Pu Today June 2009

Today
PU
U N E
2 0 0 9
P O L Y U R E T H A N E S
T O D A Y
Today
PU
T O D A Y
U N E
2 0 0 9
Chairmans Message
Today
PU
Dear Colleagues,
t is with very heavy heart that I share sad news of the passing away of our Chairman Emeritus, Mr. Sarangapani at Hyderabad in the early hours of 19th March09. He had been ailing for sometime and unfortunately could not recover. Lets all pray to the all mighty to grant the bereaved family and all of us, the strength to bear this irreparable loss. As you are all aware, he was the Bhishma Pitamaha of the Indian Polyurethane Industry, which he pioneered way back in 1960. Born on 4th October, 1927 a Chemical Engineer from Anna Malai University, his long list of achievements include assignments with the World Bank & UNDP. To truly understand his contribution to the industry, we need to transport ourselves back to the 60s, when the markets for Polyurethane foams were non-existent, technology to manufacture was new, not only to India but also to the world. The raw material suppliers enjoyed monopoly and everything from duties to taxes were huge. Foreign exchange was scarce and the industry was Small Scale only. It was under these Wild-west conditions that this Visionary provided the necessary directions and drive to kick start the new concept of Flexible Polyurethane Foam in the Indian market. From then on he always continued to champion the cause of this industry in all foray and even mentored futuristic issues like Environment Protection, Health & Safety till his very end. If there is one man, responsible for what the industry is today It is Mr M Sarangapani.
Lets all recommit ourselves to fulfill his goal of making the Indian Polyurethane Industry play a dominant role in the global scenario. Best regards Rahul Gautam
U N E
2 0 0 9
T O D A Y
Today
PU
Editorial
Dear Members,
apologise profusely for this delayed June Issue of PU Today. I had been hospitalized and was under strict bed rest instructions from my doctor. It was impossible to even work with a lap-top computer, in the supine position, with hips above face level, due to the traction that was advised. Still, this issue has been made possible, with only a slight delay, because of the extraordinary efforts of our Editorial team: Mr. Ashish Sood, Mr. Ramamurthy and last but not the least, Mr. Mikhail Bhuta, who has made himself available to me in the capacity of our GUEST EDITOR during his vacation from the University of Southern California. His help with the compilation of this issue has proven invaluable in terms of the minimal delay in the dispatch of this issue. He has also revamped the Front Cover of our magazine with a fresh design, and infused a breath of freshness and contemporary trends to our magazine. Also, a big thank you to Mahesh & Rajesh from DOW, for helping me out. We are sad for the demise of Mr. Sarangapani the father of the Indian PU Industry. May his family be blessed with the necessary strength to deal with their loss. We have planned on using a new theme: of highlighting various sectors in different issues, so that we have in depth articles and insights on each individual section of our Industry. This issue highlights the trends in the PU Automotive Sector, and the articles are so related. People associated with the Alternative Blowing Agents, may be especially interested in the forthcoming issue based on said sector in September 2009. We hope this trend is appreciated by all of you. Do write in your feedback to Mr. Ramamurthy. Sincerely,
T O D A Y
U N E
2 0 0 9
Today
PU
Contents
C
O N T E N T S
PUBLISHED BY THE INDIAN POLYURETHANES ASSOCIATION EDITOR

MRS. MEDHA BHUTA
CHAIRMANS MESSAGE ........................... 3 EDITORIAL ....................................... 4
EDITORIAL TEAM
MR. ASHISH SOOD MR. RAMAMURTHY
CREDITS + CONTENTS .......................... 5 TRIBUTE ......................................... 6 DOMESTIC NEWS ................................ 8 INTERNATIONAL NEWS ........................... 16 PRODUCT NEWS ................................. 19 INTERVIEW ....................................... 22 EVENTS & TRENDS ............................. 23 TECHNICAL UPDATES ............................ 24
0120 4162220 / 4162200 rahul@sheelafoam.com
COMPILATION & SELECTION

MR. ARUN KUMAR MR. MAHESH GOPALASAMUDRAM
DESIGN CONCEPT
MR. MUKESH BHUTA GRAPHIC DESIGN & LAYOUT RED SKY DESIGNS
PRODUCTION & EXECUTION

MR. RAMAMURTHY
IPUA OFFICE BEARERS
CHAIRMAN
MR. RAHUL GAUTAM VICE CHAIRMAN MR. G. RAMACHANDRAN Mr. MUKESH BHUTA TREASURER MR. GIAN JAIN SECRETARY MR. K. RAMAMURTHY
PREVIEWS & REPORT ........................... 49
044-25941025 022-27680303
md@manalipetro.com mbhuta@expanded.co.in
011-27138428
juhipufoam@yahoo.co.in
044-24995923
tvkkrpu@md3.vsnl.net.in secretary@pu-india.org
IPUA EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEMBERS
MR JAGANNATH SARANGAPANI 040 23701871 MR G ANAND 022 27787396 MR MANDAR JOSHI 022 6791 7420 MR DEEPAK T. MEHTA 079 2630 4652/3/4/5 MR. BALRAM U NICHANI 080 8422851 MR CYRUS JASSAWALLA 0120-3921199 MR M.G. BOHRA 044 2595-2001/2 MR H.S. KOCHAR 0120 4080000 MR S.ARUN 02642-247160/61/62 MR RABINDRA JHAJHARIA 033 2298904, 2295496 MR CHANDRAKANT NAYAK 022 6783 2455 DR G MAHESH 022 6797 8500 Alternate to Mr Chandrakant Nayak MR SANJAY SANGHI 022-40059350/51/52 MR PRANAYA PRADHAN +91 9731303238 MR VINOD VORA 022-413-5141/5889 MR SUBBANNA YALVIGI 022-6723 8800 MR ROMESH MADAN 011 41613643, 44, 45
jagannath@ufoam.com anand_g@huntsman.com mandar.joshi@basf.com deepakmehta@tirupatifoam.com balram.nichani@polyflexindia.com cyrus.jassawalla@bayerbms.com mgb@amulpolycure.com kochar@pfeda.com arun@gnfc.in multiwynfoams@multiwynfoams.com nayak@dow.com maheshgn@dow.com sanjay.sanghi@momentive.com pranaya.pradhan@shell.com vnvora@aromaticagencies.com subbana.yalvigi@evonik.com rmadan@goodiesons.com
U N E
2 0 0 9
T O D A Y
Today
PU
Tribute
Warm Valediction Mr. Sarangpani

Medha Bhuta [Editor]
One can survive anything these days, except death, and live down anything except a good reputation. .Oscar Wilde. These words seem pertinent to the pioneer of the Indian Polyurethane Industry Mr. Mudumbai Sarangapani [1927-2009]. A Chemical Engineer by qualification, he hails from a family of first generation technocrats who have all contributed to the growth of the Polymer Industry in India. Being an Alumnus of prestigious institutions like the Mysore University (BSc); the Annamalai University (BE -chem.) and the Institute of Chemical Engineers (M.I.I. Chem E), his lifetime growth pattern, stood them proud.
His first footstep on the threshold of the nascent Polyurethane Industry was in 1960, after which there was no stopping of either him or his pioneered PU industry in India. Many an Indian technocrat has often picked his brain, while dealing with technicalities, and have by and large, been enlightened
by his knowledge and vast experience in said field. No wonder then, that he was the Convener for Indian standards for the cellular foams sector in the PU Industry, and also was responsible for formulating the standards. Rigid Polyurethane foam insulation for the twin door units of refrigerators were first initiated in India by none other than him. As was his indigenization of rigid foam for Helicopter Blades. He conceptualized, designed & fabricated the first living Station accommodation for Gangotri in the South Pole, using rigid PU foam.
T O D A Y
U N E
2 0 0 9
Tribute
Today
PU
He was appointed: Convener for the foams sector in the preparation of the Country Programme for the Govt. of Indias Environment Ministry, for compliance of the Montreal Protocol for the phasing out of CFC use in the foam industry to enforce the conservation of the ozone layer in the stratosphere. Later, he was appointed as a consultant for the World Bank and for UNDP, in providing technical support and project reports for the approval of the Montreal Protocol Secretariat through the Government of India. All the Indian Foam Industry was covered in this project. He was then roped in, to help the Governments of Vietnam, Malaysia and Thailand in their implementation of the Montreal Protocol by making plant visits and offering technical support in their preparation of applications to the UNDP/UNEP.
This lead to his representing India and the South East Asian region in the UNEP Technical Options Committee for Foams upgrading of Technologies and alternate ecofriendly blowing agents as substitutes for CFCs. He was the Original Signatory in the formation of IPRIs Indian Section. Next step was service as a governing council member in the founding Presidents Board 198586, and as a Chairman of the Governing Council IPI for 1 year. He was a proud recipient of numerous awards, such as - The Meritorious Service Award of IPI on Dec. 2, 1955, & the Certificate of merit from UNEP for the work done in this sector etc... This panoply of achievements has raised the bar in the listing of attributes to qualify as a coruscating luminary of the
Polyurethane Industry as a whole. This consummate technocrat has made his footprints on the sands of time for sure. It is a fact that he fought his cancer valiantly till his last breath, and did not allow it to deter his technical creativity nor deter his quest for newer applications and developments in his chosen field of interest PU. We at the Indian Polyurethane Association join hands and stand up in ovation at this curtain call. To felicitate with a final salute: this sapient technocrat who lead us through this frontier, that is Polyurethanes. May his soul go on to a better stage, and may his family and friends have the fortitude to bear this immense loss. We at the Indian Polyurethane Association will proudly cherish fond memories of the man that stood tall amongst the giants of the Global PU Industry.
U N E
2 0 0 9
T O D A Y
Today
PU
Domestic News
Bayer MaterialScience builds new manufacturing facility for polyurethane raw materials in India
20 Million Euro investment underlines growth strategy in the region New plant in Ankleshwar to produce Desmodur polyisocyanates from 2011
everkusen, March 26, 2009 Bayer MaterialScience is to invest EUR 20 million in a new aromatic and aliphatic polyisocyanate manufacturing facility in India as part of its strategy to grow its business in the country and strengthen its position as a market leader in the supply of polyurethane raw materials. The new plant in Ankleshwar, in the north-western state of Gujurat, is scheduled to start operating in 2011.
polyurethane coatings, adhesives and sealants. Specifically, these will be Desmodur L for the coating of wood and furniture as well as for the formulation of adhesives for flexible packaging, and Desmodur N, used in the automotive, industrial and plastic coating sectors. This investment underlines our commitment to India and the region. Despite the currently weak global economic scene, we believe India holds much promise for sustainable market growth, says Dr. Joachim Wolff, head of the Coatings,
Adhesives, Specialties (CAS) Business Unit and member of the Executive Committee of Bayer MaterialScience. The coatings and adhesives sector continues to establish itself in India as its economy grows. The Ankleshwar investment highlights our commitment to this market and will strengthen our ability to meet demand in the future, says Dr. Wolff. Bayer MaterialScience also has a polyurethane systems house in India its first in the country which was opened in Greater Noida, near New Delhi, in mid-2007.
The facility will produce Desmodur polyisocyanates, raw materials for the formulation of a variety of
Polyurethane insulation a key contributor to sustainable construction

Shpresa Kotaji, Huntsman
Sustainable construction the drivers
umanity currently faces its greatest challenge ever to support continued population growth, improved life expectancy and the growing need for food, energy and shelter within diminishing natural resources and saturated pollution sinks. This challenge is now driving farreaching changes at all levels through government, business and civil society. Sustainable development is the driving force for acting more
8
P O L Y U R E T H A N E S T O D A Y
responsibly and introducing solutions which minimize resource needs over time, while increasing the quality of life and maintaining a viable economy. There are three criteria that need to be fulfilled to ensure sustainable development of any industry: Environmental responsibility Economic growth Social progress
Environment responsibility
Social progress
Economic growth
U N E
2 0 0 9
Domestic News
Today
PU
The construction industry is closely linked to the various aspects of sustainable development. Construction activities consume as much as 50% of the raw materials extracted from the earth and the built environment accounts for the largest share of greenhouse gas emissions in terms of energy endusage. The construction industry is also a powerful economic driver and one of the largest employers. On the social side, people spend more than 90% of their lives indoors with increasing demand on comfort and well-being. All this implies that in order to become more sustainable, the construction industry faces environmental, economical and social challenges greater than that of any other industrial sector.
low thermal conductivity combined with a low failure risk3. Polyurethane has the lowest thermal conductivity of any of the large volume insulants, which enables space to be saved by using smaller insulation thickness while achieving the same insulation efficiency as with other materials. Unlike traditional fibrous insulants, polyurethane has low
for economic growth. Unlike China and US, India is vulnerable to energy supply disruptions and energy security is next in priority to food security. With these necessities to reduce dependence on fossil fuel energy and to combat climate change, designing and renovating buildings to high energy standards has become vital. After ensuring that buildings are compactly designed and orientated to optimize passive solar access, the primary principle for achieving low energy buildings is to minimize heat loss through effective insulation of the building envelope. Indeed, building insulation offers the largest CO2 savings potential of all energy efficiency improvement measures and achieves energy savings with the highest negative CO2 abatement costs and the highest net financial gains for society.2 In 2001, the Indian parliament passed the energy conservation act and established the Bureau of Energy Efficiency, BEE, which formally launched the Energy Conservation Building Code (ECBC) that prescribes guidelines for efficient use of energy in buildings in May 2007.
The role of insulation

The International Energy Agency (IEA)1 estimates that if building energy consumption in India grows to current US levels, Indias consumption in 2030 will be seven times greater than today. The construction boom is increasing energy demand significantly but economic development and other factors are adding to the challenge because they also increase buildings energy needs. In India, coal (together with lignite) contitutes the principal source of energy with CBM, coal bed methane, is likely to emerge as a key future energy source. With low domestic reserves of oil (0.7 % of world) & natural gas (0.4 % of world) combined with record high crude oil prices & rapid growth in demand put forth by the transportation sector, striving to energy efficiency is an imperative
J
U N E
moisture permeability and is not affected by air movement. This ensures high thermal performance over the building lifetime and guaranteed high energy savings. Although polyurethane manufacturing mainly rely on fossil resources, it is important to note that the manufacturing of polyurethane uses less than 0.1% of the total global fossil fuel consumed per annum while saving up to 100 times more when used as insulation material. The following examples illustrate how some key polyurethane insulation applications contribute to cost efficient energy and natural resources savings.
The contribution of polyurethane insulation

Polyurethane insulation s close-cell structure satisfies the two most important factors in designing effective insulation solutions: a very
2 0 0 9
Today
PU
Domestic News
Self-supporting metal faced insulated panels

Steel buildings and metal framed buildings have become the preferred construction methods for today s large industrial buildings, refrigerated and other warehouses, office blocks, exhibition halls, fair pavilions, schools and sport halls. Light weight metal framed buildings combined with selfsupportintg metal-faced insulated panels can be built in approximately half the time and
lightweight sandwich panel can safely bridge wide spans. They are 30 to 50% lighter than equivalent sandwich panels based on mineral fibers meaning that structural support can be lighter and fewer. For example, a panel just 100 mm thick can easily bridge a clear span of some six meters reducing the metallic structural element requirements. Such insulated panels will also ensure significant energy savings. Factory engineered polyurethane
world has an ever increasing number of people to shelter and especially to feed. Agriculture is the major industry of India with total agricultural output amounting to 40% of the national income. It is estimated that due to lack of proper transportation and storage facilities, about 33% - or 20 million tons - of products, especially fruit and vegetables are wasted4. As a response, the Indian government has set up incentive programmes to increase the number and quality of cold stores. The insulation efficiency of polyurethane foam is a key property for the low temperature preservation of food during processing, storage and distribution to the consumer and polyurethane core metal-faced panels are extensively used to build cold rooms and cold stores.
are less material intensive, compared to conventional brick and concrete constructions, at a competitive cost. Polyurethane core metal-faced panels are factor y-made under optimal conditions and high levels of control. During the manufacturing process, rigid polyurethane foam self-adheres to the metal facings. The resultant sandwich panel has a load-bearing capability which is many times greater than that achieved by adding together the load-bearing capacities of the individual layers. As a result, these thin, relatively
10
insulated metal-faced panel-topanel joints are designed for air tightness and eliminate on-site system assembly, ensuring there are no gaps or missing components. This is important as just five per cent of missing insulation in the walls and roof of an industrial building can result in 30 percent extra heat loss.
Polyurethane insulation and the the cold chain

With a doubling of the world population in the last fifty years and an expected eight billion inhabitants by the year 2030, the
J
U N E
2 0 0 9
Domestic News
Today
PU
The insulation closed-cell foam structure between the two moisture impermeable metal skins ensures long term thermal performance. The panel construction eliminates cold bridges which ensures that both surface and interstitial condensation will not occur, as this could lead to the formation of bacteria and mould growth. Panels are supplied with easy to clean foodsafe liners especially designed to comply with regulations. Such panels are recommended by major international retailers for their food processing buildings. Polyurethane core metal-faced panels are also extensively used to build insulated agricultural buildings. In refrigerated transport, the thickness of the insulation is constrained by the maximum width of the truck and a minimum internal dimension dictated by the size of standardized pallets. Studies have demonstrated the key role of polyurethane core panels on CO2 saving5. Hygiene is equally important for other processes that require a clean environment, such as electronic and pharmaceutical industries. These are not negligible areas of activities when we see the trend to higher technology industries and increasing life expectancy related to proper medication.
Polyurethane pipe insulation

Rigid polyurethane foam has been used for the insulation and protection of pipes for more than 30 years. It is now more widely used than ever, increasingly displacing alternative materials. One of the most popular areas of use is for district heating and cooling systems, where it is the insulant of first choice for many specifiers. Other common uses are in on and offshore oil and gas pipelines heating and plumbing services for power stations, chemical plants and refineries dairy industry applications special applications i.e. swimming pool pipelines Polyurethane foams popularity is based on its outstanding insulation properties, which prevent heat loss
such as paper, aluminum, cork or bitumen and are used in a variety of applications such as cavity walls, floor and roof applications. Because of its relatively lower thickness, the use of polyurethane insulation will not require drastic design adjustments or changes in construction habits and this will ensure lower construction costs for low energy consuming buildings. For example, if to achieve the required thermal performance alternative insulants are 10 cm thicker than polyurethane, this will in turn have an influence on the roof size required to overhang the wall and foundation width. The overall footprint of the house will increase by about 2.8 m2. On larger schemes this may influence the density achievable on the site. In the case of building refurbishment with a restricted thickness space for insulation, polyurethane will also offer a better thermal performance than traditional fibrous insulation materials, increasing the energy savings potential.6 In flat roofs, polyurethane s low density and low thermal conductivity provide insulation solutions which are five times lighter than with traditional fibrous solutions, further reducing demand on building materials.7
Polyurethane insulation boards

Polyurethane insulation boards are faced with a variety of materials
J
U N E
or alternatively maintain temperatures in cold environments to prevent freezing or cracking. These energy conservation qualities improve the overall cost efficiency of the piping networks. Other important characteristics include high mechanical strength, adhesion, flexibility and good flowability, necessary for the
2 0 0 9
11
Today
PU
12
T O D A Y
U N E
2 0 0 9
Domestic News
Today
PU
consistent fill and insulation of pipe sections. It is a material with a proven track record for reliability, durability and efficiency. For example, India s first heated and insulated crude oil and gas pipeline will be insulated with polyurethane foam. The 24-inch diameter insulated pipeline will run 600 kilometers from Barmer, Rajasthan (in northwestern India) to a refinery district in Jamnagar, on the country s west coast. The crude oil carried in the pipeline will be heated in order to reduce its viscosity, allowing the oil to flow more easily to its destination where it will play a key role in helping to boost the country s domestic crude production by approximately 25 percent.
Spray polyurethane foam

Spray polyurethane foam (SPF) for walls, roofs and floors serves the dual function of providing insulation and a moisture and airbarrier system. It provides a 100% gap-free monolithic layer of insulation eliminating air leakage and loss of R-value as occurs with fribrous insulation. SPF roofing systems have exceptional sustainability characteristics. They save energy, are resistant to high winds and protect the substrate against damage from wind driven missiles. SPF has proven its durability during recent hurricanes, hail storms, and other adverse weather conditions. SPF is ideal in roof renovation where it restores and extends the life of the roof while ensuring higher energy efficiency, further reducing demand on natural resources. A study conducted in Spain8 comparing various roof renovation
J
U N E
options concluded that the major cost advantage for SPF derives from savings in preparatory work as the foam is usually sprayed onto the unprepared roof, which saves construction time on site and also down time of buildings. For a fixed renovation budget, SPF ensured significantly higher insulation levels with net savings on energy demand and CO 2 emissions over the building life time.
efficient use of natural resources and help reduce the environmental impact of buildings.
References 1. International Energy Agency. World EnergyOutlook 2006. 2. Caleb Management Services. Assessment of potential for the saving of carbon dioxide emissions in European building stock. May 1998. 3. XCO2. Insulation for Sustainability. A guide. 2002. 4. Krishna V. Jog. Cold storage industry in India. Conference of Refrigerated Warehouse & Transport Association of Australia (RWTA), Melbourne, Australia. October 2004. 5. Caleb Management Services. Thermal insulation and its role in carbon dioxide reduction. 2001 6. Universitat Wuppertal. Vergleich von Produkten fr die Aufsparrendmmung unter kologischen, technischen und wirtschaftlichen Gesichtspunkten. 2009. 7. ANPE. Life Cycle Assessment Polyuretano & Ambiente. 2008 8. M Marhold and C Meurer. HFC blown PUR in thermal insulation of existing building stock An eco-efficiency study. Rapra 02/2006
Conclusion
Population growth, improved life expectancy and the growing need for food and shelter represent the major factors affecting the planet s resource and are central to the sustainable development debate. Polyurethane rigid insulation is one of the answers to cope with the ever-increasing number of inhabitants to shelter and feed. Its insulation efficiency provides an effective preservation of the human habitat against cold and heat and is a key property for the low temperature preservation of food. In addition, polyurethane s inherent structural strength and lightweight contribute to an
2 0 0 9
13
Today
PU
Domestic News
AUTOTHANE enhances suspension for TVS Motorcycles
VS Motor Company (TVS) has selected AUTOTHANE, microcellular polyurethane from Dow Hyperlast to offer a superior suspension solution to their Apache RTR 160cc motorcycle. TVS-M invited Dow Hyperlast and its AUTOTHANE licensee in India Harita Seating Systems (part of the TVS group) - to develop and present solutions on improving the suspension of the TVS motorcycle range. TVS, Indias third largest motorcycle manufacturer, employs a number of different suspension configurations to help achieve the required balance of superior ride comfort and excellent vehicle handling for its two-wheelers. To achieve a progressive spring rate, they use progressive spring, with a rubber bumpstop. TVS Apache RTR160 was being developed as a performance sports bike out of their racing experience. TVS was working for an advanced suspension, using a Mono tube Inverted Gas charged (MIG) Piggy back canister shock absorber. Working together with TVS, Dow Hyperlast developed an AUTOTHANE microcellular spring aid paired with an efficient linear spring, replacing a progressive spring and rubber bump stop, a break-through in the sense that this is the worlds first motorcycle application for a spring aid. The whole idea was to absorb and dissipate the shock input energy as
14
instantly as possible, with a highly progressive rate of the Spring + Spring aid combination. Conventional bumpstop with progressive coil spring restricts the nonlinearity rate and most of the energy absorbed has to be dissipated by the damper. This involves a significant time lag due to typical system hysteresis. The new solution with Autothane spring aid is proved to be far more
efficient in instantly absorbing and dissipating the shock input. The new suspension passed severe road testing and was launched on the TVS Apache RTR 160 in 2007.
U N E
2 0 0 9
Domestic News
Today
PU
The enhanced dynamics of Apache RTR160 is well appreciated in the Indian market. TVS is now planning to introduce this suspension system to other models. The AUTOTHANE spring aids are being produced in India by Harita Seating Systems (HSSL) a licensee of the AUTOTHANE Technology. Harita Seating Systems became a licensee in November 2006 and has considerable experience manufacturing products to satisfy the specific requirements created by road conditions in India. Since becoming an AUTOTHANE licensee HSSL, together with Dow Hyperlast engineers, has worked closely with many automotive manufacturers to introduce AUTOTHANE spring aids and NVH (noise vibration and hardness) components to the automotive industry. HSSL has invested in a new manufacturing and testing facility for the AUTOTHANE components and has assembled a team of highly qualified managers, engineers and sales people to
service the local market.
About Dow Hyperlast

Dow Hyperlast* is part of Dow Polyurethanes, a business group of The Dow Chemical Company and its subsidiaries, and is a leading polyurethane systems house with over 30 years experience in the development of custom materials, products and solutions for customers worldwide. Dow Hyperlast products are used internationally in automotive, civil engineering, manufacturing, marine, offshore, rail, transport and many other industries. Headquartered in the UK, Dow Hyperlast s manufacturing and technical facilities are supported by a network of international sales and support partners providing a truly global service to customers. More information about Dow Hyperlast can be found at www.dowhyperlast.com * Dow Hyperlast is a trading name of Hyperlast Limited, with Registration Number 2947247,
having its Registered Office at Diamond House, Lotus Park, Kingsbury Crescent, Staines, Middlesex TW18 3AG United Kingdom.
About Dow
With annual sales of $58 billion and 46,000 employees worldwide, Dow is a diversified chemical company that combines the power of science and technology with the Human Element to constantly improve what is essential to human progress. The Company delivers a broad range of products and services to customers in around 160 countries, connecting chemistry and innovation with the principles of sustainability to help provide everything from fresh water, food and pharmaceuticals to paints, packaging and personal care products. References to Dow or the Company mean The Dow Chemical Company and its consolidated subsidiaries unless otherwise expressly noted. More information about Dow can be found at www.dow.com
U N E
2 0 0 9
T O D A Y
15
Today
PU
International News
New BASF report makes business sustainability transparent

Report 2008 combines economic, ecological and social as-pects Independent GRI institution reaffirms highest quality level
udwigshafen, Germany March 12, 2009 BASF creates measurable value for employees, shareholders, customers and society with its products and solutions as proved by the Report 2008 published today by the company. The publication has again gained the highest quality rating, Level A+, from the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI). The inde-pendent institutions rating reaffirms BASFs broad application of inter-nationally recognized criteria for sustainability reporting. BASF is the only DAX company to date to combine financial and sustainability reporting in an integrated report and to reach the GRIs highest level. The report clearly illustrates how corporate and social interests are linked. One such example is a solution in the area of energy efficiency: In BASFs Energy Verbund, heat from production processes is not dis-charged to the environment; instead it is captured to power other pro-duction plants. The companys Ludwigshafen site thus saves 200 million per year and emits 1.5 million metric tons less carbon di-oxide. Renewable energies is another area where the company and society benefit in equal measure. BASF is heavily involved in research into organic
16
solar cells. This innovation is important to the company as a means of securing participation in the energy markets of the future. Society in turn benefits from an innovative way of converting sunlight into cost-effective electricity and generating clean energy. Long-term success is not possible unless the environment and society are treated carefully, and that is why sustainability is a firm component of our strategy, said Dr. Jrgen Hambrecht, Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of BASF SE. Difficult times especially show that companies which conduct their business sustainably and responsibly are more successful in the long term. BASF measures its economic, environmental and social performance on the basis of clearly defined targets, most of them longterm. Each year, the company reports on the extent to which it has achieved these goals. The report shows, for instance, that the company earned a high premium on its cost of capital in 2008, reduced specific greenhouse gas emissions by 14 percent, and raised the proportion of senior managers with international experience to 74
percent (in each case versus the respective baseline year). Last year, BASF achieved external recognition for its sustainable devel-opment strategy and its implementation in the company from a number of sources. For instance, BASF received the German Sustainability Award in 2008 and heads the Dow Jones Sustainability Index as best chemical company. The Report 2008 is available immediately on the Internet at www.basf.com/report. The online report provides several service features including an interactive statistics comparison, a keyword search facility, a download and pdf manager, as well as direct access to impor-tant topics. Readers can use the interactive comparison function to se-lect individual parameters and periods and display the results in the form of a diagram. Printed versions of the Report 2008 can be ordered on the internet at basf.com/mediaorders or by e-mail from medienservice@basf.com.
About BASF
BASF is the worlds leading chemical company: The Chemical
J
U N E
2 0 0 9
International News
Today
PU
Company. Its portfolio ranges from chemicals, plastics and performance products to agricultural products, fine chemicals as well as oil and gas. As a reliable partner BASF helps its customers in virtually all industries to be more successful. With its
high-value products and intelligent solutions, BASF plays an important role in finding answers to global challenges such as climate protection, energy efficiency, nutrition and mobility. BASF has ap-proximately 97,000 employees and posted sales of
more than 62 billion in 2008. BASF shares are traded on the stock exchanges in Frankfurt (BAS), London (BFA) and Zurich (AN). Further information on BASF is available on the Internet at www.basf.com.
Executive Committee approves US $27.5 million funding (Multilateral Fund) Montreal 30 March to 3 April 2009
t the 57th Meeting, the Executive Committee approved investment projects and work programme activities worth just over US $27.5 million for 84 developing countries to phase out ozone depleting substances including, in some cases, HCFCs. Twenty-two countries received funding for institutional strengthening projects, including Iraq, a new Party to the Montreal Protocol in 2008. Continuing its efforts to address the remaining CFCs ahead of the 2010 Montreal Protocol phase-out deadline, the Committee earmarked funds for Botswana, Equatorial Guinea, and Sierra Leone aimed at phasing out their entire CFC consumption. In total 31 countries received tranches of funding for multi-year projects to address the 2010 ODS control measures. Six countries received funding for ODS disposal projects and the Committee will further examine the criteria and guidelines for ODS disposal projects with a view to funding more projects. As part of its financial planning process, the Committee endorsed the business plans of the Funds implementing agencies for 2009 while only noting the activities tentatively planned for 2010 and
J
U N E
2011 due to the uncertainty in the costing of activities to accelerate the phase-out of HCFCs. The Committee will carry out a further analysis to equitably allocate the funds available in the 2010 and 2011 business plans of the agencies to enable all countries to comply with HCFC freeze in 2013 and the 10 per cent reduction in 2015. The Committee addressed complex policy questions regarding the funding of HCFC phase-out projects, including the choice of HCFC phase-out technologies in relation to their costs and impacts on climate, whether to provide funding to enterprises that had been previously converted from CFC to HCFC technology through the Multilateral Fund, and the cutoff dates for funding after which conversions would not be eligible for Fund assistance. New approaches were discussed, one of which entailed shifting incremental operating costs from direct payment to enterprises, as had been the practice, to payment to countries based on a percentage of the capital cost associated with the conversion from HCFCs to the most cost-effective nonHCFC technology available.
Those resources could be used at governments discretion to establish, for example, a framework to address, climaterelated impacts. The other new approach involved a strategy for second-stage conversions beyond 2015 and even 2020, taking into account compliance needs and c o s t - e f f e c t i v e n e s s These approaches are still under discussion. In respect of climate benefits, the Committee discussed progress on the development of the functional unit approach as a basis for the prioritization of HCFC phase-out technologies to minimize other impacts on the environment, and also considered possible uses of a special funding facility within the Multilateral Fund which might potentially cover costs associated with climate benefits, as well as other additional environmental benefits which are not required for compliance with the Montreal Protocol. Climate related issues including concrete examples of the functional unit approach, the facility for additional income and resource mobilization will all be on the agenda of the 58th Meeting of the Executive Meeting in July 2009.
2 0 0 9
17
Today
PU
International News
Acc issues call for entries for Polyurethanes innovation award nominations for the Polyurethanes 2009 Technical Conference
July 10 at 5:00 p.m. EDT deadline for entries
RLINGTON VA ON, RLINGT ON , V A ( J une 9, 2009) Center for the Polyurethanes Industry (CPI) of the American Chemistry Council, has issued a call for entries for the 2009 Polyurethane Innovation Award nominations. This years award programs three categories include Polyurethane Chemicals, Processing Equipment and Finished Product. Finalists will be selected and winners will be announced at the Polyurethanes 2009 Technical Conference, held October 5 October 7 at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in Fort Washington, Maryland (Washington, D.C.). CPI seeks to recognize the people who work continuously to advance polyurethanes by bringing innovative products to the marketplace, says Neeva-Gayle Candelori, director of CPI. The Polyurethane Innovation Award program helps identify and highlight the products and technologies that will galvanize the industry and keep it moving forward. Companies or individuals interested in entering the award program must submit an application no later than 5:00 p.m. EDT on July 10, 2009. Details on the award and an entry form can be found on the CPI web site at http://www.polyurethane.org/ conference2009. A panel of judges representing a cross section of polyurethanes experience and
18
knowledge from industry and industry associations will evaluate all submissions and choose finalists for each category. Finalist entries will be on display at the Polyurethanes 2009 Technical Conference, and attendees will have a chance to cast one vote per category for the entry that they believe demonstrates the most innovative use of polyurethanes. The results will be announced on October 7, 2009, during the closing session of the conference. The Polyurethanes 2009 Technical Conference will feature 16 technical sessions along with two panel discussions, poster presentations and a full polyurethane professional development program. For more information about CPI and the Polyurethanes 2009 Technical Conference, contact CPI at 703-741-5103, or visit www.americanchemistr y.com/ polyurethane for entry forms.
www.americanchemistry.com/newsroom The American Chemistry Council (ACC) represents the leading companies engaged in the business of chemistry. ACC members apply the science of chemistry to make innovative products and services that make peoples lives better, healthier and safer. ACC is committed to improved environmental, health and safety performance through Responsible Care, common sense advocacy designed to address major public policy
issues, and health and environmental research and product testing. The business of chemistry is a $689 billion enterprise and a key element of the nations economy. It is one of the nations largest exporters, accounting for ten cents out of every dollar in U.S. exports. Chemistry companies are among the largest investors in research and development. Safety and security have always been primary concerns of ACC members, and they have intensified their efforts, working closely with government agencies to improve security and to defend against any threat to the nations critical infrastructure. w w w . a m e r i c a n c h e m i s t r y. c o m / polyurethane
The Center for the Polyurethanes Industry (CPI) of the American Chemistry Council promotes the sustainable growth of the polyurethane industry, by identifying and managing issues that could impact the industry, in cooperation with user groups. Its members include the nations leading producers and distributors of chemicals and equipment used to make polyurethane and manufacture polyurethane products. CPI provides a single, strong and credible voice to advocate on behalf of the interests of the U.S. polyurethanes industry. The business of polyurethanes is a $56.1 billion enterprise, supports about 220,000 jobs and a key element of the nations economy.
J
U N E
2 0 0 9
Product News
Today
PU
Merquinsa Announces at PLAST 2009: Pearlthane Eco Is Now Available Across Italy
Barcelona, Spain March 24, 2009
erquinsa announced that its Frost & Sullivan 2008 awardwinning PEARLTHANE ECO, a range of Bio TPU grades made from Renewable Sources is now available across Italy. PEARLTHANE ECO with a renewable content up to 60% according to ASTM D6866 is a unique, game changing bio TPU product for customers who want to balance performance and cost and the demand for more sustainable green TPE applications, according to a company spokesman. A recent preliminary life cycle analysis (LCA), indicates that manufacturing Pearlthane ECO range results in 40% less global warming emissions. Merquinsa will display its innovative TPU portfolio for a wide range of sport & leisure, consumer goods and footwear applications, among others, at its Italian elastomers distributors (SIRT) stand: Hall 20P/1 Stand E24.
earliest adopters of sustainability initiatives in the chemical industry, having been granted its 14001 ISO certification as early as in 1999 and put together its Responsible Care program in 2001. Merquinsa was recently granted the Frost & Sullivan 2008 Global Thermoplastic Urethane (TPU) Product Innovation Green Excellence of the Year Award. This award recognizes Merquinsas innovation in biopolymers, with its groundbreaking Bio TPU made from renewable carbon resources and successfully marketed globally
under Pearlthane and Pearlbond ECO brands. Merquinsas headquarters are in Barcelona, Spain with regional centres in Asia and North America. For more information about Merquinsa, and PEARLTHANE, PEARLCOAT, PEARLBOND, PEARLSTICK and DISPERBOND specialty TPU resins, please visit our Web site at www.merquinsa.com or contact.
About Merquinsa
Merquinsa is a leading thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) specialty producer, providing innovative products for injection moulding, extrusion, calendering, melt coating, compounding and adhesive applications. Merquinsa has been one of the
J
U N E
2 0 0 9
T O D A Y
19
Today
PU
20
T O D A Y
U N E
2 0 0 9
Product News
Today
PU
DIRECT PAINTING FOR LFI PARTS
KraussMaffeis Spotlight event showcases new process technology
unich, May 7, 2009 Production of LFI parts with high-gloss surfaces has suddenly become easier. As of now, a direct (no barrier coat) Inmould Painting process is available for parts produced using the LFI process. During its Spotlight events on May 7, 2009, KraussMaffei will demonstrate this new direct painting process in a running system. LFI parts can be painted in-mould to give them a high-gloss surface, but until now, it has always been necessary to apply a barrier coat which prevents the glass fibres in the substrate surface from spoiling the optics of the surface finish. KraussMaffei has now enhanced the LFI process so as to eliminate the need for a barrier coat between the paint layer and the fibre-reinforced substrate. Special filler combinations ensure that the PUR matrix completely encapsulates the fibres. Mould technology has also been modified. These measures have made it possible to produce premium surfaces without applying a barrier coat. By saving a complete process step, this new development makes the LFI process even more attractive and cost-effective. One important application area for the new process is the production of large-format parts for utility vehicles.
These measures have made it possible to produce premium surfaces without applying a barrier coat. By saving a complete process step, this new development makes the LFI process even more attractive and cost-effective. One important application area for the new process is the production of largeformat parts for utility vehicles.
Machinery division will showcase its wide expertise and its comprehensive range of machinery and processes for fibre composites. There will be machine demonstrations, talks and interesting displays. Parts made with fibre composite materials combine low weight and high strength. They can be
manufactured in a relatively lowbudget operation. The use of fibre composite materials is on the increase in aircraft and spacecraft, in road and rail vehicles, in buildings and in other applications. With its extensive expertise, KraussMaffei offers a wide choice of manufacturing processes for fibre composite parts. These include classical processes that have been tried and tested over the years, such as Reinforced Reaction Injection Moulding (RRIM), Structural Reaction Injection Moulding (SRIM) and Resin Transfer Moulding (RTM). Fibre composite parts can also be manufactured in spray processes, such as Fiber Composite Spraying (FCS), Structural Component Spraying (SCS) and a Fiber Spray Process (FSP). Parts that need reinforcement with long fibres can be produced by Long Fiber Injection Moulding (LFI). KraussMaffei is a competent and reliable partner for all aspects of fibre composite technology. The company supports its customers throughout product design, development and process optimization. It is a single-vendor supplier of complete production systems, including tooling, trimming, routing and robotics. The company s expertise extends to areas other than its core PUR business, for example, to technology for dicyclopentadiene (DCPD) or elastomer-modified polyamide (NYRIM).
Comprehensive expertise, products and processes

During its Spotlight event, KraussMaffeis Reaction Process
J
U N E
The use of fibre composite materials is on the increase in aircraft and spacecraft, in road and rail vehicles, in buildings and in other applications.
2 0 0 9
21
Today
PU
Interview
Harita Seatings Systems Limited

PU TODAY: What prompted the Harita management to develop a new process with which you can do in mould painting of LFI parts. HARITA: Our long range planning has always focused on technology advancement in our core areas such as Polyurethanes and seats etc. For this purpose, a core group has been formed in our R&D and consistently engaged in technologies scan in the focus areas. Their responsibility extends beyond laboratory curiosities to make technically and commercially viable product offering. Our team started working on SRIM technology in order to enhance further our interest in PU composites. We have faced a number of issues in terms of glass mat preparation, manual handling etc. There was also difficulty in post painting of SRIM parts. Hence we moved to the next logical technology which eliminates expensive pre and post paint operations. LFI-PUR is a technology which is an automated process and can be used with in mould coating. This process also is ideally suitable for medium volume production (less than 40 50 thousand parts per year). Incidentally, Harita thus became the first company in the world to have LFI, barrier coating and inmould coating in combination process production. The technology has many advantages such as low tool cost, high productivity, different surface
22
an interview
meant that our team had to work patiently to get customer acceptance. Having made the first product through, we are now successfully supplying parts to our customers and the same are performing exceptionally well. Since then, we have started seeing increased interest from various customers in adopting this technology for their various component requirements PU TODAY: Why did Harita decide to work with Krauss Maffei and Dow for this project?
Mr. A. G. Giridharan
finishes, variable densities etc when compared to the other nearest competitive technologies. PU TODAY: Since the date of conception, what time frame was needed to get to successful implementation of the project? What was the most difficult challenge that your team faced during the whole process? HARITA: It took 24 months for us from concept to implementation. Being the first in the world to try this combination, we had to marry parts of the technology from various partners like Krauss Maffei, Sonneborn & Rieck, Dow and dry part suppliers . Getting all concerned together to solve issues at every stage was a major challenge and experience. More over this being a new technology, convincing the customers in the automotive industry regarding the supremacy of the offering viz-a-viz existing available technologies and converting the same into order
HARITA: Krauss Maffei has a successful record of having sold a number of LFI-PUR plants around the globe and their understanding of this technology and designing a suitable machine for the same gave us the confidence to work with them. Krauss Maffeis added advantage was that they could offer system, such as PU metering machine, tool design, plant layouts etc. Haritas relationship with Dow is over 15 years. Besides this, Dow had taken a challenge to develop a barrier coating system and LFIPUR system for the first time for us to suit our process requirements. PU TODAY: Which are the other areas that Harita will now take lead and develop future technologies? HARITA: Our future plans include looking at the areas related to LFIPUR whereby we can provide value for money to our customers. Besides, with the recent signing of the Joint Venture with Fehrer AG,
J
U N E
2 0 0 9
Interview
Today
PU
Germany, who has expertise in PU composites, we would jointly be looking for developing newer composites for the future. Apart from this LFI-PUR technology, the Micro cellular Elastomer- MCU is also implemented by us in association with Dow Hyperlast and we are the sole licensee for India. These parts are used in suspension system of two wheelers,cars and MUVs to improve the occupant comfort. And this technology also has very good reception in Indian
automotive industry. Our team continues to experiment with many other technologies such as spray skin, skin injection, gel pads etc which are in different stages for future implementation. Harita is known by its tagline Comfort Unlimited and our team is constantly striving for improving comfort to its customers and the society. Every technology which meets this end will be part of our future plan.
Mr. S. Thiagarajan
Events & Trends

Events Calendar
INTERNATIONAL
29 th Oct. to 01 st Nov. 2009 PUTECH EURASIA 2009 Istanbul Expo Center May 26 th - 28 th , 2010 PU China 2010 Shenzen Convention & Exhibition Centre. October 11-13, 2010 Polyurethanes 2010 Technical Conference, in partnership with UTECH North America Hilton Americas Hotel and the Houston Convention Center, Houston, Texas
U N E
2 0 0 9
T O D A Y
23
Today
PU
Technical Updates
High surface quality long fiberglass PU composite

Paolo Diena, Maurizio Bottazzi, Alberto Fangareggi
Dow Italia s.r.l. Via Carpi, 29 42015 Correggio (RE) Italy
ABSTRACT
olyurethane (PU) structural composites reinforced with long glass fibers are widely employed in many different applications in particular for the transportation industry. The production processes utilized to manufacture these composites are known as structural RIM (Low Density-SRIM or High Density-SRIM) and, more recently, Long Fiber Injection, known as LFI-PUR [1]. In particular the LFI technology is based on the simultaneous pouring of polyurethane and chopped fiberglass. This production process is well established in the market for over a decade and it shows several advantages compared with the continuous mat technique (Structural RIM) in terms of part design freedom, fiberglass handling, no needs for thermoforming, just to mention a few. One of the major limitations of all the above composite technologies is related to the lack of exterior finishing due to the visible fiberglass on the surface of the manufactured item. This has been a strong restriction confining the use of this PU composite only for hidden or covered parts. Therefore Dow Polyurethane Systems, a business group of The Dow Chemical Company, has
24
recently developed a next generation of polyurethane systems for long glass fiber composites capable of bringing additional advantages to the current technology and better meeting industry needs. Combined with excellent internal mold release performance, the next generation long glass fiber composite systems offer improved thermal stability, better fiber wettability and distribution, with no bubble and defects on the visible surface of the finished item even when heating the composite at temperatures up to 100C when compared to current composite technologies. Thank to this and to an optimized reaction profile these next generation polyurethane systems developed by Dow can provide a long fiber composite showing high surface quality.
In addition to this, Dow also developed a high temperature resistant compact rigid layer system that can be sprayed on the mold just before the long fiber composite distribution, providing enhanced surface quality to the final part. This combination allows obtaining high quality painted items by using both in-mold and off-line painting procedures.
Background
The versatility of polyurethane polymers as polymeric matrix for structural composites for the production of large and complex shape parts is known in the industry. PU composites allow tailoring the required mechanical properties and applied density offering fast cycle times. Several production processes for the production of PU composites are available on the market and
Figure 1. Typical mechanical properties of PU composites and other reinforced polymers
U N E
2 0 0 9
Technical Updates
Today
PU
they can be classified based on the type of reinforcement, its length and the production method utilized, among which: R-RIM & LD-RRIM: composite polymer based on short mineral fibers having an average length of about 150 micron (such as wollstonite, basalt, glass, mica) directly dispersed into the polyol and injected in a closed mold; S-RIM & LD-SRIM: composite polymer based on woven or non woven long fiber mats produced in an open or closed mold; LFI-PUR[1] and spray molding based on the simultaneous pouring of polyurethane resin together with chopped fiberglass at different lengths. LFI-PUR[1] and spray molding are becoming more and more important due to their versatility and wide range of final applications. Figure 1 reports the typical flexural properties of PU composites in comparison with other materials. Typical applications for structural PU composites include: door panels, sun-shades, package trays, seatbacks, load floors and floor pans, dashboards and many other automotive applications. Polyurethane has shown a good potential for growth in composites applications thanks to its fast production cycles, a wide range of mechanical properties and last but not least the possibility to be VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds) emission free. In order to compete with other
J
U N E
thermoset composites such as GRP (Glass Reinforced Plastic), SMC (Sheet Molding Compound), BMC (Bulk Molding Compound) and steel, one of the future challenges for further growth of PU composites is the possibility to combine fast and easy production processes with excellent surface finishing allowing for the final part to be painted directly into the mold or off-line. Table 1 reports a comparison of wall thickness and weight of steel,
together with enhanced surface quality.
Experimental
The research and development work was carried out in Dows R&D center of the Polyurethane Systems business in Correggio, Italy and in the R&D center of Krauss Maffei Thermosetting Division in Munich, Germany. The products evaluated and utilized for the purpose of this
SMC and PU in order to achieve the same final stiffness. The data show how polyurethane composites can be used to produce lighter structural parts. The aim of this study is to present the results of the most recent developmental work carried out by Dow Polyurethane Systems which
study are reported in Table 2 with their description. All the physical mechanical properties reported in this study have been tested on polymers obtained from a Rocktool Krauss Maffei laboratory mold. To generate and gather the data a
has led to further processing and mechanical improvements in the long fiber composite technology. The development activities carried out by Dow allowed Dow to define next generation PU systems capable to combine excellent mechanical properties, high productivity
Krauss-Maffei Rimstar RS1640 LFI Modula machine provided with mixing head LFI MK 30/36 and a Krauss-Maffei RS Minidos 8/8 machine provided with Pegasus MK2-2-AAS spray mixing head were utilized. Both mixing heads were installed on ABB robots for PU distribution.
2 0 0 9
25
Today
PU
26
T O D A Y
U N E
2 0 0 9
Today
PU
U N E
2 0 0 9
T O D A Y
27
Today
PU
Technical Updates
Table 3 reports the LFI and spray machine processing conditions for the evaluated polymers. Table 4 reports the testing methods utilized to evaluate the mechanical properties of the polymers. LFI composite and the other for the rigid aesthetic spray layer. The LFI process, based on the simultaneous pouring of polyurethane and chopped fiberglass, allows to: use different fiber length (25 50 100 mm); use variable mold thickness; change fiber content within the same shot; mold on different substrates (IMC, PVC, PET, PMMA or PVDF); obtain mechanical properties equivalent to LD-SRIM. Table 5 reports the typical reaction profiles of SPECTRIM RL 758 Polyol & SPECTRIM RM 914 Isocyanate with a components temperature of 25C and iso/pol ratio 143/100.
Results and discussion

As mentioned before, the Research & Development activities were mainly carried out by using 2 separate dosing units, one for the
A key element of the LFI process technology is the mixing head; Figure 2 represents the mixing head scheme and details.
Figure 2. LFI Mixing head scheme and detail
28
T O D A Y
U N E
2 0 0 9
Technical Updates
Today
PU
Parts produced with the LFI technology may be affected by some imperfections, namely (see Figure 3): air entrapment: the glass fiber is driven in the polyurethane mixture by air at 3-4 bars, thus air can remain trapped inside the composite, causing air bubbles and defects (Figure 3 - Picture A: sample produced without closing the mold); fiberglass presence on parts surface: the glass fiber is visible on the surface of the final part (caused by fiber wettability and PU shrinkage); non homogeneous fiberglass distribution: the glass fiber is not homogenously distributed in the composite.
The development work carried out by Dow brought to the definition of next generation products; the system SPECTRIM RL 758 Polyol & SPECTRIM RM 914 Isocyanate offering enhanced thermal resistance is able to significantly improve the quality of the final parts without compromising mechanical properties. The next generation products were evaluated in Dows laboratory and parallel tests were performed in Krauss Maffei laboratory using a lab test mold (Rocktool mold) as well as a real production molds. The
polymers demonstrated a clear quality surface improvement. The improved surface properties are strictly related to the chemistry of the next generation material developed by Dow; further to that they are also a function of optimized, controlled processing parameters such as for example: 1. the Iso/pol ratio; 2. the components temperature; 3. the fiber distribution; 4. the correct setting of mold pressure ramp rate; 5. the fiberglass length and type.
data gathered using this system belonging to this new family of
Figure 4 shows the improved surface quality of a LFI composite produced
A Air Entrapment
B Fiberglass on Surface
Figure 5 shows the variation of Flexural Strength and Flexural Modulus at three different fiberglass weight ratios 20%, 30%, 40% referred to the total weight of the composite.
C Fiberglass Distribution
Figure 3. LFI sample - defects
Figure 4. Comparison between LFI systems
U N E
2 0 0 9
T O D A Y
29
Today
PU
Technical Updates
with SPECTRIM RL 758 Polyol & SPECTRIM RM 914 Isocyanate. The developmental work carried out on this new family of long glass fiber polymers allowed Dow to formulate next generation products with excellent stiffness and improved thermal properties. The next generation composite systems have been characterized and properties are reported in Table 6 and Table 7.
Figure 6 reports the Flexural Strength properties of SPECTRIM RL 758 Polyol & SPECTRIM RM 914 Isocyanate upon changing applied density and fiberglass length. The next generation developed LFI system was also designed in order to achieve high thermal resistance required by the final applications in the transportation industries. DMA analyses performed with ARES
Figure 7. SPECTRIM RL 758 Polyol & SPECTRIM RM 914 Isocyanate - DMA results
The next generation LFI polymer developed by Dow is able to withstand high temperatures providing higher glass transition temperature (Tan Delta) and improved modulus versus temperature. The newly developed LFI polymer is providing improved surface properties when compared to traditional materials, nevertheless this is still not enough to reach the Class A surface quality normally required by the automotive and transportation industries. These market segments typically use steel, SMC or thermoplastic films of PMMA, PC, ABS, PVC combined with PU LFI as structural layer. For this reason a specifically developed sprayed rigid layer was used to combine the reported good mechanical properties of the next generation LFI composite (i.e. high stiffness and heat distortion resistance) with enhanced surface quality. This high density rigid layer is sprayed on the mold just before the LFI and it provides high surface hardness (75-80 Shore D), good thermal stability with reduced numbers of defects, allowing both the in-mold and off-mold painting processes. Figure 8 shows the scheme for the
J
U N E
Figure 5. Mechanical properties variation at different fiberglass rates (same length)
As confirmed by the experimental result, flexural modulus is not influenced by fiberglass length which indeed has an effect on the flexural strength.
equipment (torsionsal test see Table 4) was carried out on the next generation LFI polymer developed by Dow and results are reported in Figure 7.
Figure 6. Mechanical properties variation vs. fiberglass length variation

30
2 0 0 9
Technical Updates
Today
PU
production of the structure obtained with a spray rigid layer and the LFI polymer.
in Figure 11 were produced using Hard Coat Self Release (IMP) from Sonneborn & Rieckt and
Figure 8. Spray Rigid Layer and LFI structure
Table 8 reports the mechanical properties of the rigid layer itself as well as those of the structure obtained in combination with the LFI polymer.
SPECTRIM RL 758 Polyol & SPECTRIM RM 914 Isocyanate (LFI) with SPECTRIM RC 313 Polyol & SPECTRIM RM 914 Isocyanate for the rigid layer.
abraded in order to promote paint adhesion. Small air bubbles trapped in the rigid sprayed layer open when the surface of the part is abraded and pin holes are created on the surface of the final part as the paint is not able to bridge these small pits; therefore the spray system and the spray process must be optimized in order to avoid the formation of air bubbles (Figure 12).
In case of in-mold paint, the final composite with enhanced surface quality will have a multi layer structure as reported in Figure 10.
As mentioned before, the rigid coating obtained with SPECTRIM RC 313 Polyol & SPECTRIM RM 914 Isocyanate can also be painted by
Figure 10. Multilayer structure of the composite
The surface quality/gloss is strictly related to the mold surface finishing (polish). The parts shown
using the off-line process. When this painting process is used, the surface of the composite has to be
Figure 12. Pin holes defects and SEM picture of the air bubbles entrapped in the spray coating
Figure 11.Parts produced with Hard Coat Self Release (IMP)
SPECTRIM RC 313 Polyol & SPECTRIM RM 914 Isocyanate has been developed with the right viscosity and reactivity profile in order to reduce the presence and dimension of bubbles and inclusions in the rigid sprayed layer. In Figure 13 it is possible to see a post painted sample not showing any pin hole defect.
U N E
2 0 0 9
31
Today
PU
Technical Updates
The excellent thermal properties of the LFI system and of the spray layer based on SPECTRIM allow the final composite to pass severe oven tests. In particular complete samples placed into an oven at 100 C did not present any deformation or surface defects after more than 12 hours.
opening force rises up quickly to very high values, if the mold is not treated with a proper release agent; whereas the opening force for the IMR system remains steady throughout the test. Table 9 reports the mechanical properties of SPECTRIM RL 758 Polyol & SPECTRIM RM 914 Isocyanate IMR and IMR free versions respectively. The data show that the addition of the IMR additive has some effect on polymer properties.
light weight (for densities ranging from 800-1500 gr/l) (typical SMC density not lower than 1900 gr/l) possibility to use low cost glassfiber rowing; low tool costs; variable thick & thin walls to be molded in the same part; possibility to apply in-mold finishing
Figure 13. Post painted sample with no pin holes defects
In order to further improve the processability and economics of the whole process, a version added with an Internal Mold Release additive (IMR) of SPECTRIM RL 758 Polyol & SPECTRIM RM 914 Isocyanate is also available, offering excellent release performance.
The two systems SPECTRIM RL 758 Polyol & SPECTRIM RM 914 Isocyanate and SPECTRIM RG 305 Polyol & SPECTRIM RM 914 Isocyanate developed by Dow offer next generation solutions to manufacture composites with enhanced surface quality and broaden the Figure 14. Releasing properties of IMR free and current LFI offering and In Figure 14 the data related to the product portfolio, especially for the releasing properties of a non self transportation industries. releasing polymer based on SPECTRIM RL 758 Polyol & Furthermore these products result SPECTRIM RM 914 Isocyanate and in an interesting possible its IMR version are shown; the test replacement for SMC and BMC , is done based on the measurement thanks to their: of the force necessary to open a specifically designed mold. In the high dimensional stability and non IMR polymer version the mold accurate fit;
32
possibility to mold very large parts (up to 2m x 2m). The production of aesthetic parts with enhanced surface quality by using SPECTRIM RL 758 Polyol & SPECTRIM RM 914 Isocyanate and SPECTRIM RG 305 Polyol & SPECTRIM RM 914 Isocyanate is in a prototyping phase; a first industrialization of high class surface painted part is in progress for transportation applications, opening new possibilities for the polyurethane composite market.
Conclusions
Glass reinforced polyurethanes are increasingly used for the production of structural parts for automotive interior trims and other applications. The LFI-PUR[1] technology is used since several years by the automotive industry mainly for the production of hidden or covered parts, because one of the major limitations of this
J
U N E
2 0 0 9
Technical Updates
Today
PU
technology is related to the lack of exterior finishing of the manufactured part due to visible fiberglass and the presence of entrapped air bubbles on the surface of the item. One of the challenges for the future growth of LFI-PU composites in order to compete with steel and others, or thermoset composites such as for example GRP, SMC, BMC, is the possibility to combine quick and easy production processes with excellent surface finishing capable to be painted reaching excellent surface finishing. The Dow Chemical Company has been active in the Research & Development of next generation polyurethane systems for the production of Long Fiberglass composites designed and commercialized under the trademark SPECTRIM; in particular SPECTRIM RL 758 Polyol & SPECTRIM RM 914 Isocyanate is able to achieve better fiber wettability and distribution, reduce number of air bubbles improving surface quality without compromising mechanical properties and allowing to obtain enhanced thermal resistance of the polymer. An IMR version of this SPECTRIM LFI system has also been designed, showing excellent release properties.
In addition, Dow developed a high thermal resistant compact rigid layer (SPECTRIM RC 313 Polyol & SPECTRIM RM 914 Isocyanate) to be sprayed on the mold just before the long fiber composite distribution that provides enhanced surface quality to the final part. This combination of products permits to obtain high quality painted items by using both in-mold and off-line painting procedures. The production of aesthetic parts with enhanced surface quality by using SPECTRIM RL 758 Polyol & SPECTRIM RM 914 Isocyanate and SPECTRIM RG 305 Polyol & SPECTRIM RM 914 Isocyanate is in a prototyping phase; a first industrialization for high class surface painted part is in progress for transportation applications, opening new possibilities for the polyurethane composite market. Global research, combined with a strong local presence, allows Dow Polyurethane Systems to be close to its customer base and to offer tailormade solutions to the market. Through Dows global capabilities and its broad network of local facilities covering many different countries (with its 24 locations worldwide in Europe, North and Latin America, Middle East and Africa, as well as in Asia Pacific) tailor made solutions can be
supplied to customers in a fast and effective way to fully satisfy their production and processing requirements.
Acknowledgements
The authors wish to thank Krauss Maffei who provided LFI process experience and in particular Josef Renkl, and Otto Kindermann and Daniel Zeller who put extra effort to allow the reported achievements. Further to that authors wish to thank Alessio Sabadini, Alberto Frattini and Mauro Malaguti of the Dow Correggio testing laborator y; Francesco Esposito from the Dow Correggio laborator y for producing the testing samples; Claracq Jerome from Dows laboratories in Terneuzen for the help provided for the DMA analyses and Allan James from Dows laboratories in Midland for the SEM analyses on surface layer pin-holes defects.
References 1. M. Bottazzi. Innovative Spray or Injected Aromatic Polyurethane Skins for Aesthetical Interior Automotive Applications The Dow Chemical Company. Presented at the API Polyurethanes 2006 Technical Conference. 2. David Randall and Steve Lee: The Polyurethane book John Wiley and Sons, ltd 2002
Water based-an Eco-friendly-mold release agent for polyurethane foam application-an introduction
Dr.Rajan Ramaswami and V. Shanmuganandam Polyflex India P Ltd, Tamilnadu-602105 E-mail: rrajanrev@rediffmail.com Introduction
prominence less than a decade ago in response to environmental and safety concerns and regulations. Today, theyre widely used in the processing of most rubber compounds, some Polyurethane group of plastics. Flexible polyurethane molded foam parts
W
J
U N E
ater-based release agents began their rise to

2 0 0 9
33
Today
PU
34
T O D A Y
U N E
2 0 0 9
Technical Updates
Today
PU
are produced in molds such as automotive seating, arm rests, head rests and steering wheels that are precoated with a release agent prior to injection of the foamforming components. There is a high level of interest in aqueouswater- based release agents that are free from volatile organic material. Water based release agents, unlike solvent based release agents, are not tied to petroleum shortages or escalating prices. As these are not relying on petroleum based solvents these can offer a more stable cost of production. Petroleum based solvents demand more energy to be used for manufacture and refining, while water is readily available and requires little or no processing. Water based release agent helps molding manufacturers meet regulatory requirements in terms of VOC (Volatile Organic Chemicals). In the course of ever greater optimization of production rates, in particular in the automobile supplier industry, it is precisely the coverage on the mould that has become an important quality feature by water based release agents.
material was poured. This means faster production and successful release. Secondly, release formulations were improved to produce water based release agents with a smaller and smaller percentage of solids, or active ingredients. While early water based releases may have had high solids, todays successful releases can have moderate concentration of solids.
What is a mold release agent?

Molding is a well known technique for producing finished parts made from plastics, polyester and other polymeric materials. Currently, molded parts range from bicycle helmets to boat hulls to telephone receiver handsets and beyond. Molding is performed by processing (e.g. pouring, injecting, spraying, etc.) a liquid resin, or a reinforcing material (such as fiber reinforcing material) and a liquid resin, into a mold cavity or onto a mold surface and then curing the resin to provide a finished solid part conforming to the cavity or surface. In order to prevent the finished molded part from sticking to the mold surface, a mold release agent is applied to the surface prior to pouring the resin. There are two basic types of mold release agent, sacrificial and semipermanent. A sacrificial mold release agent is one that is consumed or otherwise completely depleted after a single molded part is made in the mold, and must be reapplied prior to making each molded part. For this reason, sacrificial mold release agents are costly and cumbersome to use. Semi-permanent mold release
agents are also applied to the mold surface. They can be of the wipeon or spray-on type. These release agents are preferred because they are not completely depleted following a single molding operation. A single semipermanent mold release agent application can be used to facilitate the release of multiple successive molded parts without reapplication of the release agent; e.g. up to 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30 or more releases. Conventionally, room temperature curing semi-permanent mold release agents, e.g. for room temperature molding applications (epoxy-based or polyester-based composites), have been solvent based; that is they contain significant amounts of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and have relatively low flash points and high vapor pressures. Existing solvent based mold release agents present significant health and safety hazards, both in use and transport. There is a need in the art for a nonsolvent based semi-permanent mold release agent, which is preferably water based, and does not suffer from the drawbacks mentioned above.Release agents are materials that are applied to the surface of a mold in order to increase the demoldability of the molded products from the mold surface. It is usually desirable to deposit a very thin film coating of the release agent on the mold surface. To facilitate the application of such a thin film, the release agent is commonly dispersed in a volatile carrier. After the release agent and carrier have been applied to the mold surface,
35
Historical Development
Water based mold release agents have been on the market for more than twenty years. Over the last decade two key improvements occurred: First, manufacturers of release agents developed the chemistry to allow successful release without requiring that the release agent be completely dry before the polyurethane or other part
J
U N E
2 0 0 9
T O D A Y
Today
PU
Technical Updates
the carrier evaporates, leaving the desired thin film of release agent. Carriers commonly used in release compounds can be divided into two categories: hydrocarbon solvent carriers and aqueous carriers.
Types of mold releasants

Based on the application of mold release to the process this can be classified into two types. 1) External mold release agents, in which the mold release process is dependant upon repetitious application of mold release substances onto mold cavity surfaces after every few cycles and 2) Internal mold release agents in which the release ability will be incorporated into the PU foaming system itself.
4) Maintain the mold finish and dimensions on the part.
Development of water based release agent

A number of factors are to be taken into consideration while developing a water based formulation. For instance, compared to conventional solvent containing release materials, aqueous systems may require increased evaporation times and higher mold temperatures to remove water (due to extensive hydrogen bonding). In addition to unfavorable evaporation rates, water with its high surface tension is a poor film-forming solvent resulting in poor integrity of the release film. Further, excess water remaining in the mold prior to pouring results in competitive reactions between the water/ isocyanate and the Polyol/ isocyanate. The water/ isocyanate reaction due to excess water can be minimized by masking the water molecules through an effect called lyotropic mesomorphism. Such masking of water is achieved through the combined use of release effective substances, preferably micro waxes, petrolatum fractions, polysiloxanes, and suitable auxiliar y masking agents, for example, emulsifiers such as ethoxylated fatty alcohols.
Conventional mold release agents

Conventional mold release compositions comprise release effective substances, such as waxes or silicones, dispersed in low boiling organic solvent carriers which control film thickness and film formation. The high solvent concentration of these compositions produces significant organic emissions during the time between the release agent application and pouring of the foam components. Increased public and regulator y agency awareness and concern about organic emissions have led to significant impetus worldwide to reduce and eliminate organic solvents from mold release compositions. There are several mold release agents carriers such as Trichloroethane (TCA), Methylene chloride and naphtha for the polyurethane foam productions. However naphtha-based release agents are very familiar in mold release as chlorinated solvents found there way out due to environmental concern. Naphtha is a petroleum distillate comprising mainly of aliphatic hydrocarbons. These hydrocarbons evaporate during the molding process in the same way as chlorinated mold release carriers do.
36
What is water based mold release agent?

When the release agent contains water as a carrier rather than a solvent it is considered as water based release agent. Depending on the types of polyurethane products being manufactured special formulation will be required.
What does a mold release agent do in a PU process?

The mould release agent plays a pivotal role in the polyurethane foaming process in the following way: 1) Release agent forms a barrier between the mold and molded part. 2) Provides a lubricating film which allows the molded part to be easily removed. 3) Protect the mold surface from chemical and mechanical attack.
Types of water based release agent:

Based on the product produced, the water based release agent formulation will differ with one another. Some of the formulation
J
U N E
2 0 0 9
Technical Updates
Today
PU
type of water based release agents are given below in Table 1:
cured within a shorter time after demolding. In Fig.1 a DSC graph
and such compounds should exist in a liquid state at 200C.
3. Surfactants:
Surfactants (surface active agents) are wetting agents that lower the surface tension of a liquid, allowing easier spreading, and lower the interfacial tension between the wax (other chemicals) and water. In the aqueous mold release composition the combined solids has a lower melting point than that of the individual waxes so that when the release composition is applied to a heated mold, it melts to form a continuous film. In this liquid state the components in the coating stratify with the surfactants and emulsifiers migrating toward the air/liquid interface and the waxes migrating toward the mold surface. Once the waxes are isolated by this migration, they attain their naturally higher melting point and solidify to form a solid layer on the mold surface. After the pouring of the liquid foam composition and closing the mold, the combined heating of the mold in the oven and the exotherm of the reacting foam composition serve to raise the mold temperature above the melting point of the waxes. Generally non-ionic surfactants are being used besides cationic and anionic surfactants. Diorganopolysiloxanes which have long-chain alkyl groups bonded to silicon atoms and poly(siloxaneP O L Y U R E T H A N E S T O D A Y
What are the ingredients used in water based release agent Composition?
As described above a number of components go into make a water based release agent. These are discussed below:
shows the relative melting point of a polyethylene wax.
1. Release substance:
Good release properties can be obtained by using release effective substances such as microcrystalline or paraffin waxes with melting points within the operating temperature range of the mold. In general, carnauba wax, montan wax, soaps, oils, branched polyethylene wax and silicon are capable of being used in water based release agents. Wax materials are selected with respect to the mold type, process temperature and condition. Waxes having higher melting point than that of process temperature exhibit good release effect. This in turn favors less sticky effect since the wax gets
J
U N E
2. Film forming agent:

The term film forming agent refers to a substance for resolving one portion or the whole of the release substance under the condition of the temperature of the mold surface and forming a uniform film after the release agent is coated on the mold. The substance in order to function as a film forming agent, the volatility of the substance is important. Hydrocarbon compounds are suitable for use,
2 0 0 9
37
Today
PU
38
T O D A Y
U N E
2 0 0 9
Technical Updates
Today
PU
glycol) surfactant having a cloud point ranging from 25-50 C are being used.
4. Emulsifier:
An emulsifier is a type of surfactant typically used to keep emulsion (mixtures of immiscible fluids) well dispersed. Emulsifiers typically have a hydrophobic (water-hating) and a hydrophilic (water-liking) end. The emulsifiers will surround wax (or other immiscible molecule) and form a protective layer so that the wax molecules cannot clump together. This action helps keeps the dispersed phase in small droplets and preserves the emulsion. Suitable emulsifying agents for preparing aqueous emulsions of release-effective substances are particularly those with an HLB value of 8-15 and especially polyalkoxylated nonionic surfactants. In order to obtain efficient emulsification of the release effective substances in water, ionic emulsifiers are used in combination with the nonionic emulsifiers. This combination allows for an overall lower wax: emulsifier ratio. Typical emulsifiers that can be included are one or more compounds selected from the following groups: a) anionic emulsifiers such as alkyl ether carboxylates, alkyl sulfates, fatty alcohol ethoxylated ether sulfates, alpha-olefinsulfonates, alkyl phosphates, alkyl polyether phosphates,Alkylsulfosuccinates, b) nonionic emulsifiers such as ethoxylated fatty alcohols,
J
U N E
ethoxylated oxo-process alcohols, and other alcohol ethers, fatty amines such as dimethylalkylamines, fatty acid alkanol amides, fatty acid esters with alcohols, including glycerol esters or polyglycerol esters or sorbitol esters. c) cationic emulsifiers such as acidified alkyldimethylamines, quaternary nitrogen compounds.and d) zwitterionic surfactants such as amino acids.
needed for the mold release agent or the temperature of the mold may have to be increased to speed up drying. Based on these criteria the water based release agent formulation will be developed which comprises key ingredients in the following range of usage as in Table 2.
Ingredients
Release substance Film forming agent Emulsifier Surfactant Foam stabilizer Leveling agent Anti - corrosive agent Water
Parts
10 - 40% 1 - 10% 0 - 10% 0 - 10% 0 - 5% 0.05 - 5% 0.05 - 10% 100%
5. Leveling agent:
The drying characteristic is brought about by adding leveling agents by preventing the release agent forming droplets on the mold surface. Some non-ionic surfactants exhibit leveling performance characteristics such as polyethylene glycol.
Table: 2 List of ingredients and compositions used in water based release agent.
Evaluation of the release agent:

The water based release agent in general should satisfy the following characters in terms of its performance.
6. Other Additive:
The water based release agent may contain additional additives such as an insecticide, a foam stabilizer, a wetting agent; and/or an antifoaming agent are used as an additive in trace amounts.
1. The release characteristics:

In order to evaluate the release effect of the part from the mold a spring balance method is being used. In this method the release effect can be understood by applying force to set at the carrying handle of mold, and as the lid was opened the force required for demolding the part is quantified..
Formulation:
In general several factors complicate the use of water based release agent. First the selection of water based release agent is specific to each particular application. Considerable time and trials may be needed before the product is approved and commercialized. The operators doing the mold release spray may require some additional training. Also additional drying time may be
2. Cell opening characteristics of the molding foam:

Water based release agent also
2 0 0 9
39
Today
PU
Technical Updates
exhibits the cell opening behavior in the polyurethane foam. This can be defined as the number of the entire cells within the squire of 5cm x 5cm on the surface of the molded urethane foam and whether there are breaking of cells or not were visually observed and measured. The cell opening ratio was made as a ratio of the number of foam breaking cells occupying in the total cell number. The cell opening characteristic preferably 60% or more.
whole composition shall be less than 0.01kPa.
the chemical and physical properties of each stock to be molded: releasant chemistry and film properties; mold size, shape and material; and the time, temperature and other parameters of processing. Ideally, the process engineer works closely with the suppliers technical staff to select - or custom-formulatereleasants that meet all process applications. And, processors should understand that changing release agents may require changes/additions in equipment, personnel functions and/or the process itself if the new releasant is to perform to expectations.
Selecting the right releasant(s):

Given the wide range of waterbased releasant formulations now available, it should be relatively easy to find the ideal release agent for processors who deal primarily in large production runs of one primary compound and molds of similar size, shape and construction. Unfortunately, most processors do not have that luxury. They process a variety of different compounds, using different molds for each customer. As a result, what is optimally right for one application may prove unsatisfactor y for another.. Obviously, purchasing multiple formulations can be costly as well as an administrative headache, causing storage problems, and increasing the possibility that employee error could lead to selection of the wrong releasant for a particular application. Ideally, one must find a release agent that works satisfactorily on most molds and compounds being processed. One technique for doing that is most difficult first, the theory being that a releasant that performs well under the most difficult circumstances likely will do even better on less difficult applications. Of course, that does not hold true in all cases, but this approach has been proved successful in significantly reducing the need for multiple releasants for multiple applications. In selecting, the proper releasants, a number of factors must be considered:
3. Dry characteristic:
The duration from the time when the release agent was sprayed in the mold at the optimum temperature to the time when it was dried is measured. The drying characteristic in general is within 30 seconds.
Mold build-up:
Build-up on the molds may be triggered by the reaction of water with the material used to create the parts. This build up is somewhat difficult to remove from the mold, meaning additional costs. However, the solution to this issue is by avoiding the release agent in a fresh mold without any primer or solvent wax coating. As a mold comes into production it must be clean and well conditioned. The conditioning barrier covering the mold will limit build up issues.
4. Odour:
The smell at the time when the release agent was sprayed on the mold at the processing temperature is determined by human. Preferably it should be no uncomfortable smell.
5. Corrosiveness:
The moiety of the release agent is put in the sample bottle, in which the degreased iron is immersed. The bottle stood in the thermostat at 65 0C for 4 hrs, and the possible occurrence of the rust is observed. No occurrence of rust should be a result.
Release agent application:

1. Electrostatic spray guns: Electrostatic spray guns have recently been developed for painting and other surface coating operations especially for release agent application. These are designed to reduce coating
6. Work environmental characteristic:

The vapor pressure at 200C as the
40
T O D A Y
U N E
2 0 0 9
Technical Updates
Today
PU
consumption by reducing the amount of over spray, or coating that does not adhere to the target surface. 2. Air spray guns: Well atomized air spray gun provides low build up, better spread ability and prevents the water droplets forming on the mould. In the area of automotive seating production the molds will be very complicated where this type of guns will provide better performance. Preferably the nozzle size of the gun is 0.3mm to 0.5mm, the air pressure is around 0.5 Kg/ m 2 and the flow rate of release agent is in the range of 100-150 gm/minute.
No fire risk assessment:

Less flammable material is another opportunity with water based releases. The chances of a spark triggering a fire are minimized. The lower risks associated with water based release agents can mean lowering insurance premiums as well as controlling costs for storing flammable liquids.
effective. No expensive new equipment is required. This is true when manufacturing open or close cell polyurethane molded parts, the range of composite products, rubber applications and even most types of concrete components.
Disadvantages:
1. Discoloration, which are caused by oxidation of the double bonds within the unsaturated oligomeric or polymeric hydrocarbons when used as a release effective substance. 2. Work environment, the frequent incidence of allergies among employees who work with these release agents or with the shaped parts, produced with their assistance. 3. Polyurea buildup on the mold surfaces, 4. On machines and equipment, a sticky, greasy film is formed which is difficult to remove, even when great care is taken, the soiling of the surrounding area cannot be avoided with certainty, with the consequence that a slippery, greasy film that is hard to remove is formed, for example, on the floors, and represents an unacceptable hazard potential for the employees.
Low VOC and HAP:

Fewer VOCs in water based release agent helps molding manufacturers meet regulatory requirements. VOC reduction can help streamline the process for building or expanding an existing plant. Less regulatory red tape speeds the permitting process. Concerns over emissions from HAPbased and naphtha based release agents have prompted the development of some water based mold release agents which have been used successfully at molded foam production plants. Unlike naphtha based and reduced VOC mold release agents, water based agents eliminate mold release emissions.
Eco- friendly and advantages:

Water based release agents are more environmentally friendly than petroleum based release agents. Petroleum materials demand more energy to be found and then refined, while water is readily available and requires little or no processing. Water based release agents can achieve a 10% to 40% reduction in the volume of release being consumed in polyurethane foam production. Ventilation requirements are less costly and less complex for water based mold release agents whereas solvent based release agents require ventilation to the outside to maintain healthy working conditions. With the use of water based release agents, there is no longer a requirement to ventilate to the outside. In some situations simply filtering the air to remove air borne particulates is sufficient. Minimizing ventilation requirements means savings on energy costs in normal climates.
J
U N E
No additional infrastructure required:

Finally, switching to a water based release doesnt mean manufacturers have to change mold types, spray equipment or the materials used to make parts. Whether the mold is simple or complex, made of aluminum, epoxy, steel, or urethane, no change needed for water based release. Continuing to use the same spray equipment, including, a fixed automated system, manual guns or articulating robots will still be
Conclusion:
An insight has been given on the importance of the water base release agent with special mention on their eco friendly behavior. Although this is still a growing field, there are other frontiers such as nanotechnology which is also finding headway as a favorable option to develop release agents. This is targeted as an one time application product for multi cycle operation although not yet been tried in molded PU application.
2 0 0 9
41
Today
PU
Technical Updates
SoliSpray for innovative Automotive Dash Insulators
he Automoti ve industr y Automotive increasingly requires superior noise insulation solutions to provide vehicles which must be acoustically comfortable and at the same time of lightweight and with ample spaces in the passengers compartment. This article describes two pplications for SoliSpray a pplica tions f or SoliSpra y, the new Cannon technology for spraying highly-filled PUR formulations, developed for the manufacture of the Dash Insulator tor, Insula tor, a large element placed under the instrument panel. Noise from the engine enters into the cockpit mainly from two places: the metal wall holding the instrument panel and the two pits near the front wheels, where on one side the pedals are mounted and on the opposite one the front passengers feet are resting. Several solutions have been applied to meet contrasting needs: high noise-insulation efficiency and low volume. Sandwiches of heavilyfilled polymeric facings and flexible foams, felt-based mats, several combinations of synthetic and natural materials. Lightweight, expanded textile-based mats provide an economic solution with medium-good noise insulation, but they steal space inside the cockpit and are prone to moisture absorption. RRIM-based injected parts provide good sound-proofing but are made
42
out of expensive chemicals as well as expensive production tools and presses. Thermoformed combinations of heavy layers and various facings are quite labour intensive to obtain. Almost all the current products require expensive moulding tools, either because they must contain rising PUR foams or because they must be heated to provide thermoforming capability. An alternative, simpler solution was demanded by this very costconscious market.
A typical Dash Insulator
mixing results in the long run. Injection of the two-component formulation occurs in large, closed moulds, and the pressure generated by the expanding PUR must be held by huge presses to avoid that flashes of polymers leak from the mould junction, wasting material and forcing to manually trim the parts after demoulding. When the industry tried to save some material by thinning the section of the insulator, a quality problem quickly arose: heavily filled formulations are very viscous, they flow with difficulty in thin cavities and produce parts showing air entrapments, heavy flow marks and poor surface aspect. The scrap rate quickly becomes a major problem, also due to the relatively high cost of the formulation, and to the high cost of disposing of these large, scrapped elements. Moreover the presses and moulds necessary to withstand the injection pressure must be strong and stiff, therefore heavy, large and quite expensive. The automotive industry needed large parts, able to provide a good level of noise insulation where required by the design of the metal substrate. Parts that must have very different thickness in specific
J
U N E
Project Background
Acoustic shield for dashboards, providing a substantial reduction of the noise generated by the engines, have been produced with Cannon equipment for many years by the major suppliers of the automotive industry. Lately, the preferred solution has been the so-called Heavy Layer, a single-material moulded element obtained by closed-mould injection of RRIM formulations heavily filled with Barite; this is a natural Barium Sulphate powder, containing small amounts of abrasive silica and quartz crystals able to wear severely standard pumps and mixing heads. Pistondriven metering units have been developed since the 1980s for these applications, combined with hardened heads and special injectors providing a stable functioning and constancy of
2 0 0 9
Technical Updates
Today
PU
zones, that require back foaming with flexible foam and also a good and robust surface finish, to be assembled by semi-automatic tool into the destined positions. Placed under the dashboard, these components permit the passage of the many services crossing between the engine compartment and the cockpit: each passage must be precisely sealed, so the finishing with water jet cutting and the weight tolerance are a must. Not necessarily a part of constant thickness and not necessarily aesthetic parts in terms of look: placed under the dashboard, these are large components that even very few mechanics will have the opportunity to notice in the whole life of a vehicle. A different approach had to be found, using these Barite-filled formulations or something else.
with large amounts of solid, abrasive fillers at relatively high output rate. One of these heads was designed with the geometry of a standard Lshaped Cannon FPL, a Cannon Patent of the late 1970s that has introduced a superior level of mixing efficiency combined with the absence of splash during the open-mould pouring operations. This head modified in its parts in contact with the solid, abrasive fillers provided very good results when pouring simultaneously a standard PUR formulation and a number of solid fillers and reinforcements. When Cannon PUR R&D team was faced with the request of an alternative method to manufacture Heavy Layers for Dash insulators, the filled-spray alternative was immediately taken into consideration. High mixing efficiency combined with the absence of splash in presence of high percentages of solid fillers are also very important features for a spray head. A number of technical constraints were there to be overcome, but the potential advantages of a spray approach immediately appealed the researchers: The possibility to eliminate half of the tools: a spray foam only requires the lower half of a mould, not being this a moulding process. The elimination of heavy and expensive mould carriers: simple trays would be required to carry the lower mould halves on which the foam will be sprayed. The possibility to apply layers of insulating material
only where it is really required: the mould areas where it is unnecessary can be simply skipped during the spraying operation. Where more material is needed, a second, even a third pass can be applied when the former is sufficiently dried. The possibility to position plastic and metal inserts in mould prior to the spraying: positioned in mould either manually or using robots, they are fully encapsulated by the foam.
Initial Developments
A Development project was initiated, to explore the limits of the available metering and mixing equipment and define the parameters for the optimum solution. A piston-dosing Cannon HE lab machine was specially modified and dedicated to this project, as well as a large portion of the R&D lab with a robot handling the spray head, a fully-enclosed spray cabin with forced ventilation of exhausts gases and all the necessary ancillaries and moulds. A team of specialists - from various departments of the Company - was fully dedicated to this task for several months. First things first, a proper formulation had to be found. To start with, also using the previous experiences with moulded formulations, a level of 50% of Barite on the total applied polymer was set as the minimum one to guarantee good acoustic properties.
Cannon Solution
In the late 1990s Cannon were developing a number of manufacturing systems based on the spray technology. The InterWet solutions for instance allowed for the intimate mixing of PUR formulations with long chopped fibers of glass and of other materials, as well as of heavy powders, milled scrap of PUR flexible foams. This technology required a certain amount of efforts for the precise dosing of these external elements, which provided the Cannon PUR R&D team with special skills in handling and mixing these solids. Careful attention was dedicated to the design of heads able to cope
J
U N E
2 0 0 9
43
Today
PU
Technical Updates
The peculiar reology properties of fast and heavily filled formulations require special settings on the temperature control side: extra heating capacity was built into the component tanks and feed lines, able to guarantee at least on the filled Polyol side a running temperature close to 90 C. The matter was rather new also for experienced Raw Material Suppliers. A number of them all the main players in this field of the Automotive industry were invited to take part in this challenge. The first of them came with drums of basic chemicals and jars of their magic powders and played in Cannon R&D Lab until a decent reactivity profile was obtained and reproduced for a sequence of spray applications of one grade of filled foam.
quality, effect of abrasive powders on the mechanical components, design of the spray nozzle and head cleaning procedure at the end of the spray job. Mixing quality of Polyurethanes in general derives from several factors: ratio and nature of components, output, size and geometry of the mixing chamber. When the components are (more or less) of the same order of
Specifically for the Polyol side characterised by a very high specific gravity and brought at very high temperature to lower its extremely high initial viscosity a special new design of jets was derived from other branches of the industry, particularly from the hydraulic science. An optimised stream of material was obtained, whose speed can reach well above the 100 meter per second limit that transforms this flux of filled liquid almost in a water-jet cutting tool! Opposite story for the Isocyanate stream, characterised by very low percentage, viscosity and specific gravity. For this component a totally different injector was designed, that performed optimally with the opposite one carrying the filled Polyol stream.
Various types of pumpand piston-driven dosing units are available at Cannon for the application of spray foams for automotive components
Strong skin, in spite of the thin applied layers, and minimum overspray between layers was soon obtained in Cannon R&D Labs.
After much work and efforts a number of good Heavy Layers was produced: they were judged interesting and worth the continuation of the project. A sort of starting point of the technology was set, and the process entered in its refining phase. A number of basic problems was identified and duly tackled. They mainly involved four areas: mixing
44
magnitude of viscosity, specific gravity and temperature, what happens in a traditional impingement mixing chamber is by now clear and consolidated at least for those who know what they are dealing with. But when the same parameters are, as in this case, heavily unbalanced, what happens in a tiny mixing chamber is widely uncertain and cannot surely be monitored with a video camera. Not in real life, at least. Only by using dedicated FEA (Finite Elements Analysis) software and mathematical models one can simulate those processing situations with a good margin of reliability, using less time and less resources than when using a trial and error approach.
Compact and characterised by a perfect spray pattern, the new Cannon head performs very well with highly filled formulations.
The abrasion problem was a very serious one. Natural Barite extracted from mines and roughly pulverised is sold as is including all its natural pollutants, mainly silica-based quartz-rich sands. They are very abrasive, even if present in small percentages. It is quite understandable that pumping through a Diesel-like injector a dispersion of a lot of this earth in Polyol, at speed above 100 mps can be quite an experience for both the injector doing the job and for that positioned in front of it in
J
U N E
2 0 0 9
Technical Updates
Today
PU
a tiny mixing chamber. This aspect was solved many years ago for the RRIM heads, and the solution was found by making the injectors in hard metal alloys. The optimum very hard grade was found with several sets of trials, and the specially designed injectors (plus their seats) were made with it. The spray nozzle positioned at the exit of the discharge duct seriously influenced two major processing aspects: the geometry of the stroke of blend projected on the mould surface, and the industrial reliability of the process: seriously attacked by the abrasive fillers, it required a special execution in very hard alloy and a peculiar design, to provide a very flat and regular triangle of projected material. A specific projection angle was selected as the optimum one to guarantee complete control of the spraying pattern, allowing for a correct number of passes on the mould and for a minimum overlapping of foam between two contiguous strokes. After thorough development, helped by the use of a laser simulator which optimised the computer-programming of the spray patterns, the best results were achieved with a overlapping width lower than 5% of the strokes width. The same design allowed to define a spraying distance from the surface of min. 300 max. 800 mm, to cover the widest range of requirements dictated by the smallest and the largest moulds used for this process. Cleaning the head after the spray operation involved a
J
U N E
number of practical considerations, mostly linked to the repetitivity of results required by an industrial automated operation. The high material reactivity required the development of a small washing device which cleans the discharge duct and the spray nozzle with few grams of an ester-based cleaning agent, an environmentally-friendly solvent recoverable by distillation.
Industrialisation of the Process

Once applied all the described developments on the lab machine, a second series of trials was organised and run using moulds of potential customers of this technology, and the results very soon proved that the development work had been successful.
Polyol with amine-based catalysis (100 pbw) and Barite, well dried to remove water (350 pbw) was tested, to produce a large Dash Insulator containing, in the final blend, 70% of solid filler. Seen in the pre-blending drum, the Polyol side looked like thick mud. The simple idea of spraying that mud puzzled a lot the development team. This blend was transferred to the Polyol tank using a special pump, and once there it was recirculated for a while at 85C and processed at this high temperature, working with a pressure on the nozzle of 180 bar. The Isocyanate was processed at 35 C and pressure of 190 bar. The result was beyond any expectation. A perfect layer of wellmixed polymer was obtained, which allowed for the deposition of several passes one over the other, increasing the final parts thickness where it was needed and keeping a minimum layer there where it was just necessary a thin film, enough for handling the part safely during the extraction of the part from the bottom mould half. The lightweight mixhead produced a perfectly triangular spray pattern, with a very flat and regular section. The external border of the spray left a minimal drop-out of no more than 2-3% of material, free from any pulverisation effect. The overlapping between contiguous strokes was as expected contained below 4% of the spray width. The measured thickness of a single layer was of one mm (+/- 10%) across the whole stroke . The stroke was applied regularly, continuously and with constant speed on the curves, avoiding any effect of build-up or lack of material, typical of applications
The piston-dosing high pressure metering unit is usually located over the spray booth.
A positive German industrial experience One of the leading German manufacturers of sound deadening systems for automotive applications a Cannon customer for more than 25 years required a solution for a large part they had to supply to BMW. A heavily-filled formulation, based on Polymeric Isocyanate (35 pbw),
2 0 0 9
45
Today
PU
Technical Updates
where the robot does not keep a regular speed when changing its direction. This is an unwanted result deriving from the use of large, heavy heads with many high-pressure pipes: the new Cannon spray head deriving from this development able to work in a output range of 80-200 g/sec features a size which is one quarter of those used by a qualified competitor for the same task, it weighs only 4 kg and can be mounted on a small robot, the same size of device used for a simple painting task! Also the number and size of pipes is very contained, limiting the dimension of the device that must be brought over a mould for a spray operation. This is a major advantage when the job must be performed in a mould destined to perform a foam-backing task immediately after the spray operation: in this case, in fact, the upper mould half is present, and many times it is not opened at a full 90 aperture during the spray job. The use of a small head with a lighter piping allows for better entrance over the lower mould half, and for less risks of collision with the upper mould surface. The development work was validated, and Cannon supplied a complete solution including piston-dosing high pressure metering unit, the new spray head, plus all the required ancillaries. This plant is in production in Germany since June 2008. A positive Italian industrial experience. Adler is an Italian car part manufacturer belonging to a family group which owns similar plants in Italy, Poland, France, Brazil, Turkey and India. They provide all sorts of interior parts to Fiat, VW-Porsche,
46
Peugeot, Iveco, Suzuki and other vehicle manufacturers, utilizing several thermoplastic and Polyurethane technologies. In their plant in Pisticci, strategically well positioned to supply all Fiat s plants based in southern Italy, Adler produces among other parts the Dash Insulator of the Grande Punto model. This large sound-deadening part (it measures 165x90 cm) rather than being made, as they do for other vehicles, by back-foaming with PUR a PVC thermoformed skin, thanks to the availability of the new Cannon SoliSpray technology has been designed as a All PUR product composed by a thin layer of sound absorbing compact sprayed PUR, backfoamed with low-density flexible PUR foam. The two different processes are applied in sequence on the same production line, a carousel system dragging several mould carriers. Each of these book-opening mould carriers holds one large mould. The thin, high-density skin is sprayed directly on the surface of the lower mould, and the flexible foam layer is lately poured over the skin by a second dosing unit. The upper part of the mould is closed over the lower part immediately after the open-mould pouring operation. The finished two-layers Dash Insulator is demoulded after a short cure, and the cycle restarts. The sprayed skin is composed by a two-component formulation, which contains from 60 to 75% of mineral filler over the finished product. For this application a fine powder of Calcium Carbonate is
employed, in a filler-to-polyol ratio that can reach the 250/100 proportion. Again, also in this case the major obstacle for a correct application of this formulation derives from the very high viscosity of this blend. As shown in Graph. 1, at 25 C the blend is a solid mass bearing a viscosity of 40,000 cps. Only by heating it up to 80 C its viscosity reaches a more reasonable but still problematic to process value of 16,000 cps.
Six kg of filled PUR skin are sprayed over a naken mould: more than half of the formulation consists of a fine Calcium Carbonate powder!
Major advantages of Calcium Carbonate versus the previously described Barium Sulphate still maintaining a very high insulation capacity are the lack of abrasion effect over dosing machine and mixing heads, and a slightly lower specific gravity. This translates into easier process and some weight reduction of the component, bearing a higher mileage to the vehicle to whom the Dash Insulator will belong. Adler development and production staff new to this filled spray technology had to learn each and every trick of the trade to reach an optimum result. As usual, the best compromise had
J
U N E
2 0 0 9
Technical Updates
Today
PU
The special Cannon head guarantees a precise and uniform spray pattern, for optimum distribution of the filled formulation where it is needed by the parts design.
The fast reacting formulation, fine tuned after several sessions of industrial trials, allowed for a very quick sequence of passes over the mould, optimizing the cycle time and providing high productivity to the line. This high reactivity allows for the application of a uniform thickness of material also on the vertical slopes of the mould: dropping of liquid is minimized after its application over the mould surface, guaranteeing homogeneous layers of skin in each cross section of the insulating part.
project? Quite a lot: An industrial process, currently in operation in Germany with 70% of Barite and in Italy with 75% of Calcium Carbonate, An important saving in tooling if the process is applied without a subsequent backfoaming operation because it can even avoid the use of mould carriers and cuts to less than half the investment in moulds. The larger the part, the more convenient the process results. A high-quality finished part characterised by uniform thickness and constant distribution of solids within the polymer, and by a very high differential between thick and thin parts, not obtainable with a moulding process. A system usable for both a mass production of standard cars and for small series of large parts for trucks, buses and special vehicles. All with the same equipment. The development continues, and interesting developments are in the boiler room at the moment. Have a complex spray project in mind? Talk to Cannon: They Know How!
to be found among formulation, machine, head and mould, and the learning curve was pretty long. Cannon worked very close to the customer to adapt and optimise the process, and this co-operation worked. At the end of the lesson, few basic point were made clear: the best results were obtained with an output range around 80 g/sec, an extremely precise control of the components temperatures was a must, some time has to be invested in the beginning to define the most efficient spraying path for the robot, and the final skin should be composed for practical reasons linked with the maximum specific weight of the final piece by a maximum of three layers.
One Cannon piston machine is dispensing the heavily filled formulation, another feeds the second layer of sound absorber, a light flexible foam.
A perfect skin, whose weight is around 1.8 kg/sqm for each layer of one millimetre of thickness, guarantees a nice aspect for the external side of the piece and high adhesion for the flexible foam PU formulation which is poured over it a few seconds after the skin has dried. Says Lino Mondino, Adlers Chief of the Engineering and Innovation Department: It was not an easy learning, it was not as fast as we hoped, but now it is there and it works very fine. We supply extremely good parts made efficiently and this is what our customers and we too like mostly! This is what counts, today.
The Added Value

A view of Adlers spray and foaming plant for FIATs dash insulators near Matera, Italy.
J
U N E
What did Cannon achieve from this new SoliSpray development

2 0 0 9
47
Today
PU
Technical Updates
Pur Skin Technologies in the Automotive Industry

hen Integral Skinned foams were first developed in the Seventies, it was an exciting material as it was one of the only one shot moulding processes which realised dual density mouldings which had a dense outer skin and a low density soft core. This soft feel was much appreciated by the auto industr y and many applications were based around this technology. Classic applications included Steering Wheels, Gear Knobs, Arm rests etc. Soon, the industry realised that ISF processing had limitations.
Aliphatic spray skin dashboard with back foaming
Limitations
Light stable colors were a problem and most applications were in Black Color. As the process used aromatic Isocyanates light colors were not possible. Surface defects such as voids, Air entrapment and flow lines were a serious concern. As the size of the part increased, there was difficulty to make good quality parts. Next stage of development was to introduce In Mold Coatings which were based on Aliphatic Isocyanates and provided a 20 Micron surface layer in the desired color. This was introduced in Steering wheels,Arm Rests etc. Simultaneously, the search of systems and equipments started which would provide sprayable skins. It was important to give this back
48
ground so that the understanding of the evolution of spray skin technologies is clear.
Current available Technologies and their Features

1. Sprayable 2k Pur Skin Systems PROCESSING TECHNOLOGYSpecial machines are available for working with 2K systems which can control mixing ratios in a closed loop and give a fine mix and spray. Isotherm in Switzerland has done a lot of work in developing machines over the years and is one of the well known manufacturer for this application. Both Aliphatic and Aromatic systems are used depending on the color and target costs. DEVELOPMENT IN MATERIALSKey properties in Automotive industry are Tactile feel or soft contact feel, range of light stable colours, high resistance to abrasion
and low VOC emissions. So much work has been done that today you can formulate anti bacterial spary skin systems. Flexible Polyurea coatings are a relatively recent development and they impart short cycle times. COST VIABILITYMany applications where cost is an important issue are being managed with a combination of Aliphatic In Mold Coating backed by an Aromatic In mold skinning in a two stage process. 2. Pur Skin Moulding Exciting new technologies have been developed in Germany in the last few years where PUR Skin is moulded directly onto injection moulded substrates in an inline process. This process is giving productivity of Injection moulding processes and the soft contact associated with PUR Surfaces. Here a non foaming highly reactive 2K System is injected onto the substrate to give very thin moulded skins.
J
U N E
2 0 0 9
Technical Updates
Today
PU
This process is competing with Soft feel TPU grades moulded by Injection moulding which are being used a lot in the European Auto Industry for trim parts, glass holders etc where the perceived value is enhanced and where designers are insisting on zero plastic feel parts in the human see and feel zone in car interiors. All through the eighties, people were incensed with finding materials and process for Dashboard Skins. The winner here was thermoformed ABS/PVC Alloy Skins. These skins are backfoamed with semi rigid PUR Foam as a sandwich between the skin and the substrate. This process is very well established and still extremely popular. The nineties saw concerns on Amine emissions and fogging of
development and also the introduction of Air bags and dual color interiors saw companies like Recticel take these processes to new highs and incorporated them in Door panels and dashboards. Spray techniques made it possible to create twin color skins.
Example of wear resistant skin back foamed with different textures
PVC Skinned dashboards and also the discussion of sustainability and product stewardship came about. Here, it was considered un responsive on the part of Auto makers to produce a composite dashboard which cannot be easily recycled due to different materials like steel, PUR and PVC. TPU Slush skins were then introduced for top end car using an R-Rim substrate. This created an all PUR Dashboard which was taken into serial production by BMW for the 5 series in the mid nineties. Energised by this
The last few years has convinced the industry that there is a lot to be gained by using spray skins in low volume upper end car models. As the human desire for soft feel interiors spreads across the industry, there is a challenge to compete with Thermoplastic Olefins( TPO) which offer tactile finish at a lower cost. Still, it is accepted by all in the industry that PUR Spray Skins are at the top of the heap by way of quality of feel and it is no wonder that the most exclusive of the cars use these materials.
Previews Reports
First International Conference on Nanostructured Materials & Nanocomposites (Icnm 2009)
April 8, 2009
he 3 day INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON NANOSTRUCTURED MATERIALS & NANOCOMPOSITES (ICNM 2009) was organized by the Institute of Macromolecular Science & Engineering (ISME) and Centre for Rural Management,
J
U N E
Kerala. This was the first of its kind and was held from April 6 8, 2009 at Kotayam, Kerala. The conference was attended by over 350 scientists, academicians and delegates from 40 countries. 170 scientists came from abroad
and the rest were from India. It was a unique congregation of intense intellectual at the conference, which was of international standards. It is indeed a wonder that it was held at in a small town in Southern India Kotayam.
2 0 0 9
49
Today
PU
Previews Reports
It has been a fantastic effort by Dr. Sabu Thomas, the Convener of the Conference who was ably assisted by his students, who were the pillars of this ICNM 2009 Conference. Some of the highlights of the Conference are: The First INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON NANOSTRUCTURED MATERIALS & NANOCOMPOSITES in India Participation from 40 countries 170 Scientists and Academicians from across the world and countries like USA, UK, France, Japan, Germany, China, Russia etc. 175 Scientists, Academicians & delegates from different parts of India 231 papers presented in all over 3 days 3 parallel sessions The conference was inaugurated by President Plastindia Foundation, Mr. Arvind Mehta where he made a presentation on Polymer Nanocomposites which was very well received. Some of the major presentations done at the Conference includes subjects like.. Metal Nanoparticles Medical & Biomedical Applications Application of Nanostructure Applications As Sensors Applications as Solar Cells Carbon Nanotubes Applications as Devices Optical Properties Self assembled systems Conferences such as these raise the bar on knowledge in the field on polymers and also enable the Indian intellect to keep abreast of
50
international accomplishments. Polymer scientists from India have had a glorious platform at ICNM 2009 and I am sure we will see several more such conferences leading to major breakthroughs in polymeric science. Outline of Presentation on Polymer Nanocomposites:Polymer Nanocomposites are very important inclusions in the list of novel materials, although their history is not older than a decade. The scope of application of these materials have raised a great del of scientific and technological interest and have given R&D in material science, a new direction. Progress made in this respect is towards improvement of processing & application potential of the conducting polymers. These materials are suitable for versatile practical applications and their appropriate utilization will provide a long leap to material science.
In Optics & Electricals

Nanocomposites added to inorganic particles in polymers improve their optical and electrical properties. Such nanoparticles will increase light scatter which is of interest to optics & electricals.
Prevents Cable Fires

Nanocomposites protects cables from flames - flame-retardant Nanocomposites act as an insulating and non-combustible layer that reduces the emission of the volatile products of polymer decomposition.
In Automotive
Sophisticated adhesive technology enables bonding of materials with different properties such as metals and plastics. This enables the design of light-weight cars and thus reduces fuel consumption.
Future of Polymer Nanocomposites

Polymer nanocomposites (PNC) are the future for the Global packaging industry. By 2012 the usage of PNC in packaging will be 5 million pounds. The total consumption of PNC in globally estimated to be100 million pounds. Research continues into other types of nanofillers allowing new nanocomposite structures with different improved properties that will further advance nanocomposite use in many diverse applications.
Some Major Applications of Polymer Nanocomposites

Automotive Construction Food Packaging Textile Aerospace Healthcare
In Health Care
Drug delivery commands a sizeable proportion of the overall pharmaceutical market. Especially where nano polymers are used in sustained release drug delivery. This market is will grow faster rate than the overall pharmaceutical market.
U N E
2 0 0 9
Today
PU
U N E
2 0 0 9
T O D A Y
51
Today
PU
52 P O L U R E T H A N S T O D A Y J U N E 0 0 9 FOR PRIVATEY CIRCULATIONE ONLY. Edited by Ms Medha Bhuta Published by K. Ramamurthy for Indian Polyurethane2Association Printed by citiprints - 044 4206 4271 citiprints@gmail.com

Pu Today June 2009

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Description:

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Pu Today June 2009

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Today

PUBLISHED BY THE INDIAN POLYURETHANES ASSOCIATION EDITOR

CHAIRMANS MESSAGE ........................... 3 EDITORIAL ....................................... 4

COMPILATION & SELECTION

PRODUCTION & EXECUTION

PREVIEWS & REPORT ........................... 49

IPUA EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEMBERS

Warm Valediction Mr. Sarangpani

Polyurethane insulation a key contributor to sustainable construction

Sustainable construction the drivers

The role of insulation

The contribution of polyurethane insulation

Self-supporting metal faced insulated panels

Polyurethane insulation and the the cold chain

Polyurethane pipe insulation

Polyurethane insulation boards

Spray polyurethane foam

AUTOTHANE enhances suspension for TVS Motorcycles

service the local market.

About Dow Hyperlast

New BASF report makes business sustainability transparent

DIRECT PAINTING FOR LFI PARTS

KraussMaffeis Spotlight event showcases new process technology

Comprehensive expertise, products and processes

Harita Seatings Systems Limited

Events & Trends

High surface quality long fiberglass PU composite

Figure 1. Typical mechanical properties of PU composites and other reinforced polymers

together with enhanced surface quality.

Results and discussion

Figure 2. LFI Mixing head scheme and detail

data gathered using this system belonging to this new family of

Figure 4 shows the improved surface quality of a LFI composite produced

Figure 3. LFI sample - defects

Figure 4. Comparison between LFI systems

Figure 5. Mechanical properties variation at different fiberglass rates (same length)

Figure 6. Mechanical properties variation vs. fiberglass length variation

Figure 8. Spray Rigid Layer and LFI structure

Figure 10. Multilayer structure of the composite

Figure 11.Parts produced with Hard Coat Self Release (IMP)

Figure 13. Post painted sample with no pin holes defects

ater-based release agents began their rise to

What is a mold release agent?

Types of mold releasants

4) Maintain the mold finish and dimensions on the part.

Development of water based release agent

Conventional mold release agents

What is water based mold release agent?

What does a mold release agent do in a PU process?

Types of water based release agent:

type of water based release agents are given below in Table 1:

cured within a shorter time after demolding. In Fig.1 a DSC graph

and such compounds should exist in a liquid state at 200C.

shows the relative melting point of a polyethylene wax.

2. Film forming agent:

Evaluation of the release agent:

1. The release characteristics:

2. Cell opening characteristics of the molding foam:

whole composition shall be less than 0.01kPa.

Selecting the right releasant(s):

Release agent application:

6. Work environmental characteristic:

No fire risk assessment: