Europe and Western Europe. Production increases occurred mainly in the United States and Africa91,104. Nitric Acid production in the United States is listed in Table 9.11. 

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