look what we did!Innovations From Polyurethane Manufacturers

Softening the Blow

Polyurethane helmet caps help protect athletes

With football season about to kick off, the safety of the players is a key concern. Like the vast majority of competitive sports, football does have risks – notably that of concussion.

The United States Center for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that as many as 3.8 million sport-related concussions occur in the U.S. each year. Retired NFL players in their 50s are five times more likely to suffer from dementia-related symptoms than others in their age range.

When two athletes collide, the potential for harm is great. The impact of...

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Spray Foam: Building America

As America’s architecture evolves to reflect the dynamic world in which we live, the materials used to realize innovative building designs must meet that demand. Spray polyurethane foam (SPF) plays a major role in this process. SPF is used to enhance energy efficiency, comfort, and style.

Here are three examples of SPF and its benefits. These case studies highlight SPF’s versatility and value. In fact, both projects have been crowned Department of Energy (DOE) “Challenge Home”’ – meaning they are all high performance, energy efficient homes that offset all or most of their annual energy consumption. The DOE...

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Designing for Efficiency

Energy efficient appliances have helped the United States avoid emissions of 2.1 billion tons of carbon dioxide, which is equivalent to the annual greenhouse emissions from more than 400 million automobiles. Since 2009, the Obama Administration has issued 24 new or updated appliance standards across more than 30 products, which could save consumers a total of nearly $450 billion dollars off their utility bills between now and 2030.

Polyurethane has long played a role in insulating refrigerators (and other appliances) so that air does not escape, thus reducing the amount of stress on the machine to keep a constant temperature....

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Polyurethane: Climbing to New Heights

Surpass your limits with polyurethane

When you’re suspended 30ft above the ground, you must have confidence in the material beneath you. Luckily, polyurethane has been the industry standard for climbing holds (the shaped grips on climbing walls) for the last decade.

Polyurethane has enabled rock wall climbing holds to become lighter and longer lasting. Today, climbing holds are stronger than ever before and – thanks to polyurethane’s flexibility – can be molded to many sizes, shapes and colors to better meet the needs of 7.8 million active climbers in the U.S.

Rock wall climbing holds can even be...

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Balancing the Old and New

Polyurethane trim is used in historic renovations to ensure classic details are seen for years to come.

When undertaking a renovation, whether of a historic building or a suburban home, homeowners and architects appreciate low maintenance products that look authentic and high end. For example, polyurethane represents a durable, water- and insect-resistant option for traditional wood trim.

Polyurethane trims can be designed to look smooth or to replicate a wood grain and can be finished in a number of vibrant colors, as well as faux finishes.

Fypon provides a wide array of options for builders looking for an...

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New Polyurethane Pharmaceutical Excipient Created

The Lubrizol Corporation’s LifeScience Polymer Market announced an innovative pharmaceutical-grade polyurethane that can be used in continuous drug delivery. This polyurethane application is being studied to relieve pain in cancer patients, combat HIV, act as an effective birth control method, and be used as a continuous drug delivery system for additional applications.

The wide variety of uses of this excipient-grade polyurethane is the result of its ability to slowly release drugs into a human’s body without degrading or breaking. Polyurethane’s durability helps ensure that the substance can remain intact inside the body for periods of up to eighteen...

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Balancing High Performance and Daily Training

Balancing High Performance and Daily Training

Polyurethane allows track surfaces to meet the specific needs of any facility

Next time you hit the track, look down and thank polyurethane for the comfortable run. Not only is polyurethane used as cushioning and adhesives in running shoes, it makes up nearly 70% of the track market. For competition a hard track is traditionally thought to be ideal for speed, but for facilities used for training on a daily basis, a more forgiving surface is often preferred. Polyurethane is a great solution as the chemistry can be adjusted to achieve the desired consistency...

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Lighting the Way

Polyurethane provides lighter option for power transmission

Power transmission towers are a part of our landscape and a critical part of our country’s infrastructure. As new towers need to be constructed or old ones replaced, engineers are looking for ways to do so effectively. From production to installation to the long-term maintenance, these structures must be both cost effective and durable.

Dow’s VORAFORCE^TM polyurethane manufacturing system enables efficient production of strong, tough and durable composites for these transmission structures. With the filament winding fabrication technique afforded by this system, composites can be more easily used to construct this...

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Riding the Waves with Polyurethane: How Polyurethane is Revolutionizing Surfing

Catching some waves? Wave goodbye to splinters with polyurethane surfboards. Since surfing exploded into popular culture during the 1960s, polyurethane boards have been replacing their wooden counterparts at an accelerating rate.

First conceptualized in the Polynesia in the 1800s, the design of the surfboards has undergone a marked evolution over the past couple of centuries. Carving up the seas would have been an altogether more challenging task 200 years ago: the first surfboards were clunky, heavy, and difficult to ride, made from huge planks cut from trees (usually redwood). All that changed in the wake of World War II, when...

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