look what we did!Innovations From Polyurethane Manufacturers

Innovator David Sweet leaves behind Surfboard Legacy

Polyurethane surfboard innovator Dave Sweet passed away in May in Los Angeles, California at the age of 86.  Sweet is recognized and remembered in the surfing community for his development and production of surfboards with a polyurethane foam core.

According to Surfer Magazine, after coming in contact with polyurethane foam in 1952, Sweet began the development process of a surfboard with a foam core.  After many trials he successfully achieved his goal. Sweet crafted a surfboard with a polyurethane foam core weighing in at approximately 25 pounds, remarkably lighter than the wooden surfboards he grew up riding. Surfboards...

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Combining Art and Science: Aircraft Paints and Coatings

Airline passengers and aviation enthusiasts often marvel at advancements in jet engines, cockpit electronics and aircraft size. But we rarely appreciate the importance of aircraft paint and recognize its contributions to safety, fuel efficiency and aerodynamics.

The challenges are obvious for paint on the exterior of aircraft: The paint must protect the exterior surfaces of an airplane at 500 miles per hour or more, including high levels of ultraviolet (UV) exposure, rapid and extreme temperature changes, high wind velocities, and the effects of rain.

Similarly, paint and coatings inside the cabin of an aircraft must meet high standards of...

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Set Sail with Polyurethane

When it comes to enjoying the sun and waves from a boat or on a surfboard, polyurethane is here to help keep things afloat. 

Boaters can enjoy the comforts of home on the water, thanks in part to flexible polyurethane foam. Polyurethane is used to make seat cushions and carpet pads firm but soft, and keeps bedding materials supportive and comfortable.

Polyurethane epoxy resins can also help seal the outside of the boat from water, weather, corrosion and elements that increase drag, affect hydrodynamics and reduce durability.

In addition, rigid polyurethane foam can insulate boats from noise and...

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Polyurethane Adhesives and Coatings: A BRIGHT Idea!

In the recent article “The best idea in a long time: Covering parking lots with solar panels,” the Washington Post discussed how parking lots can be covered with solar panels to produce solar energy.

As discussed in the Washington Post Article, according to research conducted by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, the average city surface is 35 to 50 percent pavement and 40 percent of that is parking lots.

Solar panels, which are made using polyurethane adhesives and coatings, have the potential to be placed on the top of parking lots and help cool down the cars that...

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Spray PU foam aids in NASA launch: It is Rocket Science!

Plastics News reported that NASA’s test of the Orion spacecraft in December took advantage of spray polyurethane foam insulation on its second-stage liquid fuel tanks.

The spacecraft was successfully launched Dec. 5, the first such take-off since the Space Shuttle program ended.

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Versatile. Durable. Incredible. Balloons.

Everyone knows that enormous amounts of helium fill Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade balloons each year.

But, do you think about the volume of engineering, science and technology that go into making each balloon?

Did you know that the giant balloons seen by more than 50 million viewers across the world begin as a lump of clay?

The balloons are conceived, manufactured and cared for by 28 full-time studio employees in the Macy’s Parade Studio in Moonachie, New Jersey.

Here’s what happens when an idea becomes a parade balloon:

• Engineers, scientists and technologists sculpt exact scale models of...

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  Category: Innovation Bonds

Giving Thanks for Polyurethane

In the spirit of the season, let’s give thanks for the many ways that polyurethane improves and enhances our lives every day.

Below are some of the unique ways polyurethane enhances our Thanksgiving celebrations:

• Planning to watch a parade on TV or in person? Did you know that polyurethane is now used to make many of the giant balloons that were originally made of rubber? Today’s balloons benefit from polyurethane’s lightweight and durable properties. Polyurethane can also be easily formulated into endless bright colors, which help the replicas of today’s favorite characters remain true to their brand.

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Polyurethanes Breathe New Life into Wound Care Options

Healing people may not be the first thing that come to mind when you think of what polymers can do, but polyurethane-based films, adhesives and foams are useful for a variety of wound care treatments that help accelerate healing and prevent infection.

Adjustable Adhesives

Polyurethane raw materials have been successfully used internationally in wound dressings for more than 15 years, although utilization in the U.S. is just starting to expand. For example, Baymedix® A, a polyurethane-based adhesive from Bayer MaterialScience, has been used in a wide range of wound care and skin contact applications. In addition to being tolerant of...

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Breathing Down the Necks of Counterfeiters

A technology developed by a team at the University of Michigan, along with research partners in South Korea, has used polyurethane as part of a label that cannot be easily copied. 

 An array of tiny pillars on the top of a surface — comparable to a sub-microscopic toothbrush, says the team — hides the image beneath. When moisture from a breath gets between the minute polyurethane pillars, the image is revealed.

These labels could be produced and inserted into a variety of consumer goods and packaging including, pharmaceuticals, clothes, sneakers, and handbags. The durability of polyurethane ensures that the labels...

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