look what we did!Innovations From Polyurethane Manufacturers

Sailors Take to the Seas with Polyurethane

Believe it or not, polyurethane plays a large role in helping American sailors stay safe when it comes to life out on the high seas.

For quick trips in small craft and regular shore patrols, the United States armed forces often use rigid-hulled inflatable boats (RHIBs). The boats are lightweight, high-performance watercraft capable of quick maneuvers and travel at high speeds.

As the name implies, the boats have a rigid hull but also use an inflatable tube, often referred to as a “collar,” along the lip of the hull. The collar acts like a life jacket of sorts, helping the...

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Astronauts Blast Off with Polyurethane

When it came time to launch astronauts safely and comfortably into space, NASA scientists were looking for a one-size-fits-all solution to creating customized seating. After considering a variety of options, they turned to polyurethane.

While NASA’s primary mission has always been, “To provide for research into problems of flight within and outside the earth’s atmosphere and for other purposes,” the need to create safe travel into outer space is responsible for introducing technologies into our lives that we use every day.

The Problem

In the 1960s, NASA faced a problem. The agency needed to make seats on board their...

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Recycled Polyurethane: It’s Under Your Feet & in Your Home

You may be surprised to find that polyurethane can be recycled and given a new life in any number of ways. In fact, you probably encounter recycled polyurethane in your daily life without ever realizing it’s there.

Carpet Underlay

For evidence, just check under your feet – literally. Carpet underlay, the mat that goes underneath carpets in homes and offices, is almost always made from rebonded polyurethane.

Rebonded polyurethane, called “rebond,” is a molded polyurethane recycled product made from pieces of shredded flexible polyurethane foam held together using what is known as a binder.

Recycling Statistics

According to the Carpet...

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Polyurethane Helps Campers Stay Comfortable in the Great Outdoors

Warmer weather offers a great time to hit the trail. If you fancy yourself to be the adventurous type, you may even opt to spend a few nights in the great outdoors. Whether roughing it in your own backyard or in the deep recesses of one of our National Parks, you could have polyurethane to thank for helping to shelter you from the elements.

In hundreds – if not thousands – of tents on the market today, polyurethane plays an integral role in tent construction:

Floor coatings

Several tents use a polyurethane coating on their underside as protection. Polyurethane offers...

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The Lasting Legacy of Morgan Evans, Rhino Linings International founder

2019 marks the 10th anniversary of the passing of Morgan Evans, Rhino Linings International founder. As a South African inventor and entrepreneur, Evans was responsible for creating a polyurethane application that grew into a global sensation.

Unlike many entrepreneurial stories that end with a bump in the road, Evans’ tale actually began with one – quite literally.

Polyurethane and the Car Industry

Polyurethanes (PU) can play many roles in improving vehicles. Polyurethane foam can be used to make seats more comfortable, to dampen noise, and to make cars more lightweight, increasing fuel economy. PU coatings can also serve as a...

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Polyurethane Skinsuits Help British Skeleton Athletes To Victory

In the world of elite women’s skeleton racing, the difference between staking a place on the podium or not, can come down to a matter of milliseconds. In a sport where fractions of time can make a huge difference, it is no wonder that athletes, trainers and coaches are constantly scouting for new ways to shave a few precious moments off run times.

Whether it is making uniforms sleeker or sleds more aerodynamic, today, there is a whole industry dedicated to the science of helping racers go faster. However, even with every team jockeying for a clear advantage, definitive improvements...

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Polyurethane Takes the Fashion World by Storm

From the New York runways to glossy magazine covers, polyurethane-based faux leather and suede are all over the fashion world. They can be found in almost everything from accessories and handbags to clothing items like shoes, jackets and pants.

Material Innovation

As polyurethane-based alternatives to products like suede and leather become ever more innovative, the fashion industry has taken notice. 

More than a Vegan Alternative

Designers are not only offering these products to consumers as a vegan alternative. Many fashionistas are finding that incorporating polyurethane into the designs provides a superior product for the consumer. These items, made from polyurethane...

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Remembering a Polyurethane Industry Icon: Dr. Henry Aaron Hill

In all that has gone into shaping the modern polymers industry, it would be hard to overstate the importance of the personal and professional contributions of Dr. Henry Aaron Hill. Hill’s work gave rise to what has been dubbed the “new polymer-products industry.” 

He was a pioneer in chemistry, focusing much of his research and advocacy in his later years on polymer and fabric flammability. 

Following his appointment to the National Commission on Product Safety by President Lyndon Johnson, Hill recommended that the Commission be given the power to issue mandatory safety standards for consumer products.

As a result, the...

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A Future for Polyurethane Prosthetic Hands?

Polyurethane may hold the key to a gripping future for prosthetic hands. Researchers at Missouri University of Science and Technology have been hard at work developing polyurethane aerogels – called shape memory polymers or SMPs. When bent, folded or twisted, the aerogels return to their original shape. They are even capable of bending on their own when a stimulus like heat is applied.

A Prosthetic Prototype

To demonstrate the possible application of the aerogel technology, researchers built a model of a prosthetic hand from the SMPs that was capable of mimicking coordinated muscle function. When heat was applied, the fingers...

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