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Asian
P U
Digest
TECHNICAL MAGAZINE FOR THE
ASIAN POLYURETHANES INDUSTRY
4| 2018
Polyaspartic coating Source: Pultex
Source: Hennecke
New generation of metering machines
Prepolymer for cast elastomers
Source: Covestro
Source: Lanxess
Interview with T. Roemer, Covestro
www.asian-pu-digest.com
INTRODUCING
FORANE ®
FBA 1233ZD
THE FRIENDLY FOAM
BLOWING AGENT…
Thermal Performance
• Improved energy efficiency for cold chain uses
• High insulation value for spray foam
Low Environmental Impact
• Low global warming potential (GWP = 1)*
• Non-ozone depleting
• VOC exempt. 1233zd is not a VOC
Safety Performance
• Non-flammable
• Low vapor pressure
Cost and Ease of Use
• Utilizes existing processing equipment
• Easy to use in liquid form
info.forane@arkema.com
*IPCC 5th Assessment Report WG1. Jan. 2014
Arkema has granted patents on 1233zd use in Foam and Heat Transfer
applications throughout the world.
forane.com
Forane® is a registered trademark of Arkema.
© 2017 Arkema All rights reserved.
Editorial
Dear readers!
For this issue of “Asian PU Digest”, we have picked two interesting main articles that we believe you will find par-
ticularly interesting:
First, we have chosen a comprehensive review by Denis Hicks about mergers and acquisitions in the global poly-
urethane industry, covering key trends identified from over 120 publicly reported deals in the last two to three
years. The formation of joint ventures as well as the arrival of Chinese companies on the global stage is also
highlighted.
The second technical article by Bill Blackwell, John Blackwell and Brian Blackwell from Opus Technical Ltd. deals
with the Vertifoam Variable Pressure Foaming (VPF-V) process. It presents insights into the operation of the process
and shows how the VPF-V equipment and process have been developed and refined to produce a new range of
foams that has opened up new profitable markets for the polyurethane foam industry.
Furthermore, we have conducted an interview with Dr. Thomas Roemer, head of Thermoplastic Polyurethanes (TPU),
BU Coatings, Adhesives, Specialties at Covestro. Since January 2018, Roemer has taken over the responsibilities
of Marius Wirtz, who changed to the position of Senior Vice President, PUR Commercial Operations APAC at the
company.
In addition, the current issue includes reports on a new prepolymer for polyurethane hot-cast elastomers as well
as on a new generation of metering machines. It also features a preview on the upcoming 11th edition of JEC Asia,
which will be held for the second time in Seoul, Republic of Korea, in November 2018, as well as a sneak peak at
CIFM / interzum guangzhou 2019. Of course, we also report on the current news and developments of the indus-
try.
Enjoy reading!
Your
Asian PU Digest Team
Asian PU Digest – VOL. 2, NO. 4 3
Content
News................................................................................................................................... 6
Hennecke introduces new generation of Streamline metering machines.............................. 12
Back to Seoul. JEC Asia 2018 gathers the composites industry in Korea���������������������������� 13
A new prepolymer for cast elastomers with unusual properties������������������������������������������ 14
Global forecast for the cast elastomers market to 2023���������������������������������������������������� 16
From the board meeting of the IPTPF�������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 17
A glance at Covestro’s TPU business. Interview with Dr. Thomas Roemer,
Head of Thermoplastic Polyurethanes (TPU), BU Coatings, Adhesives, Specialties��������������� 18
Mergers and acquisitions in the polymer industry�������������������������������������������������������������� 22
B. Blackwell, J. Blackwell, B. Blackwell
Vertifoam variable pressure foaming (VPF-V): Full-scale production insights........................ 28
interzum guangzhou 2019 to double in size���������������������������������������������������������������������� 34
Publication information & contacts
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Dr. Heinz B. P. Gupta Dr. Isabella Kappner (Editor-in-Chief) Indira Gupta, Julian Bäumer 4 issues / year
Address Dr. Heinz B. P. Gupta Tel. +49 2102 9345-15 ISSN 2586-8713
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4 Asian PU Digest – VOL. 2, NO. 4
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dedicated to Asia Pacific
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News
Materials businesses, and comprises manufacturing, R&D capabilities,
Industry News
a technical service centre, warehouse and distribution space, and a
commercial office. According to Huntsman, this is the first manufactur-
BASF investigates establishment of second ing expansion investment outside China for its business in Asia Pacific.
Verbund site in China In addition to this facility, Huntsman has a distribution warehouse lo-
cated in the inland container depot at Long Binh – Dong Nai Province,
BASF is investigating the possibility of building a highly-integrated “Ver- and a site in Hanoi which offers technical service and comprises ware-
bund” chemical production site in the South Chinese province of Guang- house and distribution space and a commercial office.
dong. On 9 July 2018, Martin Brudermüller, BASF’s Chairman of the
Board of Executive Directors, and Lin Shaochun, Executive Vice Gov- www.huntsman.com
ernor of Guangdong Province, signed a non-binding Memorandum of
Understanding in Berlin, in the presence of Germany’s Chancellor An-
Tony Hankins, Huntsman’s CEO Asia Pacific and President of the
gela Merkel and the Chinese Premier Li Keqiang. The Verbund site in
Polyurethanes business, said: “Vietnam is one of the largest and
Guangdong would be the company’s largest investment and would be
fastest growing countries in Asia Pacific. For Polyurethanes, we’ve
operated under the sole responsibility of BASF. China – with a world
seen double digit growth rates for a sustained period and fully
market share of around 40 % – is the largest chemical market, and
expect this to continue. At the new site, we’ll manufacture formu-
dominates the growth of the global chemical production. The invest-
lated systems for the footwear and automotive markets, rigid in-
ment is estimated to reach up to USD 10 billion by completion of the
sulation foam used in construction and cold chain applications,
project around 2030. The first plants could be completed by 2026 at
and simulated wood for the furniture market. These products will
the latest. The site would ultimately be the third-largest BASF site world-
be consumed primarily in Vietnam, with the balance being ex-
wide, following Ludwigshafen, Germany, and Antwerp, Belgium.
ported to Cambodia.”
www.basf.com
BASF is planning to build a highly-integrated chemical production site in the South
Sinochem and ChemChina set to merge
Chinese province of Guangdong
According to the Chinese news portal “Caixin”, China’s two state-
Source: BASF
owned chemical companies Sinochem and China National Chem-
ical Corp. (ChemChina) are to merge into a new company with
operations spanning the globe and annual revenues exceeding
USD 100 billion. The government agency responsible for controlling
China’s largest state-owned enterprises announced that Ren Jianxin,
the long-serving chairman of ChemChina, will retire and that Sinochem
Group Chairman Ning Gaoning will lead the consolidated chemicals
company. Rumors of the planned merger have persisted for two
years. While no clear plans regarding the structure of the new com-
pany have yet been announced, sources close to Sinochem con-
firmed that the merger has been decided upon, the report said. The
merger is thought to be one of the Chinese government’s conditions
BASF currently operates six Verbund sites: two in Europe (Ludwigs-
for its support of ChemChina’s USD 49 billion takeover of Swiss agri-
hafen, Germany, and Antwerp, Belgium), two in the USA (Freeport,
chemicals company Syngenta AG.
TX, and Geismar, LA) and two in Asia. The Verbund site in Nanjing,
China, established in 2000, is a 50:50 JV with Sinopec, while the
www.chemchina.com.cn
one in Kuantan, Malaysia, established in 1997, is a 60:40 JV with
www.sinochem.com
Petronas.
KCC-led consortium to acquire Momentive
Huntsman opens formulations manufacturing Performance Materials
facility in Vietnam
According to the news portal “BusinessKorea”, a consortium led by
Huntsman has opened a multi-purpose facility at the Amata Vietnam the Korean construction material producer KCC Corporation will
Industrial Park, near Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. The site is a greenfield acquire the US-based company Momentive Performance Materi-
investment, will house the company’s Polyurethanes and Advanced als, one of the world’s largest manufacturers of silicone, quarts and
6 Asian PU Digest – VOL. 2, NO. 4
ceramics, for approximately USD 3 billion. The consortium is said to 2023. Over the past five years, the company has invested more than
include Wonik Group, a Korean semiconductor raw material and USD 600 million in China to support the nylon market, including a
equipment maker, and SJL Partners, a private equity fund manage- 215,000 t/y hexamethylenediamine (HMD) plant and a 150,000 t/y
ment company. SJL Partners will pay 50 % of the acquisition price, polymer plant at the Shanghai Chemical Industry Park (SCIP).
while KCC and Wonik will account for 45 % and 5 %, respectively.
Once the acquisition is completed, KCC will take over the silicone www.invista.com
business and Wonik will integrate the quartz and ceramic businesses.
SJL Partners will have a 50 % stake in both business divisions. With
the acquisition, KCC is expected to increase its annual sales of sili- Asahi Kasei to acquire Sage Automotive Interiors
cone to KRW 2 trillion (~ USD 1.8 billion) from the current
KRW 200 billion (~ USD 180 million), the report said. Asahi Kasei has announced that it will acquire Sage Automotive
Interiors, Inc., a US-based manufacturer of automotive interior mate-
www.kccworld.co.kr · www.momentive.com rial. Sage is headquartered in Greenville, SC, USA. The company was
www.sjlpartners.com · www.wonik.com founded in 2009 as a spinoff from Milliken. Today it has approxi-
mately 2,200 employees and production sites in the USA, Italy, Poland,
Romania, Brazil, and China. Sage is a leading supplier of woven and
Invista to build adiponitrile facility in China knitted fabric for vehicle seats for automotive interiors. Asahi Kasei
supplies Lamous microfiber suede to Sage, and the two companies
Invista is planning to invest approximately USD 1 billion in a have a long-standing business relationship. Asahi Kasei said that as a
300,000 t/y adiponitrile (ADN) plant in China to meet the strong, local medium-term strategic initiative, it is focused on expanding automotive-
demand for the intermediate chemical. ADN is used to make nylon 6,6, related business as a priority in the material sector. The cash transac-
fibres and other speciality materials such as hexamethylene diisocy- tion price is said to be approximately USD 700 million.
anate (HDI) for polyurethane paints, coatings, and epoxy curing agents.
210x148_E_PUasia.qxp_Layout 1 17.08.18
Construction start is targeted for 11:40 Seiteproduction
2020 and 1 would begin in www.asahi-kasei.co.jp
WELCOME TO FASCINATION
F SCINAT
FA A ION PUR
AT
高效聚氨酯加工工艺，设备和生产线
亨内基凭借创新技术和
宽泛的聚氨酯产品领域已
遍布全世界，鉴于各个领
域的卓越产品质量和原材料
的高效利用引领聚氨酯应用潮
流 70年。
>> 发泡设备 >> 复合材料和先进技术应用
>> 夹芯板线 >> 聚氨酯保温技术生产线
>> 模塑发泡生产线 >> 360˚ 全方位服务
>> 软泡线
JEC ASIA / Seoul Asian PU Digest – VOL. 2, NO. 4 7
14 - 16 November 2018, Hall C, Stand E14 www.hennecke.com
Sabic to expand in China with proposed new plant from each other in a sandwich construction, held in a floating arrange-
ment by an elastomer damper made of Infinergy. In the three-wheeled
According to the news portal “Arab News”, Saudi Basic Industries concept vehicle 05Gen from Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd., the E-TPU
Corporation (Sabic) is considering plans to build a petrochemical was used in the tyres to enhance the overall riding experience, and
complex in the Chinese province of Fujian. The company has signed its characteristic cellular structure contributed to its striking design.
an initial agreement with the Fujian provincial government, which sets The material has also been adopted in construction, providing a
out a framework of cooperation for the world-scale project, said the safer and improved sporting experience on running track and playing
report. Sabic said the agreement is part of a strategy to “diversify its fields, owing to the outstanding cushioning effect of the E-TPU parti-
operations, seek new investment opportunities and strengthen its cles.
position in the Chinese market.” The agreement did not contain any
‘definitive’ timeframes for the development, said the company. Sabic www.basf.com
has already established a foothold in China through its existing 50:50
joint venture with the Chinese state-owned oil company Sinopec in
an ethylene plant in the Tianjin Province. Kuraray, PTT and Sumitomo establish JV for
butadiene derivatives
www.sabic.com
Kuraray Co., Ltd., PTT Global Chemical Public Company Ltd.,
and Sumitomo Corporation have announced their decision to es-
Lubrizol celebrates 90th anniversary tablish a JV in Thailand for the production of butadiene derivatives.
With Hemaraj Eastern Industrial Estate (Map Ta Phut Complex),
Lubrizol, a Berkshire Hathaway company, celebrated its 90 th Rayong in Thailand, as the candidate of the production site, the JV
anniversary on 28 July 2018. The company was founded in Cleve- is scheduled to manufacture and sell high heat resistant polyam-
land in 1928, moving to Lake County in 1931. The original Wickliffe ide 9T (PA9T) and hydrogenated styrenic block copolymers (HSBC).
location remains the site of Lubrizol’s world headquarters. Lake The name of the JV will be Kuraray GC Advanced Materials Co.,
County is also home to Lubrizol’s Painesville facility. Lubrizol owns Ltd. Kuraray holds a majority share of 53.3 %, while PTT and Su-
and operates 60 manufacturing facilities in 17 countries, as well as mitomo hold minority shares of 33.4 % and 13.3 %, respectively.
sales and technical offices around the world. The company has ap- Kuraray said that it also plans to solely carry out production of
proximately 8,700 employees worldwide. Revenues for 2017 were 5,000 t/y of 3-methyl-1.5-pentanediol (MPD) at a production facility
USD 6.3 billion. to be built on the same premises as the production facility for the
butadiene derivatives. Kuraray will establish a wholly-owned sub-
www.lubrizol.com sidiary for the manufacturing and sale of the MPD under the name
Kuraray Advanced Chemicals (Thailand) Co., Ltd. Both com-
panies will be headquartered in Bangkok, Thailand, and will be led
A milestone in Lubrizol’s history is the invention of thermoplastic
by Hiroshi Yamamoto.
polyurethane. It was in 1959 when TPU was invented by Lubrizol’s
predecessor company BF Goodrich (Patent of C. S. Schollen-
www.kuraray.com · www.pttgcgroup.com · www.sumitomocorp.com
berger US Pat. 2,871,218, 27 Jan 1959). Since that time, Lubrizol
has continued to innovate the material, creating the first non-halo-
genated flame retardant TPU and the first static dissipative TPU.
Arkema signs distribution agreements with TCP
and Central Glass
BASF opens E-TPU production facility in Taiwan Arkema has signed an agreement with Toyotsu Chemiplas (TCP)
for the distribution of its Forane FBA 1233zd hydrofluoroolefin (HFO)
BASF has launched a production facility for Infinergy expanded ther- foam blowing agent in several countries in Asia and Southeast Asia.
moplastic polyurethanes (E-TPU) at its Changhua manufacturing site The multi-year agreement covers sales into foam blowing applications
in Taiwan. According to the company, the material is the world’s first in Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brunei, Cambodia, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia,
E-TPU. The closed-cell, elastic particle foam has a special combina- Laos, Macau, Malaysia, Maldives, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan, Philip-
tion of properties, such as high rebound, low density, and durability pines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam. In addition,
over a wide temperature range, chemical resistance and low weight. Arkema K. K. (Japan) announced a new agreement with Central
The product is used in transportation, furniture, construction and Glass Co. Ltd. for the exclusive distribution of its Forane 1233zd
sports equipment, such as a bicycle saddle created by Ergon, a foam blowing agents and heat transfer products in Japan.
cycling innovation company based in Koblenz, Germany. Ergon’s bi-
cycle saddles are comprised of two shells functioning in isolation www.arkema.com · www.cgc-jp.co · www.toyotsu-chemiplas.com
8 Asian PU Digest – VOL. 2, NO. 4
55 AHG TPU and Avalon ABDI TPU. Avalon ABDI TPU is a new
Technology and Products
material with a fast cycle time, which is easy to demould while Avalon
55 AHG TPU is a new, soft soling material that offers improved slip-
Huntsman launches TPU grades for footwear and resistance on both wet and dry surfaces. With a nominal hardness of
films 55 Shore A, Avalon 55 AHG TPU can be used to make soft, thin, high
definition, high grip parts, in a variety of colours.
Huntsman has showcased several new TPU technologies at China- Other products presented at Chinaplas included Irogran K TPU, a
plas 2018, which can be used to engineer film and sheet products: family of polycaprolactone and polyether-based grades, Suprasec
Krystalgran TPU is a family of aliphatic-based resins that can be prepolymers, and Technothane hot-cast PU elastomer systems.
extruded to create durable, light stable, protective films and barrier
layers. Offering benefits in both optical and non-optical applications, www.huntsman.com
films made from Krystalgran TPU can help safeguard display screens
found in tablets and smartphones. They are also widely used to pro-
tect car paintwork from chips and scratches; and in construction, Polyaspartic coating according to
flooring, footwear, graphic and textile applications. EN 13501 – 1 : A2-s1, d0
Krystalflex TPU is used for interlayer laminating films within the glass
to create tough, hardwearing, glass and plastic laminates with better The German company Pultex GmbH, Simmerath, and the Dutch
performance properties than pure glass systems. Compatible with company Prokol Polymers & Compounds BV, Helmond, have
glass, acrylic and polycarbonate, the TPU is said to offer good bond- jointly developed the non-combustible coating system FireGuard
ing between dissimilar substrates as well as good physical properties Pro 200 based on a polyaspartic resin. The product is certified ac-
over a wide temperature range. Typical applications include contain- cording to EN 13501 – 1 : A2-s1, d0 and is used in structural fire
ment and security glass plus ballistic resistant laminates. Huntsman’s protection. The certification guarantees that the coating will provide
latest elastomer developments for the footwear industry are Avalon added fire protection to surfaces or substrates that are currently
Asian PU Digest – VOL. 2, NO. 4 9
rated with class A1, A2 and B and will upgrade surfaces that are The Sarlink 8100 series of TPVs adhere well to, and can be coex-
lower in fire protection required standards. The coating system does truded with, other TPVs, TPOs, and PP. In addition, Teknor Apex sup-
not support fire spread (A2), has literally no smoke development (s1), plies harder TPVs that serve as skin materials. The company can also
and does not develop flaming droplets or particles (d0). It is made of custom-formulate foamable grades of TPVs or styrenic TPEs.
90 % solids and can be used as a decorative and fire-safety painting
system for internal and external use, e.g., for walls and ceilings, on www.teknorapex.com
façades and in tunnels. According to the manufacturer, nearly every
existing substrate can be upgraded and protected using FireGuard Door and window profiles for sealing are typically three-layer structures.
Pro 200. This applies to external building façade panels that are
made of calcium silicate as well as other mineral-like materials such
as gypsum board, brick, concrete, ceramic including natural stone.
The product is available in any RAL colour, is completely colourfast,
abrasion resistant, water resistant, scratch resistant, and easy to
clean. It can be applied easily with a paint roller and airless equip-
ment.
Source: Teknor Apex
www.pultex.de · www.prokol.nl
FireGuard Pro 200 is used in structural fire protection indoors and outdoors
Source: Pultex
People in the News
Hulme new VP Commercial Operations
at Jiangsu Maysta
Steve Hulme has been appointed as Vice President Commercial
Operations of Jiangsu Maysta Chemical Co., Ltd. In this newly cre-
ated role, Hulme will be responsible for the company’s global sales,
marketing and technical service functions for the polyurethane addi-
tives business. In addition, he will also serve as General Manager of
Maysta International. Hulme has over 30 years of experience in the
PU industry. For the bulk of his career, he held multiple positions at
Foamable TPV for door and window seals as Air Products & Chemicals, including most recently the position as
alternative to polyurethanes General Manager & Vice President, Polyurethane Additives, prior to
the acquisition by Evonik Industries.
Teknor Apex offers new Sarlink TPV grades specifically for the
production of low-density foams. These TPVs are said to exhibit the www.maysta.com
high resilience required for door and window seals and provide alter-
natives to widely used polyurethane foams. Available from 40 to
70 Shore A, the Sarlink 8100 series can be foamed to a density of Personnel changes at BASF
0.20 g/cm3 range, which is comparable to those of PU foam used in
door seals but is difficult to achieve with standard TPEs. As TPVs, Claudia Ruo Bing Huang, formerly Vice President, Business Man-
they exhibit lower compressive set than standard TPEs, providing agement, Isocyanates & Inorganics Asia Pacific, BASF’s Monomers
more of the resilience needed to withstand the repeated opening and division, has been appointed as Senior Vice President, Monomers,
closing of doors. The new compounds can be foamed using both Asia Pacific, effective from 1 June 2018. She succeeds Dr. Ramku-
chemical and physical blowing agents and, unlike urethane foams, mar Dhruva, who will serve as President, South & East Asia, ASEAN,
are processed in standard equipment for thermoplastics. Another key and Australia/New Zealand regional division, effective from 1 July
difference from urethanes is that TPVs are recyclable, and do not 2018. Furthermore, Fried-Walter Münstermann, President, Pro-
present concerns about isocyanate monomer. curement, BASF SE, Ludwigshafen, Germany, will assume responsibil-
Door and window profiles for sealing are typically three-layer struc- ity for the “Task Force Process Simplification” effective from 1 Janu-
tures, with a skin layer providing protection and good appearance, ary 2019. He will be succeeded by Stefano Pigozzi, President,
the foam layer, and a rigid component such as polypropylene (PP). Monomers, BASF SE, Ludwigshafen. At the same time, Kenneth T.
10 Asian PU Digest – VOL. 2, NO. 4Lane, President, Catalysts, BASF Corporation, Iselin, NJ, USA, will
assume responsibility for the Monomers division. The Monomers
division’s headquarter will be transferred from Ludwigshafen to
Waterloo, Belgium, in the course of 2019. Dr. Peter Schuh-
macher, President, Process Research & Chemical Engineering,
BASF SE, Ludwigshafen, will assume responsibility for the Catalyst
Division on 1 December 2018. He will be succeeded by Dr. Detlef
Kratz, currently Senior Vice President, Corporate Technology &
Operational Excellence, BASF SE, Ludwigshafen.
www.basf.com
Kruppa new Director Smart Machines at
KraussMaffei
Effective from 1 July 2018, Dr. Stefan Kruppa took over as head
of the recently established “Smart Machines” business unit of
KraussMaffei Group. In his position as Director Smart Machines,
he will focus on
Source: KraussMaffei
the further devel-
opment of new in-
telligent systems
and solutions for
KraussMaffei’s in-
jection moulding,
extrusion and re-
action processing
technologies.
Kruppa joined the
company in 2010
and was most re-
Dr. Stefan Kruppa
cently responsible
for machine tech-
nology. In 2015 he received his doctorate at the University of
Duisburg-Essen with a thesis on “Adaptive process control and
alternative injection concepts for injection molding of thermoplas-
tics”.
At the same time, Nadine Despineux has been appointed as
Managing Director of the new Digital Service Solutions segment
and member of the Executive Committee of KraussMaffei Group.
Previously, Despineux served as Vice President Sales IMM (Injec-
tion Molding Machinery).
www.kraussmaffei.com
In the “Smart Machines” unit, all machine-specific digitalisation
solutions will be managed and made available across segments
and brands. It is divided into three pillars: machine technology
(e.g. intelligent machines), connected solutions (e.g. Internet
of Things) and data analytics (e.g. big data). The unit is part of
the recently formed segment “Digital Service Solutions”.
Asian PU Digest – VOL. 2, NO. 4 11Hennecke introduces new generation
of Streamline metering machines
The German company Hennecke GmbH announced that with the experience gained from dozens of Streamline production systems and
preliminary product developments, it was able to significantly improve its high-pressure metering machines for HP-RTM and ClearRIM/
clearmelt applications in the new generation MK2.
Building on the sale of over 70 Streamline machines in the first As many of the newly developed products have since entered mass
generation, developers, manufacturers and raw material suppliers production, this market trend is a logical consequence of the suc-
have been able to develop a variety of processes in the manufacture cessful development activities, said the company. The MK2 provides
of fibre-reinforced structural components (HP-RTM technology) and Hennecke customers with a highly developed product, adapted to
in surface finishing using polyurethane and polyurea coatings (Clear- the process availability of serial applications in HP-RTM, ClearRIM
RIM and clearmelt technology), leading to diverse serial applica- and clearmelt processes. The second Streamline generation offers
tions. further benefits, e.g., its production flexibility has increased thanks
to the space-saving layout of the machine on a frame which is mo-
Hennecke said it is proud to have launched the first series produc- bile and can also be lifted by crane. In addition, the Streamline MK2
tion of an HP-RTM component with the development of a composite is equipped with a wireless operator panel, which implements a lo-
leaf spring and to be cation-independent
one of the pioneers Shortly before market launch: the second generation of the Streamline metering machine operation of all pro-
of this kind of innova- cess parameters on
tive production pro- the spot. Further-
cesses. Particularly more, the heating
in the area of HP-RTM and metering cabins
applications, the are joined together
Streamline has be- using quick-locking
come an industry mechanisms which
standard, which is allow for easy dis-
characterised by the mantling at any time.
fact that around 40 This ensures that all
series applications main components
are now using this such as the high-
mach i n e s y s tem, pressure pumps can
said Hennecke. be exchanged very
quickly.
According to the
company, the pro- In good timing for
cess expertise and this year’s leading
experience gained composite trade fairs
Source: Hennecke
from consultations in Shanghai (China
with development Composites Expo
partners, customers 2018), Dallas (CAMX
and raw material sup- 2018), Stuttgart
pliers have formed the basis of the machine configuration for the new (Composites Europe 2018), Seoul (JEC Asia 2018) and Tokyo
Streamline MK2. While the focus of the market launch of HP-RTM (7th Highly-functional Plastic Expo Tokyo), Hennecke experts will be
technology was still largely on research and development equipment, presenting the second generation of Streamline metering machines
which was primarily used to design components for serial production, to the international trade audience. Delivery of the Streamline MK2
producers are now increasingly asking for standardised machines will start in January 2019.
with high requirements in terms of availability, service and mainte-
nance. www.hennecke.com
12 Asian PU Digest – VOL. 2, NO. 4Back to Seoul
JEC Asia 2018 gathers the composites industry in Korea
The 11th edition of JEC Asia will take place from 14 – 16 November 2018 at the Coex congress centre in Seoul, South Korea. According
to the organiser JEC Group, after the record-breaking figures of the 2017 edition, that marked the move of JEC Asia from Singapore to
Seoul, the event is returning to the capital city of the Republic of Korea with a strong programme, not only on the exhibition floor, but also
in the conference sessions.
Focus on the automotive industry
Source: JEC Group
The future of mobility is an important topic for composite materials
and JEC Asia will represent, promote and provide information about
the increasing integration of composites in automotive developments.
Numerous programmes will be offered, such as a whole day confer-
ence on Composites in Automotive, a Leadership Composites Circle,
an Innovation Planet, showcasing parts, a B2B meetings programme,
a JEC Innovation Award category and Composites tours (site visits of
composite-related facilities).
The 11th edition of JEC Asia will be held for the second time at the COEX centre in Furthermore, for the second time, JEC Asia will host the International
Seoul, South Korea
Carbon Festival, organised by KCTech and the Jeonju region, with
top-notch conferences and international speakers.
JEC Asia 2018 returns to Coex in Seoul
Key figures for the year 2017:
“We are very grateful for the support of the industry, government
bodies, and academics, regarding the evolution of JEC Asia, that • 230+ companies
has led to the success of the platform. Indeed, 90 % of the show • 6,271 professional visits
floor is already booked which bodes well for the preparation of the • 43 speakers
event,” commented Christian Strassburger, Events Director Asia • 42 countries represented
for JEC Group. “On top of that, the event is truly international, as • 12 JEC Innovation Awards
45 % of the exhibitors are coming from outside Asia. JEC Asia will • 400 B2B meetings
welcome pavilions from Germany, France, Italy, Japan, China and • Two Composites Tours
Singapore, as well as the major composite clusters in Korea,” he
added. www.jec-asia.events
Impression from the exhibition hall at JEC Asia 2017 Innovation Corner at JEC Asia 2017
Source: JEC Group
Source: JEC Group
Asian PU Digest – VOL. 2, NO. 4 13High tear resistance and
low compression set
A new prepolymer for cast elastomers with unusual properties
A new MDI-terminated prepolymer based on a polyester has been developed. It cures with 1,4-butanediol to give polyurethane hot-cast elas-
tomers. These are characterized by high tear resistance and low compression set at the same time. Under catalysis, the prepolymer can be
economically processed in short to medium pot life. This enables the production of elastomer solutions with hardnesses of 83 – 87 Shore A,
covering a wide range of requirements. The post-curing of the resulting components can be delayed without any loss of mechanical properties.
innovation work, which is carried out in the global research, develop-
ment and innovation center in Naugatuck, CT, USA, includes, for ex-
ample, new technologies for the production of prepolymers with low
free isocyanate contents (low free prepolymers, Adiprene LF grades)
and the refinement of blocked systems to improve the ease-of-use of
polyurethane systems.
Focus on mechanical performance and economy
The development of the new prepolymer was prompted by inquiries
from customers in the mechanical engineering and vehicle construc-
Source: Lanxess
tion industries, among others. The requirement was an MDI-terminat-
ed polyester material, which can be processed under catalysis in
short process times and at high throughputs into components with
Fig. 1: Application example: PU coated pipelines significantly higher tear strength and lower compression set than, for
example, the two standard prepolymers Vibrathane 8585 or 8587
The prepolymer Vibrathane 7085 is a development of the Urethane established in series production. In order to meet all these needs,
Systems business unit of Lanxess. This was established in 2017 Lanxess Urethane Systems applied both the synthesis and design of
following the acquisition of the US company Chemtura, a leading the prepolymer and the processing conditions, such as stoichiometry,
supplier of flame retardant and lubricant additives. Lanxess Urethane post-curing temperature and processing time. A further focus was
Systems sees itself as a systems provider and offers not only pre- set on the selection of a suitable catalyst and of a prepolymer polyol
polymers but also catalysts and curing agents for cast elastomers. adapted to the catalyst.
The business unit is also a leading supplier of special aqueous polyu-
rethane dispersions (PUD), as well as prepolymers and additives for Several hurdles had to be overcome in the development of the new
coatings, adhesives and sealants with special focus on solvent-free casting prepolymer. Usually a low compression set and a high tear
and monomer-free systems. It has production facilities and application strength are hard to achieve at the same time, because both proper-
development centers in all major economic regions, including Brazil, ties are typically inversely related. High contents of catalyst improve
the USA, India, China, Australia, Italy, and England. The focus of its the compression set, but other mechanical properties of the cured
Tab. 1: Three elastomer variants based on Vibrathane 7085 in comparison
Product solutions Vibrathane 7085 – Alternative 1 Vibrathane 7085 Vibrathane 7085 – Alternative 2
(great compression set, best dynamics) (base) (best tear)
Properties
Stoichiometry 95 % 102 % 102 %
115 °C mold, 100 °C mold, 115 °C mold,
Processing conditions
115 °C post cure/16 h 100 °C post cure/4 h 115 °C post cure/16 h
Compression set 15 % 26 % 42 %
Trouser tear 227 pli (39.8 kN/m) 441 pli (77.3 kN/m) 490 pli (85.9kN/m)
Dynamics, tan δ/Tc 0.029/130 °C 0.061/100 °C 0.063/100 °C
14 Asian PU Digest – VOL. 2, NO. 4elastomer such as modulus of elasticity, rebound resilience or hard- High flexural fatigue resistance
ness normally deteriorate. Furthermore, the use of a catalyst leads
to faster processing, meaning less time remains for tool filling. Vibrathane 7085 is designed as a general purpose prepolymer. De-
pending on the processing conditions, it produces casting resins with
High purity and linearity of the prepolymer compression sets from 13 % to 42 % according to ASTM D395
method B (70 °C, 22 h). Tear strength according to ASTM D1938
The new prepolymer is matched to a catalytic processing. It is manu- (tear strength, Trouser), for example, is between 27.2 kN/m and
factured under precisely defined conditions, in such a way that hard- 85.9 kN/m. Compared with standard polyurethane elastomers of
ly any side reactions occur and a product with higher linearity and similar hardness, the compression set is about 1.7 times lower and
purity is produced. This means, among other things, that the pre- the tear resistance up to three times higher. This is precisely the
polymer reacts faster with the chain extender during curing and the special advantage of the prepolymer. Added to this is the low fatigue
cast elastomer shows better mechanical properties. tendency of the resulting elastomers under cyclic loading. Thus, the
flexural fatigue strength is at a high level. For example, tests accord-
The processing was optimized with the aid of statistical design of ing to ASTM D3629-99 (flex fatigue resistance) showed Texus flex
experiments (DoE). This is a method for planning and investigating values of more than 170,000 cycles at a stoichiometry of 102 % at
experiments that aims to describe the influence of important factors deformations of 11 %, 18 %, 35 % and 45 %. Furthermore, the elon-
on a process with a minimum of effort and tests. In case of the pre- gation at break values of 571 % to 691 % are significantly higher than
polymer processing, stoichiometry (91 – 105 %), post-curing tem- for comparable standard products.
perature (85 – 130 °C) and post-curing time (4 – 24 h) were selected
as factors because they have the greatest influence on tear resist- Higher throughput of parts, lower energy
ance and compression set. In addition, the effect of the catalyst and consumption
delayed post-curing on the properties of the elastomer was analyzed.
By using the catalyst, the reaction of the prepolymer with the chain-
Fig. 2: Application example: Mining screen extender speeds up. Therefore, the parts can be demoulded faster
and the tools can be refilled earlier, resulting in a higher throughput.
In addition, the DoE optimized processing conditions allow to shorten
the post cure duration which results in a higher productivity and re-
duces energy consumption. This improves sustainability of the pro-
duction and opens up for cost savings. Pot life can be kept very short
at 90 s, but can also be extended to around 4.5 min, for example to
achieve uniform tool filling for more complex component geometries.
The curing behavior tests also showed that the processor can delay
the time between curing and post curing without degradation in tear
resistance, compression set and other mechanical properties of the
final elastomer product. This allows to collect demoulded parts first
and then to cure them together, increasing flexibility and manufactur-
ing efficiency.
Compression set and tear resistance can be
individually optimized
One advantage of the new prepolymer is that by varying the stoichi-
ometry and the processing conditions, both the compression set and
the tear strength can be individually optimized and thus adapted to
specific requirements of an application (tab. 1). The other mechani-
cal properties remain largely unaffected. For example, the tear resist-
ance can be increased to 85.9 kN/m (alternative 2), whereby this
material variant still has a compression set of 42 %. In contrast to
this is an elastomer with a compression set of only 15 % and excel-
Source: Lanxess
lent dynamic properties (alternative 1). Its storage modulus G’ is
stable over a wide temperature range of 70 – 150 °C. The loss factor
tan δ, which represents the ratio of loss modulus to storage modulus
Asian PU Digest – VOL. 2, NO. 4 15and describes the energy conversion into heat during an oscillation, in component design (structural analysis) (fig. 3). In addition, the
is low at 0.029 at 120 °C to 130 °C. This means less heat generation experience gained with Vibrathane 7085 will be used to develop fur-
in the elastomer. The material is therefore particularly suitable for ther products, such as a polyurethane prepolymer based on a hybrid
dynamically highly stressed components such as wheels of forklift polyester system.
trucks.
Wide range of applications Dr. Nitin Sharma
nitin.sharma@lanxess.com
Senior Research Chemist
The application potential of the new prepolymer ranges from applica- Global Research & Development and Innovation Center
Urethane Systems business unit
tions in industry and mechanical engineering to vehicle construction, Lanxess AG, Cologne, Germany
mining and opencast mining to wheels, tires and rollers (fig. 1, 2).
Elastomers that are particularly tear and cut resistant and exhibit a
high resistance to bending cycles could be used, for example, in the Fig. 3: Urethane Systems’ services include FEA, CAD calculations, thermal and
production of die-cutting blankets and anvils. On the other hand, there material fatigue analyses.
are material variants with low compression set and high tear strength
for bushings in torque rods of trucks, buses and trailers. The elasto-
mer materials optimized in their dynamic properties could prove
themselves in the production of robust, noise-damping shaking
screens for ore processing thanks to their high abrasion resistance.
Outlook
Lanxess Urethane Systems is currently working with customers to
make first applications of the new prepolymer ready to series produc-
tion. The partners are extensively supported in all steps of compo-
nent development – from the initial concept idea to material selection,
Source: Lanxess
design and tool design right through to the start of series production.
For example, Lanxess contributes its expertise in customer-specific
material formulation, in the processing of hot-casting elastomers and
Global forecast for the cast elastomers market
to 2023
According to a new report from Markets thermal stability, durability, and impact resist- regions to countries in Asia-Pacific, espe-
and Markets, the global cast elastomers ance. Industrial applications, e.g., machinery cially China and India, by various end-use in-
market is estimated at USD 1.20 billion in parts, rollers, and industrial wheels, are es- dustries, mainly automotive and transporta-
2018 and is projected to reach USD 1.52 bil- timated to be the largest segment of the tion, industrial, and mining.
lion by 2023, at a CAGR of 4.8 % between global cast elastomers market in 2018, and
2018 and 2023. Based on type, the market are projected to retain this position during The study is titled: “Cast Elastomers Market
is segmented into hot cast and cold cast the forecast period. Other growth sectors by Type (Hot Cast, Cold Cast), End-use Indus-
elastomers. Hot cast elastomers are esti- for cast elastomers include automotive and try (Automotive & Transportation, Industrial,
mated to lead the segment in 2018 owing to transportation, mining, oil and gas, amongst Mining, Oil & Gas), and Region (North Amer-
their wide usage in applications which re- others. The Asia-Pacific region is estimated ica, Europe, APAC, Middle East & Africa,
quire high abrasion resistance and high load- to be the largest as well as fastest-growing South America) – Global Forecast to 2023”.
bearing capacity. The segment is also pro- market during the forecast period. Its growth
jected to grow at the highest CAGR during can be attributed to the shift in manufactur- www.marketsandmarkets.com
the forecast period owing to its low price, ing facilities of cast elastomers from western
16 Asian PU Digest – VOL. 2, NO. 4From the board meeting of the IPTPF
Research reports of Prof. Y. Yamashita, Osaka Seikei College,
and Prof. H. Murakami, Nagasaki University, presented
In 2016, the Japanese International Polyurethane Technology Foundation (IPTPF), supported by Inoac Corporation, provided two research
grants to Prof. Yoshihiro Yamashita from the Department of Apparel and Fashion Design at Osaka Seikei College and Prof. Hiroto Muraka-
mi from the Graduate School of Engineering at Nagasaki University.
investigated, to improve the adhesion be-
tween the nanofibres and the non-woven
fabric of the substrate, and the rubber elas-
ticity to the nanofi bres themselves. Since
PU fi rmly adheres to the non-woven fabric
of the base material, peeling of the nanofi-
bres from the base material does not occur,
and excellent PM 2.5 particle removal is
possible even with very small nanofibre ba-
sis weight. It was found that nanofibres can
be produced by using a coil type electro-
spinning apparatus.
Source: Inoac Corporation
“Development of Polyurethane
Elastomers Crosslinked by
Polyrotaxanes Containing
Aminocyclodextrin”,
Back (f. l. t. r.): Shintaro Ideta, Director IPTPF; Toyohiko Okina, Director IPTPF; Kikujou Yamashita, Director IPTPF; Iwao Prof. Hiroto Murakami
Ishino, Director IPTPF; Eisuke Yamada, Director IPTPF; Bungo Ochiai, Director IPTPF. Front (f. l. t. r.): Kenjiro Miwa,
Director IPTPF; Koji Ito, President of IPTPF (Chairman and moderator); Prof. Hiroto Murakami, Nagasaki University;
Prof. Yoshihiro Yamashita, Osaka Seikei College; Mutuhisa Furukawa, Director IPTPF; Hiroshi Uyama, Director IPTPF. Polyurethanes (PUs) crosslinked by polyrotax-
anes (PRXs), which consist of α-cyclo-
On 30 August 2018, a board meeting of the IPTPF and the second dextrin (CyD) and poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG), contain both mechanical
research report meeting were held at the Inoac head office to dis- crosslinks and chemical crosslinks. This influences the physical prop-
cuss the results achieved so far and on how to proceed with the erties of the PUs, because it is possible to form multiple crosslinks
research. IPTPF board members present at the meeting were: Koji from one CyD in the PRX. It is well-known that the reactivity of amino
Ito (President and Chairman) and (in alphabetical order) Bungo groups towards isocyanate is much higher than that of hydroxy
Ochiai (Director), Eisuke Yamada (Director), Hiroshi Uyama (Direc- groups. Therefore, a PRX consisting of monoamino-CyD and PEG was
tor), Iwao Ishino (Director), Kenjiro Miwa (Director), Kikujou Yamash- synthesised to decrease the formation of multiple crosslinking from
ita (Director), Mutuhisa Furukawa (Director), Shintaro Ideta (Direc- one CyD.
tor), and Toyohiko Okina (Director). The abstracts of the research
reports are given below. A PU crosslinked by the PRX containing the monoamino-CyD was
prepared by a modified prepolymer method (PU-A). The thermal and
physical properties of the obtained PU-A were compared with those
“Water resistant PU/EVOH nanofibre filter made of two PUs (PU-M1 and PU-M2) crosslinked by PRX containing half-
from aqueous solution”, Prof. Yoshihiro Yamashita methylated CyD in different inclusion ratios. Swelling ratios in tolu-
ene, DSC measurements, dynamic viscoelastic measurements and
When nanofibres are used for filters, their water resistance is im- tensile tests show evidence of the decrease of chemical crosslink-
portant. The nanofibre production of EVOH in a state close to the ing in PU-A.
aqueous system was realised by combining it with PU. The incor-
poration of polyurethane (PU) emulsion dispersed in water was www.pu-zaidan.jp/en/
Asian PU Digest – VOL. 2, NO. 4 17A glance at Covestro’s TPU business
Interview with Dr. Thomas Roemer, Head of Thermoplastic
Polyurethanes (TPU), BU Coatings, Adhesives, Specialties
Since January 2018 the Thermoplastic Polyurethanes (TPU) business within Covestro is under new leadership. Dr. Thomas Roemer has
taken over the responsibilities of Marius Wirtz, who changed to the position of Senior Vice President, PUR Commercial Operations APAC
at Covestro. PU Magazine had the chance to speak to Dr. Thomas Roemer about his new role and the innovations in the TPU portfolio.
Asian PU Digest: Asian PU Digest:
Could you please tell our readers something How is Covestro’s global TPU business cur-
about your previous professional career? rently positioned?
Thomas Roemer: Thomas Roemer:
Of course. I have been working for Covestro We strive for a particularly customer-oriented
and its predecessor company Bayer for al- lineup. So we have three regional organiza-
most 20 years in Germany and abroad. With tions in APAC, EMLA and NAFTA that bundle
my role at TPU, I can personify what makes our sales, marketing and application develop-
Covestro so successful since its IPO in 2015: ment. In addition, there are global production
A start-up mentality with broad experience. and innovation platforms.
I hold a PhD in business administration and We produce globally at six locations: in the
have been fortunate to experience a variety US, Germany, India, China, Taiwan and Japan
of functions in the commercial environment: – the latter together with our local JV partner
Source: Covestro
from Sales and Purchasing, through Market- DIC Corporation. We are the TPU manufac-
ing and Product Management, to Chief of turer with the broadest global coverage and a
Staff and Managing Director. balanced regional breakdown. This network
Dr. Thomas Roemer is the head of Covestro’s enables us, for example, to make best use of
Thermoplastic Polyurethanes unit and responsible
During this time my family and I were stationed for the company’s global TPU business.
our innovation, the support of global custom-
in Germany, the USA, Serbia and now in Hong ers or our own employee development.
Kong. I was primarily responsible for our polyurethanes raw materials,
which is why I am particularly excited about the complementary expe- Including our current expansions in the US and Taiwan, our production
rience in the forward-integrated specialty business of TPU. facilities reach a global capacity of approximately 100,000 tons per
year. This makes us one of the top players in the global TPU industry.
Asian PU Digest:
What is your current position and what is your current field of activity Of course, we have the ambition to accompany the growth of our
within Covestro? customers and to support them with innovations and product avail-
ability. For the coming years, we currently expect annual demand
Thomas Roemer: growth of around 6 %.
Since the beginning of this year, I have been the head of our Ther-
moplastic Polyurethanes unit responsible for Covestro’s global TPU Asian PU Digest:
business. The special feature of our unit is that we can combine the The broad TPU market is currently experiencing high growth rates, with
best of both worlds for our customers: On the one hand, the back- a focus on Asia. What is your strategy to participate in this growth?
bone of a blue chip company with more than 14 billion Euros in
annual sales and its potential in terms of e.g. industry coordination, Thomas Roemer:
product scope and sourcing. On the other hand, we have all the As I said, we estimate the annual global growth at around 6 %. With
functions – such as our production or application technology – un- the acquisition of the Taiwanese Uretech in 2007, Covestro has
der one roof in a dedicated TPU unit worldwide and are so particu- proven good foresight and was able to build up confidence with fast-
larly resourceful. growing customers in Asia early on.
18 Asian PU Digest – VOL. 2, NO. 4In Japan, we already formed a joint venture with DIC in 2000 and have kusen, but in Hong Kong. What role does Covestro play in the Asia-
since become a leading local manufacturer. Pacific region as a TPU supplier, also in the face of smaller local
suppliers with frequently fluctuating qualities?
We expect that the Asian market will continue to be the global growth
driver, also because it already accounts for nearly two thirds of de- Thomas Roemer:
mand. However, after some rather restrained years, we are currently It is clearly our aspiration to be the most Asian Multi-National Com-
seeing a strong increase in demand also in Europe and America. pany (MNC) in the TPU industry. Again and again, our customers
certify that we have maintained the decision-making speed from the
Our strategy to participate in this growth is based on the pillars of Uretech acquisition, which is so important in Asia. This is how we
innovation, the exploitation of our global network and the assurance manage to be the first to “have a foot in the door” among local top
of the fastest possible decisions. companies.
A current example how this strategy unfolds is our product launch of The competitive pressure is of course very high, especially in China,
fibers made out of Desmopan TPU and polyamide that we have pre- due to the large number of suppliers. However, we see this as an
sented in May during the “Techtextile North America”. Many custom- incentive to keep our costs under control and, in the context of in-
ers could already convince themselves of the advantages in context novations, also to focus on scalability.
of haptic feeling, abrasion resistance and durability.
In addition, quality expectations continue to rise, and there are still
Asian PU Digest: several product groups that need to be fully imported to Asia. So here
Asia is the largest TPU market in the world. As a result, it is not sur- we still have a lot of potential to set ourselves apart from the compe-
prising that your desk is not in the corporate headquarters in Lever tition as an MNC through local production and sales force.
Finally, the network of subsidiaries of Asian companies worldwide,
Textile application with the right look and feel especially from Japan, China and South Korea, is also growing. Here,
of course, we want to further expand our role as a preferred partner
Uppers of sports shoes made using knitting technology is one of with a truly global product and innovation platform.
the most revolutionary moves in the shoe industry. It allows less
material per single pair of shoes, and a fancy design through one Asian PU Digest:
single knitting process. Covestro is eager to take one step forward On 1 June 2018, Markus Steilemann took over the duties of long-
to develop this unique, innovative TPU fiber that can be seam- standing CEO Patrick Thomas at Covestro. In various statements he
lessly integrated into the state of the art knitting technology for has already shown himself open to acquisitions. Recently, there have
footwear and apparel applications. been some major acquisitions in the European TPE industry. Perhaps
also for the TPU business at Covestro there is an acquisition on the
Shoe upper, printed with TPU (filament process)
Source: Covestro
Samples of knitted TPU fabrics, showing the
variety of possible colors and patterns
The fiber is extremely uniform and shiny and has a unique haptic
feeling. It enables design freedom while bringing add-on technical
functions, and is also suitable for automated production. Thanks
to the intrinsic properties of TPU and polyamide, Covestro´s fiber
Source: Covestro
is highly abrasion resistant and more durable compared with com-
mon polyester fibers.
Asian PU Digest – VOL. 2, NO. 4 19agenda that would allow to expand the portfolio either by new prod- and reuse of non-sintered powder material. Covestro continues to
ucts or new technologies? work on the further development of TPU powders, which can be
processed both in classic laser sintering and in high-speed sintering.
Thomas Roemer:
We as Covestro also want to be bolder in acquisitions and are con- In addition, TPUs are well suited for fused deposition modeling, where
stantly looking for interesting acquisition targets. Our focus is on strands of thermoplastic are layered. Here, too, we are currently
businesses and products that make our portfolio less vulnerable to optimizing suitable material solutions.
economic ups and downs. Our coatings and adhesives raw materials
and specialties segment, which also includes the TPU business, is In terms of component properties, TPUs offer a number of advan-
already relatively independent of the economic cycle. tages over thermoplastics currently used in 3D printing: They stand
Important criteria for the selection are not only the size and the pur- out among others. Due to their high flexibility and toughness, they
chase price, but above all the possible added value, in combination are stable over a wide temperature range and are particularly resist-
with synergies and the congruence with our strategic goals. At this ant to abrasion. Due to their variable chemical composition, TPUs are
stage, however, there are no concrete plans. available in a wide range of hardnesses from elastic to hard-tough.
Asian PU Digest: At the same time, all of these products are chemically so closely
Let’s talk a little bit about sustainability. There have been TPUs on the related that they are well compatible with each other, so that in multi-
market for many years, some of which are based on renewable raw material printing about hard housing parts can be produced with di-
materials. While many other suppliers rely on vegetable raw materi- rectly integrated elastic seals.
als, Covestro has a very special technology, the “Dream Production”
with a production line for CO2-based polyurethane precursors at the Asian PU Digest:
Dormagen site. How do these raw materials find application in TPUs? In March 2018, Covestro launched the commercial production of
fiber-reinforced semi-finished products, e.g. films and sheets of con-
Thomas Roemer: tinuous fiber reinforced thermoplastic composites. In addition to
Covestro wants to expand its raw material base with carbon dioxide polycarbonate, TPUs have also been mentioned as possible matrix
(CO2) as a new building block for polyurethane raw materials. Our materials for impregnating the carbon or glass fibers used. How is
company is at the forefront in this field and, thanks to a pioneering the state of affairs here? Are there already TPU composites and where
innovation, is now producing its first product components, polyols. are they used?
CO2-based polyols are already being marketed for the production of
soft polyurethane foam especially for use in mattresses and uphol- Midsole made from laser-sintered TPU
stered furniture. In addition, the new polyols are suitable for the pro-
duction of TPUs. We are currently working on a Desmopan product
group based on these cardyon polyols. Desmopan samples were
produced on an industrial scale and are in the stage of market intro-
duction.
Source: Covestro
Asian PU Digest:
The topic of additive manufacturing is currently one of the major
theme factors in the polymer industry. Every day we receive new
success stories. Nowadays everything is printed from pie to the ar- Elastic cube made from sintered TPU
tificial kidney to the complete automobile. Covestro positioned itself
in this market early in 2011 with Luvosint, a laser-sinterable TPU.
Since then, the product has been continuously evolving and new ap-
plications have been tapped - covering recent exciting applications
such as “Air Skin” in a recent issue of TPE Magazine. How does
Covestro continue to work with TPUs for additive manufacturing, and
how do you generally see the opportunities for thermoplastic elasto-
mers in additive manufacturing?
Thomas Roemer:
Source: Covestro
Processing 3D TPUs has advantages such as good ply bonding and
comparatively low component anisotropy, as well as a relatively low
processing temperature that allows a more cost-effective process
20 Asian PU Digest – VOL. 2, NO. 4You can also read
