look what we did!Innovations From Polyurethane Manufacturers

Polyurethane Helps Create Resilient, Green Building Products

During the past decade, consumers moved towards eco-friendly products. However, today, it is not enough simply to have environmentally sound offerings, a company’s products have to be resilient as well, meaning they have to be able to stand up to the elements.

Nowhere is this more important than in the construction industry, where designers, policymakers and engineers face the difficult task of rebuilding in areas prone to natural disasters like hurricanes and flooding.

With a renewed focus in the construction industry on creating energy efficient and durable products that are also resilient, there is an interest in products like closed-cell...

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Behind the World’s Most Prevalent Polymer

By now, you may think you know everything there is to know about polyurethane and the many ways this incredible polymer touches our daily lives. But are you familiar with how it originated?

It all started in 1937 with Dr. Otto Bayer. The German-born chemist came across the polymer when he was looking for a compound that could be used as a substitute for rubber, which at the time was expensive and hard to obtain.

The versatility of polyurethane and its ability to substitute for scarce materials spurred numerous applications. In the years following its initial discovery, the polymer started...

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Researchers Look to Polyurethane to Heal Bone Fractures

According to a recent study, hip fractures are on the rise in much of Asia. While on the surface this may seem like a gloomy statistic, it is actually indicative of a positive trend. Life expectancy around the world is increasing, thanks in large part to breakthroughs in health science and technology. The global standard of living is also improving with more people than ever before having access to nutritious foods, clean drinking water and medical care.

However, as life expectancy around the world increases, science must seek out new and innovative solutions to the health-related issues that come along...

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Polyurethane Resins Help LEDs Perform Under Tough Conditions

Over the past 10 years, LEDs — or light emitting diodes — have become commonplace in both residential and commercial lighting thanks to their energy efficiency and long life. In addition, LEDs small size and relatively light weight have increased the applications for their use.

However, when LEDs are used in harsh environments — such as outdoors, underwater or even in aerospace applications — they must be protected into order to improve their reliability and take full advantage of their benefits. Moisture, cold, wind, pressure, dust and other environmental factors can all take their toll. Recently, resin encapsulation systems have...

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Breakthroughs in 3D Printing for Running Shoes

Manufacturers of athletic shoes are always looking for ways to improve the comfort and performance of their footwear. 3-D printing, which in the past has help speed up the prototyping process, is now enabling the creation of custom shoes with special properties and may someday even be thought of as a viable process for mass production.

Polyurethane materials are helping to make 3D printed shoes reality, but often in different ways. One manufacturer created a special pair of shoes for Eulid Kipchoge, winner of the 2018 London Marathon, with uppers made of 3-D printed thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU). The company claims...

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Polyurethane Helps Improve Neurovascular Surgery

A medical device innovation, made from polyurethane, has received FDA approval — giving hope for better healing for those recovering from brain surgery. The device — called an embolization plug — is used to reduce or obstruct the flow of blood within an artery or vein, helping to form a clot and stabilize the blood vessel.

The embolization plug is made with shape-memory polymer technology, which uses low-density polyurethane. The plug can be customized to a range of sizes and with various properties. It can be compressed into a catheter-deliverable shape that expands to its original shape once it reaches...

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With Polyurethane and a Waffle Maker, Footwear Inspiration Struck

You may be surprised to find out that one of the world’s biggest shoe manufacturers got its start from a waffle maker and a bit of polyurethane.

The story goes: A track coach was attempting to create a shoe that could grip a running track without the use of spikes. During breakfast one morning inspiration struck as he was staring at his waffles. The coach noticed the uniform crevices on the waffle’s surface and wondered if the pattern of indentations could also provide traction on the soles of running shoes.

So, the coach went out to his garage, mixed up...

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CPI Announces finalists for 2018 polyurethane innovation award

Demilec (USA) Inc., ICL-IP America, Inc. and SWD Urethane will present at CPI’s annual conference

WASHINGTON, DC (September 5, 2018) – The Center for the Polyurethanes Industry (CPI) today announced Demilec (USA) Inc., ICL-IP America, Inc. and SWD Urethane as the three finalists for this year’s Polyurethane Innovation Award. Respected throughout the industry, the renowned award will be presented during the Polyurethanes Technical Conference in October in Atlanta. It recognizes the most inventive commercial technologies in the polyurethanes industry over the last 12 months.

“The...

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Polyurethane Shapes City Skyline, Helps Skyscrapers Reach New Heights

15 Park Row in New York City was once the world’s tallest building at just 391 feet in 1899. Today, the Burj Khalifa in Dubai achieves that distinction, rising an astonishing 2,771 feet.

Just how have skyscrapers soared to such great heights over the past 120 years? The answer lies in innovation. Advancements in technology like the advent of modern materials are solving the inevitable difficulties that arise in construction. Among the most significant innovations is polyurethane, which plays a number of essential roles in the building process.

Here are just a few of the ways polyurethane is shaping city...

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