look what we did!Innovations From Polyurethane Manufacturers

Polyurethane Material Helps Improve 3D Printing

As readers of this blog know, 3D printing has helped revolutionize the design and manufacturing of everything from housing to baseball gloves. But many of the SLA resins and photopolymers that are used in the printing process are not strong enough for anything more than prototypes.

Scientists at Chromatic 3D Materials have created a range of polyurethane rubber elastomers that can be used in 3D printing without sacrificing their strength or durability.

Flexible In More Ways Than One

PU elastomers have been used for many years to manufacture tires, gaskets and more. They can stretch and flex...

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Your Camping Top 10, Courtesy of Polyurethane

Planning an outdoor adventure? Here are 10 items to be sure to bring for maximum comfort and fun, all thanks to their use of polyurethane.

Polyurethane Helps to Make Your Picnic Perfect

Fresh air, delicious food, good times — there’s a lot to love about picnic season. Thanks to polyurethane, you can be picnic-ready for any day. Whether it’s keeping your seats dry or the food you packed fresh, here are a few items to consider adding to your next picnic that can make it more enjoyable for everyone.

Waterproof Picnic Blankets

The perfect picnic starts with the perfect foundation. Companies today are designing blankets that are durable, comfortable, and versatile for any occasion — all while using polyurethane. The waterproof feature is what makes...

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A Young Senior Scientist Shares How Mentorship Influenced His Chemistry Career Path

Name: Brandon Parks Age: 34 Title: Senior Scientist Company: Covestro Educational Background:

• BS Chemistry – Lebanon Valley College
• BS Biochemistry and Molecular Biology – Lebanon Valley College
• MS Organic Chemistry – University of Pittsburgh

From an early age, Brandon Parks knew science was in his future. Although he was unaware of where his love of science would take him, he had several fantastic teachers and mentors who supported his ambition and put him on the path to success.

Brandon found an interest in polyurethanes the moment he began his career at a...

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Polyurethane in Boat Hulls Can Provide a Quieter, Safer and More Comfortable Ride

When it comes to spending a leisurely summer day out on the water, polyurethane plays many important roles. For example, you might find polyurethane in lifejackets and cushions that can be used as flotation devices. You might spot it in a boat’s engine, helping to insulate wires or dampen sound. But, one vital place you may not think to look is in the hull of your craft — the portion of the boat that rides both in and on top of the water. Here, polyurethane can be found in various forms of rigidity, helping your craft achieve and maintain buoyancy in the...

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Covestro’s Chemolysis Pilot Plant Improves Polyurethane Reusability

From the cars we drive to the mattresses we sleep on, polyurethane touches upon multiple aspects of day-to-day living — helping make the products we regularly use more comfortable, durable, efficient and safe. As the role of polyurethane in daily life becomes more ubiquitous, polyurethane suppliers are working on different ways of creating a circular polyurethane supply chain — one in which the need for new fossil-based raw materials becomes less and less. In a circular supply chain, existing materials are recycled at the end of a product’s life so that they can be used in new products.

One manufacturer...

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Polyurethane Foam Insulated Tires Contribute to a Quieter Ride

If you think about it, your car tire acts as a drum for road noises. The rubber absorbs a bump in the road, the same way the head of a drum absorbs a tap from a drumstick. The hollowness of the tire acts just like the cavity of a drum — allowing the noise to amplify and reverberate.

Polyurethane Foam Noise Canceling Insulation

Tire manufacturers have long been working to reduce road noise. One area where they’ve been successful is with the inclusion of noise-reducing polyurethane foam inside a tire liner on the opposite side of the tire’s tread. The...

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Specialized Polyurethane Coolers Aid in COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution

The rollout of several new vaccines in the fight against the coronavirus gives hope that an end to the pandemic may be in sight. However, distribution of some these new vaccines presents a challenge for manufacturers and medical personnel, as some doses must be stored at frigid temperatures to preserve their efficacy. To help the vaccines stay cool as they reach patients, polyurethane is playing an important role in assisting medical personnel in maintaining the viability of these life-saving inoculations.

Polyurethane as an Insulator

Frequent readers of this blog know that polyurethane is an effective and customizable insulator. The ease...

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Polyurethane Helps Shoe Manufacturers Reach their Sustainability Goals

Many footwear companies have pledged to reduce waste and their carbon footprint over the coming years. Several have turned to polyurethane to achieve innovative solutions that can help them reach their sustainability goals to accomplish this task.

Shoes Made Solely from Polyurethane

Several footwear brands are now in the business of creating shoes made entirely from polyurethane. Balenciaga, for example, has introduced a shoe called the Zen sneaker. Touted as a leather alternative, the shoe is constructed entirely from polyurethane. 

Simplifying the Supply Chain

On average, most athletic shoes are made using a dozen or more materials. This production process...

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