look what we did!Innovations From Polyurethane Manufacturers

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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Polyurethane at work to help the environment

How Polyurethane helps improve drainage and coastal stability

There’s an old saying: “When it rains, it pours.” This is certainly true of polyurethane’s environmental benefits because of its resistance to water.

Polyurethane’s inherent water resistance has helped create surfaces that mimic and coexist with nature while solving modern problems of stormwater runoff and erosion. Used as a binder for a number of different surfaces, polyurethane helps facilitate better water management in areas plagued by high rainfall levels and in coastal areas.

Stormwater Runoff

Stomwater runoff is one of the largest contributors of pollutants in our water systems. Water that travels...

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Triumph for Polyurethane Fashion at Ethical Awards

Designers from the Beyond Skin fashion label won the Sustainable Fashion Award at this year’s Observer Ethical Awards for their pioneering use of polyurethane in shoe design. Entrepreneurs Natalie Dean and Heather Whittle have been lauded for their eco-friendly footwear, with several of their faux-leather designs utilizing polyurethane. Celebrities from Natalie Portman to Anne Hathaway, Leona Lewis to Emma Watson, have sported shoes by the brand, which was founded in 2001.

Polyurethane’s flexibility makes it a key asset to designers striving to create the most stylish shoes, as it can be readily molded into a variety of shapes. Its durability ensures that...

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Polyurethane Doesn’t Take the Summer Off

Summer is here.

The sun is out, and the weather is warm.

And, believe it or not… Polyurethanes can add to the summer fun.

Polyurethane products can make beach and lake trips, picnics and little league games safer and more comfortable. Surfboards, floatation devices, boating equipment, sporting goods and outdoor furniture are all likely to be made from one of the many forms of polyurethane. Polyurethane is used to make products that range from grips on tennis racquets to the wheels of skateboards to inflatable rafts and slides to sports helmets and life jackets.

Impressed by the versatility of how...

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