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Executive Committee Member’s MessagePUTodayThis issue has a special focus on Niche markets. These are markets whichare characterised as High value and Low volume businesses. To beinspired and to shift attention from the downturn and the challengesfaced by all of us in the industry, it is an opportune time to look at theseapplications.We have entered a phase of de-globalisation, in the heady back drop ofIndia having aligned itselt to the global markets. Going forward, I feel thatdomestic markets will assume more importance and it is in our interest toinnovate and get better products in the market.Niche markets in India require maturity and superior technologies as youmove away from commodity markets. Indian middle class aspirations aremoving at a fast clip and hence create an opportunity for the industry tofocus on these markets.A big challenge is to move away from being “Foamers or Moulders” andwork across processes to provide customised support which includes Designpropereity, Special tools and Machines and where the product andapplication assumes predominance over PUR as a material ofconsumption.We have to have the courage to add value and ask forsuitable value addition. The mindset of Indian Foamer of weight basedpricing has to change.Foam in Place technologies with thermoformed high finish seen surfacesand back foaming is an upcoming Niche area.R-RIM is a process which can produce high specification exterior productsfor the automotive markets. With reduced life cycle of serial productioncars, there is a need for rapid cosmetic makeovers and R-RIM is a fittingcandidate.Recent trends where thermoplastic skins like ASA/ABS are backed up withpour in place PUR/Glassfibre are a huge opportunity for large sized housingsfor Agri-equipments and Railways etc.Likewise composite A Class painted finishes for niche applications likeBoat Interiors,sporting and fitness goods and recreation markets aregrowing.Medical applications includes implants and parts that enhance patientcomfort.PUR Films and sheets have found applications in Gel Pads,heat meltfusion layers in multilayer applications.Elastomers and speciality coatings have always been in the realm ofspeciality products and continue to do so.At the end let us add value in our businesses and create an environmentwhere we can confidently investment in newer technologies.Warm regardsHarneet KocharCEO - Pfeda Synthetics Pvt Ltd, NoidaM A R C H 2 0 0 9P O L Y U R E T H A N E S T O D A Y3

PUTodayEditorialWe present here, an issue committed to a specific segment ofthe PU Industry: Niche Markets. As per the Oxford Dictionary, itmeans:NICHE: A particular group of people, seen as a potential market for aproduct.I therefore saw the issue, best summed up by my favorite language tool– the Diamante:NICHEPotential Market, Select ProductTargeting, Positioning, Identifying, PromotingPU Films, PU Fibres, TPU, Cast Elastomers, PU CoatingSelecting, Improvising, Researching, InnovatingParticular Demand, Specific UtilityGROUPWe appealed to known niche market groups for information and articleson their market/product, and have gathered to the best of our ability,interesting articles & news/information on this segment of the PUIndustry. If anyone has not been represented in this issue, due to reasonslike time restraints…; I would just like to reiterate, that there will soonbe another issue specially dedicated to this special sector, if enoughdemand for the same is communicated to us. The emphasis here is oncommunication – we have to receive feedback from YOU, in order togauge your interests and needs. You have to come forth with yourrequests, material inputs and suggestions. We always endeavor toaccommodate all members & readers of our magazine.We look forward to interesting and constructive interaction from YOU –to further improve on the utility and interest quotient of YOUR magazine.So come forth with valuable inputs.Sincerely,4 P O L Y U R E T H A N E S T O D A YM A R C H 2 0 0 9

Industry UpdatesPUTodayBaySystems to support PolioEradication Program in IndiaCustomized solution for safe and hygienic storage of vaccinesLeverkusen/NewDelhi,December 2008 –TheBaySystems polyurethane systemshouse of Bayer MaterialScience inGreater Noida, India, is supportingthe intense efforts for polioeradication in India by providing acustomized solution for themanufacture of vaccine carrierswhich help to ensure that thevaccines are stored safely.BaySystems ® is the umbrella brandfor the global polyurethanes systemsbusiness of Bayer MaterialScience.The facility in Greater Noida is partof the worldwide network ofcurrently 30 systems houses whichare developing solutions withcustomers in close proximity tothem.The systems house has now handedover 2,500 vaccine carriers toGovernment of Bihar at New Delhiin the presence of officials fromWorld Health Organization (WHO),the United Nations InternationalChildren’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF)and Rotary International who havejoined hands with the Governmentof India and state governments inthe intensified efforts to eradicatepolio.The donated vaccine carriers will beused by volunteers to carry poliovaccines to villages and othervaccination sites. The carriers aremanufactured by M/s Blowkings inMumbai, one of the leading coldchain equipment suppliers in India.Thanks to the polyurethane systembased on Baymer ® 23TR003 andDesmodur ® 44 V20 L for the vaccinecarriers, the vaccines can be storedat the required temperatures in therange of 2 and 8 degrees Celsius andcan be transported safely andhygienically, thus ensuring that thevaccine will maintain its potency.About Bayer MaterialScience:With 2007 sales of 10.4 billion euros,Bayer MaterialScience is among theworld’s largest polymer companies.Business activities are focused on themanufacture of high-tech polymermaterials and the development ofinnovative solutions for productsused in many areas of daily life. Themain segments served are theautomotive, electrical andelectronics, construction and thesports and leisure industries. At theend of 2007, Bayer MaterialSciencehad 30 production sites andemployed approximately 15,400people around the globe. BayerMaterialScience is a Bayer Groupcompany.Find more information atwww.bayermaterialscience.com,www.bayer-baysystems.com andhttp://blowkings.co.in/vaccinecarriers.htm.SHELL GLOBAL TECHNICAL SERVICESSupporting the Polyurethane Growth in Asia PacificAglobal polyurethane product andapplication technical service centrehas opened in Bangalore to supportCARADOLâpolyols sales of ShellChemicals.Operations of the Shell PolyurethaneLab started in November 2008, whichis the first experimental facility for Shellin India. The PU application researchgroup, consisting of PU technicalexperts, is expected to grow graduallyin number and will progressively take agreater role in providing technicalsupport to Caradolâpolyols sales of ShellChemicals.This lab is envisaged to become the globalCenter-of-Excellence for PU productdevelopment and research for ShellChemicals. Starting immediately, the labsupports the Amsterdam basedpropylene oxide and derivatives processdevelopment group, the regionalmanufacturing plants and ShellChemicals customers globally includingM A R C H 2 0 0 9P O L Y U R E T H A N E S T O D A Y7

PUTodayIndustry Updates“There’s no significant impact in theshort term because even if we passon the lower costs by cutting ourselling prices, buyers will still notbe interested,” a polyurethane (PU)raw material supplier said.“PU raw material demand has beenweak because the local furnitureand bedding application sector hasbeen hit by weaker consumerdemand resulting from the globaleconomic downturn,” he said.Chow Bee Lin contributed to this storyFor more on polymers visitICIS chemical intelligence Todiscuss issues facing the chemicalindustry go to ICIS connect.Sports goods exporters feeling left out, seek fair playMeera MohantyNew Delhi, Dec. 30 Sports goodsexporters are crying foul forhaving been left out of the list oflabour-intensive sectors to benefitfrom a special fiscal package.The industry is one of the mostlabour-intensive and has been justas affected by the recession, says MrTarun Dewan, Secretary, SportsGoods Export Promotion Council.Importers, unsure of Christmassales, have already asked for theirshipments to be postponed by twomonths. There’s uncertainty on thenumber of new orders expectedafter season’s sales. Sports subsidiesin colleges and universities abroadcould be the first to be sacrificed ina recession, say exporters. Brandssuch as Puma, Kookaburra,Slazenger, Gunn & Moore and Mitersource their products from India.Cricket gear maker SanspareilsGreenlands had a turnover of Rs 30crore this year, but expects a 20 percent drop next year. With noforward orders, February and Marchlook bleak, says the Chairman andManaging Director, Mr K.C. Anand.“The orders we have received aresmaller than last year, and therehave also been a few cancellations,”he says.Tight money“Since November, orders have fallenby 30-40 per cent, says Mr Vikas K.Gupta, Managing Directorof the Jalandhar-basedSoccer International. MrGupta says companiessuch as his, exporting 2.5million footballs a year,are now forced to movetowards automation tocompete with cheaperChinese machine stitchedballs. “Banks, however, are too tight,and finances are not easilyavailable,” says Mr Gupta.Exchange rate hurdleRanson Sports Industry’s Mr R.S.Rana, who also serves as theChairman of Sports GoodsManufacturers and ExportersAssociation of Jalandhar, adds thatexchange rates also place them at adisadvantage. (UK is the biggestimporter having bought goodsworth Rs 155 crore in 2007-08,almost twice as much the secondlargest importer, Australia.)“Importers insist on paying inpounds for orders taken in June-July.The pound, which then cost aroundRs 85, was down to Rs 70 bySeptember,” says Mr Rana. Rawmaterial imports, on the otherhand, are billed in dollars. Costs ofpolyurethane, PVC and latex hadrisen by as much as 30-40 per centat one time. The Australian dollarhas fallen from Rs 37 to Rs 32. Theprice of British Willow, used for bats,has also been rising at 20-30 per centover the last few years.“A gripping Ashes series, like the onetwo years ago, should provide someimpetus and would be aconsolation,” says SG’s Mr Anand.Job sceneSTIMULUS PACKAGEAccording to the Council, 2 lakhpeople and another 3 lakhemployed indirectly work in the twomajor manufacturing centres ofJalandhar (Punjab) and Meerut(Uttar Pradesh). The Meerut-basedSG, which employs 900 people, saysthe workers, paid per piece, aretaking home Rs 7,000 a month,compared to the Rs 1,000-1,200 theymade a few months earlier.The earlier fiscal package extendeda 2 per cent interest support toexporters of textiles, leather,handicraft, gems and jewellery andcarpets. Sports goods exporterswould like to be considered for theconcession, and are hoping to meetthe Commerce and IndustryMinister, Mr Kamal Nath.10 P O L Y U R E T H A N E S T O D A YM A R C H 2 0 0 9

Industry UpdatesPUTodayDow India and Royal Castor Products Ltd. JoinHands for Research and Innovation in GujaratResearch to focus on sustainable bio-based products & solutionsSource : Dow News CentreDow Chemical InternationalPvt. Ltd. (Dow India) andRoyal Castor Products Ltd. (RoyalCastor), Sidhpur, Gujarat todaysigned a commitment to conductresearch in sustainable, bio–basedproducts & solutions using castoroil during the Vibrant Gujaratexpo. The commitment was signedby Dr. Ramesh Ramachandran,president & CEO, Dow India, andHaresh Vyas, director, Royal Castorin the presence of Hon. ChiefMinister of the state of Gujarat, ShriNarendra Modi.“Sustainable solutions are key tothe long term success of thechemical industry and ouragreement with Royal Castor is anexcellent initiative in this realm,”said Ramesh Ramachandran. “Bycombining the expertise of theforemost manufacturers andexporters of castor oil derivatives,with Dow India’s research anddevelopment techniques, we canset a high target towarddeveloping sustainable andenvironmentally-friendly productsof the future.”“We are excited to be associatedwith Dow India to work on thisproject. Dow India’s best-in-classresearch and developmenttechniques will help us innovatenew solutions and products incastor oil derivatives. We areconfident that together we shall beable to provide majorbreakthroughs in India’s chemicalindustry.” said Haresh Vyas,director, Royal Castor.Castor Oil is natural oil obtainedfrom the seed of the castor plant.It is unique among all fats and oilsin that it is the only commerciallyimportant oil having acomposition of approximately 90%of a hydroxyl, unsaturated C18 fattyacid-ricinoleic acid, a double bondin the 9-10 position and a hydroxylgroup on the 12th carbon. Thiscombination of hydroxyl group andunsaturation occurs only in CastorOil. Chemically, Castor Oil is atriglyceride (ester) of fatty acids.Castor oil has numerousapplications in lubricants,cosmetics and pharmaceuticals,and manufacturing industries, forexample: adhesives, brake fluids,caulks, dyes, electrical liquiddielectrics, humectants, hydraulicfluids, inks, lacquers, leathertreatments, lubricating greases,machining oils, paints, pigments,polyurethane adhesives,refrigeration lubricants, rubbers,sealants, textiles, washing powdersand waxes.About Dow IndiaDow Chemical InternationalPrivate Limited, headquartered inMumbai, has more than 780employees operating from itsoffices, manufacturing site andthree Centers of Excellence.Operations in India haveexperienced exciting growth withannual sales touching the Rs 2000crores ($ 500 mm) in 2007. As aresponsible corporate citizen, DowIndia has helped build homes forthe homeless through the ‘Habitatfor Humanity’ Jimmy Carter WorkProject, supplied free artificiallimbs through the ‘Jaipur Foot’initiative, and collaborated withthe Byrraju and Anarde Foundationto supply clean drinking water tovillages in India. More informationabout Dow India can be found atwww.dow-india.comAbout Royal CastorsRCP belongs to the StandardGreases Group, the largestmanufacturer of Industrial andautomotive oils and greases in Indiahaving annual sales of Rs. 750 crores.RCP is the leading manufacturerexporterof castor oil derivatives,having its location at Sidhpur-Gujarat. RCP has to its credit anexclusive tie up with an ItalianMultinational Company for its tailormade products and has also a jointventure with an Japanese MNC formanufacturing high ended castorderivatives. RCP is also a consortiapartner with Sardar KrushinagarDantiwada Agricultural University,(Nodal agency for research in castorand mustard seeds) under the IndianCouncil of Agricultural Researchprogramme with NationalAgricultural Innovative Projects,launched by the Government ofIndia.For Editorial Information:Roysten D’melloThe Dow Chemical CompanyM A R C H 2 0 0 9P O L Y U R E T H A N E S T O D A Y11

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International NewsPUTodayThe Cannon group at UTECH 2009The Cannon Group(www.cannon.com) will bepresent at UTECH 2009 show, heldin Maastricht, fromMarch 31st till April 2nd2009.Cannon will present atBooth N° 1240 theirentire range ofmachines informationand technologies: it willbe possible to view onDVDs and discuss withtheir international staffabout: The entire series ofhigh-pressure dosingunits; pump- or pistondrivenmeteringmachinesavailable in a range ofoutputs which covers allsorts of known and unusualapplications. The latest solutions forcontinuous and discontinuousproduction of flexible slabstock(for conventional and visco-elasticfoams), including the latestversions of CarDio, Maxfoam,Varimax, C-Max and Single Blockfoaming machines, plus theircomplete range of storagesolutions for raw materialchemicals and finished blocks. The developments of the Coinjectionand Reinforcedspray technologies, for anincreasingly wider number ofMetering and mixing systems for automotive multi-hardness seatsare one of the specialities of Cannon Afros, a supplier of the worldleading car manufacturers.industrial applications, and ofSoliStream for dosing fillers and The complete series ofdedicated Cannon plants for theapplication of Polyurethanes andComposites inautomotive andrefrigeratorsapplications, a wellestablishedfield ofactivity for the Groupsince more than fourdecades. The range ofdedicated plants for thecontinuous anddiscontinuousproduction ofsandwich panels,insulated with PUR, PIRor Phenolic rigid, lowdensity foams, as wellas rock wool. The world’s widestnetwork of Service Centers forthe Polyurethane processors. The range of low-pressure “B”machines, the multi-componentlow-output mixing head “B1-Multi” for Gasketing, the newmodels for a variety a differentapplications and chemicalformulations.solids directly into the mixingheads. A Technical Paper will bepresented by Cannon on thissubject, highlighting the details ofthe manufacture of AutomotiveDash Insulators. The latest Group’sachievements in the field offoam-insulated Pipelines,mostly used for DistrictHeating and Oil & Gasapplications. Bothcontinuousandd i s c o n t i n u o u smanufacturing methods areindustrially available, forboth spray and injectionmethods.Stop in at Cannon booth # 1240to see how our experienced,international staff who can assistyou with your Polyurethaneprocessing needs!One of the latest Maxfoam Varimax plants, supplied by CannonViking to a leading South African slabstock producer.M A R C H 2 0 0 9P O L Y U R E T H A N E S T O D A Y13

PUTodayInternational NewsMIXING HEADS FOR WHITE GOODS AND INSULATION APPLICATIONSKraussMaffei launches optimized PUR mixingheads for refrigerator insulation: far longerservice life and more efficiencyMunich, December 11, 2008– KraussMaffei, world marketleader and innovation driver inpolyurethane processing machinery,has brought out new, optimizedversions of its special mixing headsfor the white goods sector. The newversions of the MK 12/18-ULP-2KVVGand MK16/25-ULP-2KVVG transfermixing heads and the MKE-3B linearmixing head have dramaticallyimproved service lives.The company embarked on thismost intensive redesign project everfor these mixing head models inresponse to the increasing use ofpentane as blowing agent. The verysticky reaction mix produced bypentane systems causes seriouswear in processing machinery.KraussMaffei transfer mixing head MK 12/18-ULP-2KVVG forwhite goods and insulationpentane systems, KraussMaffeiengineers came up with a newsolution for the metal surfaces incontact with the PUR. This isbasically a friction-optimizedbushing with a specially hardenedsurface and apatented spiralgroove on thecleaning piston.These modificationssharply reducemixing-head wear,t h e r e b ydramaticallyincreasing thenumber of shots themixing head iscapable of.When a pentanesystem is being processed, the foammoulds generally require cleaningwith nitrogen. With these transfermixing heads, the nitrogen can bedischarged into the mould via themixing head discharge tube.The two transfer mixing heads, theMK 12/18-ULP-2KVVG and theMK16/25-ULP-2KVVG, are nowavailable in versions with improvedhydraulics for use in production ofPUR rigid foam. These mixingheads, which can operate withoutcleaning between shots, can besupplied with a longer dischargetube (up to 120 mm) for easieraccess to hard-to-reach areas,deeper insertion and optimalpositioning in the mould. Anotherimprovement is the use of a cap tokeep the polyurethane componentsseparate from the mixing headhydraulics.To mitigate the effects of stickyKraussMaffei linear mixing head MKE-3B forwhite goods and insulation – especially foropen-pour applicationsThe new version of the MKE-3Bmixing head not only boasts aspecial wear protection, it alsooperates on the ‘T’ mixing principlefor outstanding mixingperformance. One of the PURcomponents is pumped into themixing chamber via two nozzles,the other component hits thiscomponent stream at right angles.Before pouring into the mould, anyturbulence in the well-mixedcompound is eliminated as itpasses a series of calming pins. Thisquality engineering makes theMKE-3B the ideal choice for openpouring. Furthermore, it can berelied on to achieve six-figure shotnumbers.14 P O L Y U R E T H A N E S T O D A YM A R C H 2 0 0 9

International NewsPUTodayMerquinsa receives frost & sullivan’sgreen excellence awardBarcelona, Spain – January20, 2009Merquinsa today announced ithas been granted the Frost &Sullivan 2008 GlobalThermoplastic Urethane (TPU)Product Innovation GreenExcellence of the Year Award.This award recognizes Merquinsa´sinnovation in biopolymers, with itsgroundbreaking Bio TPU madefrom renewable carbon resourcesand successfully marketed globallyunder Pearlthane® and Pearlbond®ECO brands for a wide range of“green” electronics, sports,automotive, footwear and adhesiveapplications, among others.Bio TPUs are high-performancebiopolymers with a biocontentfrom 20 to 90% according to ASTMD6866, offering a unique set ofproperties, such as low density, highflexibility, abrasion resistance,good toughness and processability.These Bio TPUs are fully recyclablebut not biodegradable.A preliminary life cycle assessment(LCA) indicates that manufacturingPearlthane® and Pearlbond® ECOproduct lines result in 40% lessglobal warming emissions.Frost & Sullivan, the GrowthPartnership Company, presents itsGreen Excellence Awards annuallyto companies that havedemonstrated leadership towardsimplementing sustainable andenvironmentally consciousinitiatives. Recipient companieshave demonstrated a commitmentto a low-carbon society.About MerquinsaMerquinsa is a leadingthermoplastic polyurethane (TPU)specialty producer, providinginnovative products for injectionmolding, extrusion, calendering,melt coating, compounding andadhesive applications.Merquinsa’s headquarters are inBarcelona, Spain with regionalcentres in Asia and North America.For more information aboutMerquinsa, and PEARLTHANE®,PEARLCOAT®, PEARLBOND®,PEARLSTICK® and DISPERBOND®Specialty TPU resins, please visit ourWeb site at www.merquinsa.com orcall at + 34 93 572 1100.M A R C H 2 0 0 9P O L Y U R E T H A N E S T O D A Y15

PUTodayProduct News3-Components Pre-mix Unit for Blowing AgentsRim Polymers has launched itspre-mix unit, Model PX40-3C &PX50-3C, for 3 components –namely polyol, 245fa & C5. Followup its successful model, PX 40fa, forblending 245fa blowing agent andpolyol for appliance industryparticularly in Asia market, thedemand for the 3-components typehas increased remarkable. 3-Cversion provides for versatility -option to select either 245fa or C5as only blowing agent or havingboth blowing agents combined.The shift towards having combinedNEW PROCESS DATA CAPTURE SYSTEM FOR POLYURETHANE PROCESSINGEasy to operate and completelyreliableMunich, January 15, 2009– User-friendly and highlyreliable, the PUC08 is KraussMaffei’snew process data capture system forpolyurethane processing. Extremeease of use is one key feature of thePUC08. The lucid and intuitivelyunderstandable operator interfacereduces training effort and ensuresfast analysis of any faults and errors.Graphic displays for each unit in thePUR system are clear and easy tounderstand, with both wetside anddryside components visualized. ThePUC08 provides a completeoverview of the current operatingstatus of the whole system, fromthe mixing and metering machineto the mixing heads, the mouldsand the mould carriers.Model PX 40 fanumber pad, cursor keys and freelyconfigurable, system-specific, keys.Depending on their personalpreference and on the task at hand,operators can choose to operate themachine either via the touch screenor via the function keys.Frequently required data can bepermanently displayed on the rightof the screen. Data is assigned toagents has built up great interestamong appliance industry. Firstly,using 245fa alone remains costlybut combining with C5 helps reduceblowing agent cost. Secondly, ABSsheet used in refrigerators can besimilar to that using with 245fa asblowing agent. Normally highergrade of ABS sheet with anti-staticcharacteristic has to be used whenworking with C5 alone. Combinedblowing agents continue to yieldbetter energy saving for consumersbecause the thermal coefficient willnot be compromised.this permanent display by simplypressing a button, similarly tostoring stations on a car radio. ThePUC08 can display measured valuesin large characters, legible from adistance. This function is especiallyvaluable during set-up, because itallows the operator to move freelyaround the system, makingadjustments as required, whileclosely monitoring the changingdata.All process-relevant data are storedin an SQL database. Data can betransferred to a host database viaan Ethernet connection.Stable conditions and reliableoperationThe PUC08 has a 15-inch touchscreen and the operator consolealso includes function keys, aThe PUC08: KraussMaffei’s new process datacapture system for polyurethane processingAnother outstanding feature of thePUC08 is extreme reliability.Windows XP Embedded is installed16 P O L Y U R E T H A N E S T O D A YM A R C H 2 0 0 9

Product NewsPUTodayon a flash card as operating system;because no hard disk is used, thereis no risk of data loss in the eventof a power failure.The IPC for process data capture islocated in the switching cabinetand connected to the operatorconsole via an SDL link. This obviatesthe need for cooling the operatorconsole. Instead, the IPC cooling isbuilt into the switchingcabinet. The operator console canbe positioned up to 40 metres awayfrom the switching cabinet.To boost reliability and systemavailability, all production data arestored in a PLC system. PLC andPUC08 communicate via anindustrial Ethernet. Once the datahave been transferred, the systemwill continue production even if afault occurs in the PUC08. In thiscase, production protocols arestored temporarily in the PLC. Oncethe PUC08 again becomes available,the data are transferred again to thePUC08.KraussMaffei company profileIn terms of sales, KraussMaffei isworld market leader in machinesand systems for plastics and rubberprocessing. With its three divisions– Injection Moulding Technology,Extrusion Technology and ReactionProcess Machinery –KraussMaffei isa premium partner for the plasticsand rubber processing industriesworldwide.In the 2007/2008 business year (yearending September 30), theKraussMaffei Group posted sales ofmore than 1 billion euros. Thegroup markets its products underthe KraussMaffei, KraussMaffeiBerstorff and Netstal brands. TheKraussMaffei brand covers the wholespectrum of injection and reactionmoulding technology, while theKraussMaffei Berstorff brand standsfor successful extrusion solutions.The injection moulding machines ofNetstal, our Swiss subsidiary, meetthe highest of requirementsimposed on processimplementation, parts quality andproduction performance and aremainly used to make highlysophisticated technical and thinwalledplastic parts. With over 100years’ of expertise and know-how inmachinery for plastics and rubberprocessing, KraussMaffei is today amajor technology and processpartner for industry. The groupoffers a wide range of solutions thatincludes specialized and fullyintegrated turnkey systems.Headquartered in Munich, thecompany employs around 4000people worldwide. WorldwideKraussMaffei operates a network of140 subsidiaries and sales agencies,and deploys over 570 servicetechnicians, ensuring fast responseand closeness to customerseverywhere.HIGHLY-FILLED PUR FOR A MORE COMFORTABLE RIDENew spray-on process cuts costs in soundproofingMunich, November 27, 2008– Duramotive Bayern GmbH,a German automotive componentssupplier, recently began using aPUR spraying process developed byKraussMaffei to produce acousticcarpet elements for cars and trucks.Acoustic carpets are effective inreducing noise levels in thepassenger compartment for aquieter, more comfortable drivingexperience. The soundproofingPUR layer has a high bariumsulphate content. It is sprayed ontopreformed carpet elements in anopen mould using a special spraymixing head. The spray head ismounted on an industrial robotwhich follows a software-controlledspray path.This method has distinct cost andprocess advantages compared withother methods of applyingsoundproofing layers. The sprayprocess reduces materialconsumption, it’s extremelyflexible, and mould costs are low.Advantages of sprayingThe soundproofing layer is appliedin a very precisely and under closecontrol. The thickness of the layerKraussMaffei’s MK 10P-2K-F-PSM spraymixing head is optimal for theproduction of sound-insulation matsusing highly-filled polyurethanesM A R C H 2 0 0 9P O L Y U R E T H A N E S T O D A Y17

PUTodayProduct Newscan be varied, making it possibleto spray adjacent areas withdifferent coating weights.Application of the PUR-mix can berestricted to areas wheresoundproofing is required tominimize material consumptionand reduce part weight.In addition, the open mould sprayprocess is extremely flexible. Therobot can move the spray mixinghead in any direction and at anyof a range of speeds, enabling itto coat parts with varied andcomplex geometries. This is of keyimportance in view of theautomotive industry trend togiving car buyers huge individualchoice in the features they want ina new car. Another major benefitis that the spray process usesrelatively low-cost moulds. Thesimple moulds with no complexfeatures merely provide a surfaceon which the carpet element isfixed by a vacuum.Steady flow ratesThe abrasive nature of bariumsulphate is a challenge for the PURmetering system. To keep wear toa minimum, the abrasivecomponent, the polyol/bariumsulphate mix, is metered usingpiston metering. KraussMaffei’sTandem Hybrid metering machinefeeds the abrasive component bymeans of two pistons movinganticyclically to deliver a steadymaterial flow.The highly-filled PUR systems usedin soundproofing are fairly difficultto mix. To solve this problem, themixing head is designed for ‘T’mixing. This means that the polyolcomponent is discharged into themixing chamber through twoIn terms of sales,KraussMaffei is worldmarket leader inmachines and systems forplastics and rubberprocessing. With its threedivisions – InjectionMoulding Technology,Extrusion Technology andReaction ProcessMachinery – KraussMaffeiis a premium partner forthe plastics and rubberprocessingindustries worldwide.nozzles opposite each other. Thejet of isocyanate hits the polyolstream at right angles. This mixingheaddesign achieves excellentmixing quality and a stable sprayjet, even when materials areprocessed at relatively low pressureand low temperatures. Theadvantages are twofold: a widerprocessing window and less stresson the material.KraussMaffei company profileIn terms of sales, KraussMaffei isworld market leader in machinesAnother major benefit isthat the spray processuses relatively low-costmoulds. The simplemoulds with no complexfeatures merely provide asurface on which thecarpet element is fixed bya vacuum.and systems for plastics and rubberprocessing. With its three divisions– Injection Moulding Technology,Extrusion Technology and ReactionProcess Machinery – KraussMaffeiis a premium partner for theplastics and rubber processingindustries worldwide.In the 2007/2008 business year(year ending September 30), theKraussMaffei Group posted sales ofmore than 1 billion euros. Thegroup markets its products underthe KraussMaffei, KraussMaffeiBerstorff and Netstal brands. TheKraussMaffei brand covers thewhole spectrum of injection andreaction moulding technology,while the KraussMaffei Berstorffbrand stands for successfulextrusion solutions. The injectionmoulding machines of Netstal, ourSwiss subsidiary, meet the highestof requirements imposed onprocess implementation, partsquality and productionperformance and are mainly usedto make highly sophisticatedtechnical and thin-walled plasticparts. With over 100 years’ ofexpertise and know-how inmachinery for plastics and rubberprocessing, KraussMaffei is today amajor technology and processpartner for industry.The group offers a wide range ofsolutions that includes specializedand fully integrated turnkeysystems. Headquartered in Munich,the company employs around 4000people worldwide. WorldwideKraussMaffei operates a network of140 subsidiaries and sales agencies,and deploys over 570 servicetechnicians, ensuring fast responseand closeness to customerseverywhere.18 P O L Y U R E T H A N E S T O D A YM A R C H 2 0 0 9

Product NewsPUTodayISOPA launches newWebsiteSpray Gun for One or TwoComponents – February 200927 01 2009, Brusselswww.isopa.orgISOPA is delighted to belaunching it’s new and updatedwebsite. The modern look andfeel of the new site offers us agreat chance to demonstratethe work of the association andto continue our engagementwith our members and thosewith an interest in discoveringmore about the production andmanufacture of polyurethanes.Anew one-component spray gunfor PUR paints and coatingsalso can be used to apply twocomponentsystems, simply bypremixing the “A” and “B” sidesbefore spraying. The model 2010from Binks, div. of ITW IndustrialFinishing, Glendale Heights, Ill., issaid to be a rugged, full-size (23-oz) spray gun with stainless-steelfluid passages that are compatiblewith waterborne coatings. New“maximum delivery” air nozzles aresaid to provide better atomizationwith less material and airconsumption. Binks also says easiertrigger pull leads to reducedoperator fatigue, and airadjustment at the gun with anincluded cheater valve savesoperator time. (800) 992-4657Courtesey: Keeping-up with rim/urethanewww.binks.comPeopleMR. ANAND G.Anand G., has been appointedas Country General Manager,Huntsman InternationalIndia (Pvt.) Limited effective1st December 2008. Anand whohas served in various roles forHuntsman over the last 11 yearshas recently returned fromHuntsman China, Shanghai,where he held the responsibilityof Regional Planning & SupplyChain Manager - APAC for aperiod of about 3 years.Anand is a Mechanical Engineerwith Post Graduation inMarketing from SP Jain Instituteof Management & Research,Mumbai.M A R C H 2 0 0 9P O L Y U R E T H A N E S T O D A Y19

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Technical ArticlePUTodayECO TPU: New Thermoplastic Polyurethane fromRenewable sourcesJESUS SANTAMARIANew Business Development MgrMERQUINSAJOAQUIM JULIATechnical MgrMERQUINSAAbstractAnew family of BIOthermoplastic polyurethanes(TPU) is presented, providing TPUgrades for injection moulding,extrusion, and adhesives. A fullrange of BIO TPU from plant-basedsources derived from bifunctionalpolyols has been developed. Thereaction of these polyols in the TPUformulation results in new TPUwith a renewable content rangingfrom 20% to 90% by weight.Compared to standardpetrochemical-based grades, thenew ‘green TPU’ shows betterhydrolytic resistance, andmaintains equivalent mechanicalproperties like first-classthermoplastic polyurethanes.IntroductionThere is a clear trend in the endmarkets towards sustainablechemical products that minimizethe use of petrochemical resourceswithout limiting functionalities,quality and economics of currentlyused products and, if possible, evenadding new functionalities tothem.A polyurethane-based polymer isthe result of the chemical reactionof one or several polyols and oneor several isocyanates. Polyolsderived from plant sources are wellknown in the polyurethanetechnology. Nevertheless, the useof such polyols has been limitedto foam or coating applicationsdue to their inherent and difficultto-controlpolyfunctionality.Because high performancepolyurethane elastomers showexcellent mechanical andelastomeric properties, to obtainstrictly bifunctional polyols derivedfrom renewable plant-derivedsources is compulsory.We have developed a new rangeof bifunctional polyols made fromraw materials derived from vegetalplant sources, either oily fractionvia chemical transformation, orfrom carbon hydrate fraction viafermentation. These new polyolscan be produced using standardprocedures, and their propertiescan be modulated designing themwith different molecular weightsand monomer combinations. Weuse these polyols in standardreaction conditions withisocyanates, resultingthermoplastic polyurethanes withmechanical properties closer topolyester or polyether TPU,depending on the involved rawmaterial in the polyol preparation.This technology is protected by apatent application.Merquinsa is introducing the newrange of TPU in most of thetraditional markets. Footwear isone of the main markets for TPU,and we have developed productsthat satisfy both the elastomericand adhesive applications; othersinclude the sports & leisure,automotive and electronicmarkets.Bio TpuPolyurethane has also beenaffected by the ‘green-tide’, andsince the beginning of 2000 anincreasing number ofenvironmental news andcommunications have spread overthe entire business. Most of theefforts have been devoted tointroducing new polyols of plantorigin in classical polyurethaneapplications, especially foams.There are two reasons to justify thisapproach: firstly, the polyurethanefoam market (both rigid andflexible foams) is by far the mostimportant segment within thepolyurethane business, and thedevelopmental effort to producerenewable products would bringabout faster results. Secondly,polyurethane foam technologyaccepts a broader specificationrange for its polyol, withfunctionality ranging from less than2 to more than 6. Monomers andpolymers derived from naturalsources are inherently complexand not very well defined under aunique chemical formula.Consequently, functionality controlis very hard, and moleculardistributions spread over a widemolecular weight range.At Merquinsa, the development ofa new range of polymers (based onrenewable sources) was made onM A R C H 2 0 0 9P O L Y U R E T H A N E S T O D A Y21

PUTodayTechnical Articlethe basis that we should try tomatch the properties of establishedand high-performing polymers inour industry as much as possible.A thermoplastic elastomer is a highperformance product, whosemacroscopic properties reflect athree-dimensional microscopicorganization (see Figure 1 below).Therefore, it was a first challengeto design the right chemicalstructure. Based on ourproprietary technology we wereable to develop TPU suitable foradhesive use or for elastomers,with bio-based content from 20%up to 90%, according to ASTM D6866 (see Figure 2). Moreover, inour new ECO TPU range, we arecurrently using renewable rawFigure 1. TPU microstructurematerials from non-food or feedcompeting sources.There are three concepts thatusually relate to the sustainabilitymessage (see Figure 3 following): Biodegradability: the polymer isdecomposed into its primarycomponents (ideally CO 2for thecarbon content) under a certaintemperature and humidityconditions. Our TPUs are notbiodegradable. Recyclability: the polymer canbe re-used several times,maintaining most of their definingproperties above a certainperformance limit. Our TPU is athermoplastic material, and it isinherently recyclable (seeFigure 4 below). Renewability (orbio-based): the polymeris produced from rawmaterials not derivedfrom fossil sources, likepetrol. Our ECO TPUrange fulfils this conceptin a certain percentage(see Figure 2 above).Figure 3. ECO-TPU position within theplastics universeFigure 4. Pearlthane ® ECO D12T95.Recyclability performanceIn summary, with the new ECO TPUfamily, Merquinsa expands thelimits of High Performanceelastomeric materials, allowingend-users to add the ECO benefitconcept to their products, withoutlosing or sacrificing any properties.Elastomeric Eco TpuPropertiesA summary of the main propertiesof the new ECO TPU range incomparison to Merquinsa’sstandard Pearlthane ® polyester TPUfollows below.Mechanical Properties & AbrasionResistanceFigure 2. Bio-based content certification according to ASTM D 6866ECO TPU grades have mechanicalproperties which are very close tothose of standard TPU products, asshown in Figure 5 below for Tensilestrength and modulus. In the sameFigure, the result after ageing for168 h at 85ºC is shown. If theadequate ECO TPU grade is chosen,equivalent mechanical propertiescan be achieved.22 P O L Y U R E T H A N E S T O D A YM A R C H 2 0 0 9

Technical ArticlePUTodayAbrasion resistance is equivalent tothat of petrochemical TPU. This isone of the main differentialproperties of polyurethane incomparison to other elastomers,and makes it the product of choicefor environments where highabrasion resistance is compulsory(see Figure 6).Both in mechanical properties andabrasion resistance, Merquinsa hasachieved to keep the outstandingproperties inherent topolyurethane, but with polymerswith a bio-based content ofaround 40%.Figure 5. Pearlthane ® ECO D12T90.Tensile Strength and Modulus (ASTM D 638)Figure 6. Pearlthane ® ECO D12T90.Abrasion resistance (DIN 53516)When comparing the mechanicalproperties of Pearlthane ® ECOD12T85 and a standardpolycaprolactone copolyesterbasedTPU (Pearlthane ® 11T85),similar properties are observed.However, Pearlthane ® ECO D12T85has a better flowability, and offersthe possibility to recommend alower temperature profile. In fact,the temperature profilerecommended is about 10ºC less,keeping in mind thatpolycaprolactone copolyesterbasedTPU normally has a betterflowability than standard polyester.Merquinsa has developed a fullrange of ECO products withdifferent hardnesses.Low DensityTo have low density is always a plusfor many applications whereweight is an important parameter(i.e. transport-related applications).Surprisingly, most new ECO TPUgrades show an injected densityreduction between 2% and 5%,compared to conventionalpetrochemical-based TPU, seeFigure 7 as follows:Figure 7. Pearlthane ® ECO D12T90 andD12T95. Density (DIN 53479)Base Colour & TransparencyRaw materials from naturalsources usually show higher colourthan petrochemical raw materials,due to more complicatedpurification procedures. Naturalproducts are complex mixtures ofmany products, normally withfunctional groups prone to sufferdiscolouration via oxidationreactions. Purification of thesemixtures is difficult and expensiveif a high degree of purity isrequired. The raw materials we useto produce our ECO TPU range arebased on commercially availableproducts with standard but carefulpurification. Consequently, somecolour remains in the TPU, whichmight not be acceptable for hightransparencyapplications, butuseful for many regularapplications of TPU. In Figure 8 a30 micron blown film is shown, anda very good transparency can beobserved.Figure 8. 30 micron film produced withPearlthane ECO D12T90EHigh flow and CrystallinityThis is one of the most importantadvantages of the ECO TPU range.These new products show a lowermelt viscosity, higher flow at highshear rate, at the same molecularweight as that of standard TPU (seeFigure 9). Therefore, the flow isreduced at the same temperature,and the moulding process is highlyimproved, together with themoulding cycle and productivity, ingeneral. According to testsperformed at Merquinsa and atcustomer premises, mouldingbehaviour of the new ECO TPU isoutstanding, and very close toother thermoplastic materialsdifferent from polyurethane. Highflow properties are directly relatedto high crystallinity parametersshown by ECO TPU.M A R C H 2 0 0 9P O L Y U R E T H A N E S T O D A Y23

PUTodayTechnical Articlepolycaprolactone-copolyester TPUavailable in the market today.The ECO TPU grades can be typicallyused in those applications where100 percent petroleum-based TPUis used, for a wide range of “green”sport goods, electronics, footwear,automotive, and industrialapplications. Furthermore,Merquinsa also commercializes anew Pearlbond ® ECO TPU productfor shoe stiffeners, thermobonding,and hot melt adhesiveapplications.Figure 9. Pearlthane® ECO D12T90. Melt viscosity vs. shear rate.Hydrolysis ResistanceFinally, we can see the hydrolysisresistance in the next figure (Figureno. 10) illustrating the waterresistance of the products after aperiod of time underwater at 80ºC.The ECO TPU grade achieves asuperior level to a polyester-basedFigure 10. Pearlthane ® ECO D12T90, standard polyester- based TPU, and copolyestercopolycaprolactone-based TPU. Hydrolysis resistance at 80ºC underwater.standard TPU and a similar levelto a polycaprolactone copolyesterbasedTPU. It is a general fact thatthe latter TPU is well-known for itsgood hydrolysis resistance.ConclusionMerquinsa introduces a brandnew range of ECO TPU based onrenewable raw materials, the firsthigh performance BIO elastomericpolyurethane availablecommercially. A detailed studyshows that the new ECO TPU rangefor elastomeric applications canachieve equivalent or even betterproperties than standard polyesterbasedTPU, and very close to thoseof the best performingAbout MerquinsaMerquinsa is a leadingthermoplastic polyurethane (TPU)specialty producer, providinginnovative products for injectionmoulding, extrusion, calendering,melt coating, compounding andadhesives applications. Merquinsa’sheadquarters are in Barcelona,Spain with regional centres in Asiaand North America.Merquinsa has been one of theearliest adopters of sustainabilityinitiatives in the chemical industry,having been granted its 14001 ISOcertification as early as in 1999 andput together its Responsible Careprogram in 2001.Merquinsa was recently granted theFrost & Sullivan 2008 GlobalThermoplastic Urethane (TPU)Product Innovation GreenExcellence of the Year Award. Thisaward recognizes Merquinsa´sinnovation in biopolymers, with itsgroundbreaking Bio TPU madefrom renewable carbon resourcesand successfully marketed globallyunder Pearlthane ® and Pearlbond ®ECO brands.For more information aboutMerquinsa, PEARLTHANE ® ,PEARLCOAT ® , PEARLBOND ® , andPEARLSTICK ® , Specialty TPU resins,please visit our Web site atwww.merquinsa.com24 P O L Y U R E T H A N E S T O D A YM A R C H 2 0 0 9

Technical ArticlePUTodayPolyurea Spray Applied Systems for ConcreteProtectionHuntsman PolyurethanesEverslaan 45B3078 Everberg, BelgiumAbstractThe concept of polyurea sprayelastomer technology wasintroduced about 20 years ago bychemists at Texaco ChemicalCompany in Austin Texas (nowHuntsman Corporation)The technology combines fastcuring, even at very lowtemperatures, and waterinsensitivity with exceptionalmechanical properties, chemicalresistance and durability. Thedevelopment of new raw materialsand improved spray equipment hasmade it possible to overcome theinitial problems associated withthis technology such as substratewetting, intercoat adhesion andsurface finish quality.The latest development programsfocus on the extension of theapplication fields through theintroduction of MDI-prepolymers,combining low viscosity with lowNCO content, resulting in slowerreactivity and/or higher flexibility.Alternatively, prepolymers withhigher NCO-content producecoatings with superior hardness.IntroductionPolyurea spray coatings technologyis a recent development in thepolyurethane coatings industry.Polyurethane chemistry has beenin existence for approximately 60years, while elastomeric urethanecoatings have been available sincethe 1970s. The polyurea elastomertechnology was introduced some10 years later. The two mainapplication areas are ReactionInjection Moulding (RIM) andsprayable coatings.Polyurea coatings combineextreme application propertiessuch as rapid cure, even attemperatures well below 0°C, andinsensitivity to humidity, withexceptional physical propertiessuch as high hardness, flexibility,tear and tensile strength, andchemical and water resistance. Thisresults in good weathering andabrasion resistance. The systemsare 100 per cent solids, makingthem compliant with the strictestVOC regulations. Due to its specificcuring profile and exceptional filmproperties, the polyurea spraycoating technique has beenintroduced into many areas,including corrosion protection,containment, membranes, liningsand caulks.1- DefinitionThe term ‘polyurea’ has beenwrongly used in the past. Theurethane coatings chemistry can bedivided into three sub segments:i) polyurethane coatings, ii)polyurea coatings, and iii/ hybridpolyurethane/polyurea coatings,all linked to different isocyanatereactions (Figure 1). Each of thesesegments deals with systems, whichcan be aromatic, aliphatic, or ablend of both aromatic andaliphatic. Pigments, fillers, solventsand/or additives can be introducedto all of them.A purely polyurethane coating isthe result of a reaction betweenFigure 1: Isocyanate chemistryan isocyanate component and aresin blend made with onlyhydroxyl-containing resins. Thefinal coating film will contain nointentional urea groups. Apolyurethane system will mostprobably contain one or morecatalysts.ii) A polyurea coating is the resultof a one-step reaction between anisocyanate component and a resinblend component. The isocyanatecan be monomer based, aprepolymer, a polymer or a blend.For the prepolymer, amine- and/or hydroxylterminated resins canbe used. On the other hand, theresin blend should only containamine-terminated resins and/orchain extenders and not anyhydroxyl reactive polymercomponents. All the polyureacoatings mentioned in the papercomply with this requirement.iii) A polyurethane/polyurea hybridcoating has a composition whichis a combination of the abovementionedtwo coating systems. Theisocyanate component can be theM A R C H 2 0 0 9P O L Y U R E T H A N E S T O D A Y25

PUTodayTechnical Articlesame as the “pure” polyureasystems. The resin blend is a blendof amine-terminated and hydroxylterminatedpolymer resins and/orchain extenders. The resin blendmay also contain additives, or nonprimarycomponents. To bring thereactivity of the hydroxyl-containingresins to the same level of reactivityas the amine-terminated resins, theaddition of one or more catalysts isnecessary. The water/isocyanatereaction also produces urea-groupsat the end of the process.However, this reaction should notbe considered to be a polyureareaction as the mechanism is a twostepprocess, which is controlled bythe much slower isocyanate waterreaction, and produces carbondioxide.2 The polyurethanelandscapeThe choice between the differentpolyurethane (PU) technologies isbased upon different parameters(Figure 2). Polyurethane presentsthe best compromise between costand quality, but is limited by theapplication performance. Thepolyurethane system is susceptibleto blistering when the substratecontains more than five per centhumidity. This is due tocompetition between hydroxylpolyolsand water for the reactionwith an isocyanate group. Thehumidity content of theenvironment and the applicationtemperature are limiting factorsfor polyurethanes and otherchemically reacting systems.Hybrid systems already have alarger scope for applicationconditions, but the presence ofcatalysts in hybrids makes themmore sensitive to humidity than“pure” polyurea systems. Moreover,because the catalysed polyol/isocyanate reaction behavesdifferently from the amine/isocyanate reaction to changingapplication temperatures, thesystem becomes less robust.Polyurea can be used in extremeconditions. When it is used onsubstrates almost saturated withwater, polyurea will not provokeblistering nor will blistering occurwhen the air contains highamounts of humidity. Even at verylow temperatures (as low as minus20°C) the polyurea coating will stillcure. Polyurea coatings combinehigh flexibility with hardness. Theyare the most suitable coatingswhen the following is required: high curing speed, application under highhumidity and/or at lowtemperatures, extreme abrasion resistance, impermeable membranes, high thickness build up, chemical resistanceFigure 2: Applicability of the different PUchemistries3 The applications for polyureacoatingsA good understanding of theproperties of polyurea spraycoatings is required to specify theright application. Table 1 providesa general overview of the physicaland chemical properties that canbe expected of polyurea sprayproducts. Polyurea systems areknown to be very tough. Theycombine high elasticity with highsurface hardness, resulting in verygood abrasion resistance.The market development started inthe US, followed by Asia, with verystrong growth during the secondTable 1: Typical physical properties ofpolyurea and their specificationshalf of the 1990s. In a first stage ofdevelopment, polyurea was used asa protective layer over polyurethaneinsulation foam for roofingapplications. In Europe, thepolyurea spray coatings market onlystarted to develop in the last fewyears.The broad window of applicationconditions, with a high tolerancefor humidity, both from theenvironment and from thesubstrate and temperature, makespolyurea a very suitable coating forconcrete in constructionapplications such as roof repair,containment liners, membranes,car park decks, bridges andoffshore. The high abrasionresistance leads to its applicationin liners for truck, bulk transportwagons, freight ships and conveyorbelts. Tables 2a and 2b representan overview of the applicationfields where polyurea is chosenbased on one or more of theunique application and/or filmproperties.Polyurea applications in constructionRoof coatings26 P O L Y U R E T H A N E S T O D A YM A R C H 2 0 0 9

Technical ArticlePUTodayFlat roof repairWaterproofing membranesSecondary containmentCar park decksBridgesOffshoreOther polyurea applicationsPipe protectionInner pipe repairTank coatingsTruck bed linersFreight ship linersBulk transport wagon linerssConveyer belts5 Product applicationspecificsThe most important element ofhandling polyurea coatings is themixing. Good mixing will beobtained in a suitable mixingmodule by impingement withmechanical purge.The operational pressure andtemperature of the products willalso help to optimise the mixingefficiency. Due to the high curespeed of polyurea and the shortmixing time, the products aremixed by impingement at highpressure. Indeed, for fieldapplications, it is preferable toformulate the products on a fixed1:1 volume-mixing ratio. Thepressure used in the field will varybetween 150 and 250 bar. Theviscosity of the products atapplication temperature ideallyneeds to be lower than 100 mPa.sand the viscosity of the twocomponents needs to be at thesame level. The properties of theseprepolymers can be found in Table3.The viscosity of the resin blend at25°C is approximately 900 mPa.s,dropping below 100 mPa.s atapplication temperature.Experiments prove that polyureafilms produced at 65°C, 70°C and80°C have different properties andthese properties improve withincreasing temperatures. The newspray equipment allows differenttemperature settings for the twocomponents, ensuring an optimummixing in the spray head.The spraying equipment hasimproved significantly. Newfeatures are: separate temperature settings forboth components; easier variable ratio settings; easy output control; easy monitoring of applicationparameters.The index of a polyurea system istypically kept at a slight over-indexof the isocyanate in the range of1.05-1.10. As the isocyanate-groupreacts to humidity, the excessisocyanate compensates for the‘loss’ of isocyanate-groups duringstorage and/or application. Thefilm properties of the 1:1 volumeratio sprayed system weremeasured for an index variationbetween 0.90 and 1.15. The testresults indicate that the filmperforms best at an index of 1.05and higher. Below an index of 1.05the results can vary significantlyand become unpredictable, evenfor small index shifts.In the following chapter, thecorrelation between index and filmproperties will be discussed indetail. 6- Important aspects of thespray polyurea technology Theapplication of polyurea has knownsome problems during the initialstart-up phase, which are at theorigin of the misconception stillexisting about polyurea technology.These problems can be attributedpartly to the lack of experience atthe time of the introduction of thetechnology, partly to the lack ofadequate application equipment,and partly to the fact that this newtechnology could not be appliedin the same way as the currentcoatings systems.At first, polyurea spray coatingssimply looked almost too easy toapply. Polyurea is very fast, thecoating can be put into serviceimmediately after the applicationand the final properties of thecoating are obtained only a fewhours afterwards. Polyurea is notwater or temperature sensitive, andis easy to formulate and produce.The first systems on the market wereindeed very fast with a gel time ofless than two seconds, and initiallya number of problems were linkedto the reactivity of the systems.A first problem mentioned wassubstrate wetting. This was aproblem linked to thedevelopment phase of polyureawith the use of extremely fast spraysystems. Development programsfocusing on adhesion on concrete,with polyurea systems presentinggel times of three to four seconds,resulted in cohesive adhesionfailure in the concrete. In practice,to limit the risks under variablefield conditions, a multi-layersystem is applied, made of a primerand a topcoat. A second remarkfrom the market was the lack ofintercoat adhesion. Lab tests withtimes between coats of severalweeks have shown that intercoatadhesion is very good. Whenproblems occur with intercoatM A R C H 2 0 0 9P O L Y U R E T H A N E S T O D A Y27

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Technical ArticlePUTodayadhesion, most of the time theycan be related back to problemswith the raw materials, themanufacturing of the systems orthe spray equipment. Sprayequipment problems or adisturbance of the feeding of oneor both components towards themixing module can cause poormixing. Adapting the machinesettings of the spray can solve this.Due to the high reactivity of thesystems, the surface quality of thesprayed film was initially very poor.The fine-tuning the sprayingequipment was a first stepimprovement towards solving tothe problem. The use of non-VOC,reactive diluents and thedevelopment of new MDIprepolymerswith higher 2,4’-isomer content resulted in perfectsurface quality withoutcompromising on working time.The cost of the polyurea spraycoatings technology is seen as abarrier to entry. “Pure” polyureasystems are more expensive, whenconsidering raw materials costalone, but can be applied in areaswhere all other systems will fail orwhere they are not suitable. Alsothe initial investment inequipment is rather costly. But,when estimating the capital for aproject, polyurea is even morecompetitive when both theprocessing time and the waitingperiod before the coated substrateis put back into service areincluded. As highlighted above,the success of the project is veryequipment and applicatordependent and we believe that thehigh entry barrier can onlyguarantee quality services fromspecialised and skilled operators.7 Construction related aspects7.1- General considerationsAs polyurea chemistry is very fast,does not experience negative sideeffects caused by the presence ofhumidity and also cures attemperatures below 0°C, polyureaspray coatings can be used underdifficult weather conditions.However, when using polyureacoatings, a number of precautionsstill have to be taken.At the development phase ofthe product for anapplication: The formulation needs to meetthe performance requirementsrelated to the application. A suitable “system” needs to befine-tuned for the application. The developed system needs tobe evaluated in real lifeconditions.At the surface preparationphase: A good surface preparation ismandatory in order to guaranteea good adhesion and a good finish.In all cases the surface must alwaysbe sound, dry and clean. The surface quality needs to beexamined. The consistency of the surfacequality for the complete projectneeds to be evaluated.At the application phase: Although humidity in thesubstrate or in the air does notdisturb the curing performance ofthe coating, it is still better torespect the dew point rules. Thepresence of water on the surfaceto be coated will always have anegative effect on the adhesionperformance of the coating.l When the preheated products areapplied on a cold surface, theincrease of the viscosity will havea greater impact on the wetting ofthe substrate than the slowingdown of the reactivity at thoselower temperatures. If coldsubstrates need to be coated, thenecessary precautions need to betaken. If primers are considered, agood approach is to start with theevaluation of existing primers withknown performance on thesubstrate. It is important todetermine the adhesionperformance of the polyureacoating on the primers and tocheck whether the applicationconditions of the primer and there-coating conditions for theprimer still work for a system withpolyurea as a finish.7.2 Concrete surface defectsand surface preparationThe low cost, high strength andstructural properties of concretemake it the material of choice forthe construction industry. Someof the typical properties ofconcrete like the limitedchemical resistance, dust releaseand porosity or permeabilitymake it necessary to put aprotective and/or decorativelayer onto the surface. Thepreparation of the surface isextremely important.Depending on the surfacequality of the concrete, one ormore of the following actionsneeds to be taken: water jet and/or solvent cleaning grit blasting bughole and crack filling repair layer of concrete priming.7.3 Steel surface defects andsurface preparationThe life cycle of steel constructioncoatings depend largely upon theM A R C H 2 0 0 9P O L Y U R E T H A N E S T O D A Y29

PUTodayTechnical Articleprotective system put in place. Thelife of the protective coating itselfis strongly depending on thesurface condition prior to theapplication of the coating. Theprotection of the substrate ismainly obtained by ensuring agood adhesion. Two adhesionmechanisms are possible: molecular attraction of theinterfacial forces from both thecoating and the substrate, mechanical bonding or anchoringof the coating on the substrateDepending on the condition of thesurface, one or more of thefollowing pre-treatments will benecessary: cleaning and degreasing withsolvents, water jet or detergents hand tool or power tool cleaning, grit blasting.On freshly grit-blasted, dust-freesteel with a surface roughness SA2½ to SA 2 according to thespecification ISO 8501-1, very highadhesion values can be obtainedfor polyurea, even without the useof primers.8 Latest developments8.1 Mixing efficiencyThe mixing efficiency of theapplication equipment is of vitalimportance. When formulating asystem or modifying an existingsystem, it is necessary to verify themixing efficiency constantly. Figure4 shows the influence of changingthe mixing on the physicalproperties of a formulatedproduct. The tensile strengthalmost doubles from 14 N/mm² to23 N/mm², the angle tear increasesfrom 75 N/mm to 85 N/mm and theelongation increases from 390 to430 per cent. In this case, theinfluence on the other physicalproperties is limited.8.2 Influence of the systemindex on the final filmpropertiesEarlier experiments reveal that apolyurea coating needs to beformulated at an index above 1.00,meaning with a slightly higheramount of isocyanate-groups thanaminegroups. At an index of 1.00or lower, the physical properties ofthe coating become unreliable.Figure 5 demonstrates that mostproperties obtain very good valuesat indexes 1.10 to 1.30. Above anindex of 1.30 the performance tendsto drop again. Taking into accountthat, in practice, slight variationsmight occur in the applicationparameters, related to the precisionof the spray equipment andvariations in application conditions,it is safer to work at a minimumindex of 1.10 to 1.15.8.3 Influence of fillers on thephysical propertiesAdding fillers to a polyurea systemcan be useful for different reasonssuch as a reduction in the rawmaterial cost or improvement inphysical properties. Inorganic fillershave a different hardness and somewill abrade parts of the sprayequipment more than others. Themost sensitive parts are the mixingchamber and the nozzle of thespray gun. The filled systems needto be carefully filtered beforepackaging.Depending on the performance ofthe spray installation, the dosingof filler can vary. We added up to40 per cent of filler to the resinblend. The main limiting factor forthe processing will be the increasein viscosity of the filledcomponent. This can result in: difficulties with the pumpingunit, poor mixing due to bigdifferences in viscosity for bothcomponents.Adding fillers improves the surfacehardness, the angle tear andflexural bending modulus but hasa negative influence on theelongation and the tearpropagation or trouser tear.Figure 4: Influence of the mixing efficiencyon the physical properties of a polyureacoating systemFigure 5: Variation of the physicalproperties at varying system indexFigure 6: Physical property development as afunction of filler content30 P O L Y U R E T H A N E S T O D A YM A R C H 2 0 0 9

Technical ArticlePUToday8.4 Water absorptionFor corrosion protection, the maincontributing property to a goodperformance is adhesion to thesubstrate. Further testing provedFigure 7: Water absorption for differentSUPRASEC prepolymersthat, even with very good adhesion,the resistance to cathodicdisbondment for some systems fails.Since cathodic disbondment is alonger term and certainly not asimple test method, we measuredthe water absorption over a periodof 10 days at 80°C and added 3 percent of sodium chloride to thewater.As can be seen in Figure 7, theunmodified standard polyurea spraycoatings give only a limitedprotection against corrosion. Thewater absorption drops significantlywith increasing the NCO-content forthe prepolymer. Further fine-tuningof the pre-polymer resulted inwater absorption being well below0.5 per cent after 10 days. Cathodicdisbondment testing on this systemgave very satisfying test results.8.5 Antiskid performanceFlooring, car parks and sportsfloors are key applications forpolyurea due to its high abrasionresistance, good mechanicalproperties and insensitivity toblistering duringthe curing processin humid conditions. One exampleis the outdoor, impact absorbingplayground flooring. The systemtested is based on SUPRASEC 2049,formulated to be applied in a 1 to1 volume ratio. The film propertiesare 70 Shore A hardness, 600 percent elongation and 13 N/mm²tensile strength. The results inTable 6 show that it is perfectlypossible to formulate a system,which complies with the antiskidneeds of a flooring system, in thiscase for a flexible substrate.Table 6: Antiskid test result for flooringapplications9 ConclusionsPolyurea spray coating technologyis different from other coatingchemistries and can expand theapplication range of coatings toareas and conditions where othercoating systems will fail.Polyurea spray coatings are verysuitable for applications inconstruction applications. The fastcuring makes it possible to use itwhen only very short disturbanceperiods are allowed. The fact thatthe isocyanate/water reaction is notaffecting the physical properties ofthe applied film, expands the useof polyurea to high relativehumidity conditions and does notset such stringent limits on the watercontent of substrates like concrete.Although they slow down at coldertemperatures, polyurea coatingsstill cure at temperatures whereother chemistries fail.The formulation of polyurea spraycoatings has to be approached ina very similar way as any othercoating system. Careful selection ofraw materials for the fine-tuningof the formulation and theevaluation of the system, in thesometimes difficult conditionswhere the coating is to be applied,is still necessary.Polyurea spray coating technologymeans handling reactive chemicals.While handling the chemicalsduring their manufacturing,packaging and application, thecorrect protective clothing shouldbe worn at all times.10 AcknowledgementsThe author would like to thankStefan Priemen and DomienBerden for the application andtesting of the polyurea samples,Wesley Verbeke for the supportwith the testing of the systems andall other Huntsman staff whohelped to realise this paper.11- References1. Johan Van Tongelen, “Untappedpotential”, guest editorial, EuropeanCoatings Journal, January-February, 20012. Chris Godinich, “Polyurea: a marketoverview”, European Coatings Journal,October 2000, p. 543. Dudley J. Primeaux II, “Fast-curingpolyurea spray elastomers rapidlyspreading in commercial use”, UrethanesTechnology, October-November 2000, p. 374. Dudley J. Primeaux II, “Spray polyureaversatile high performance elastomer forthepolyurethane industry”, Polyurethanes 89– Proceedings of the 32nd annualtechnical/marketing conference, SPI, SanFrancisco, October 1989, p. 1265. Aureliano Perez, Jay A. Johnston,“Performance and processingenhancements of aromatic polyureaelastomer systems prepared from high 2,4’-M A R C H 2 0 0 9P O L Y U R E T H A N E S T O D A Y31

PUToday32 P O L Y U R E T H A N E S T O D A YM A R C H 2 0 0 9

Technical ArticlePUTodayMDI isocyanates”, Proceedings of thePolyurethanes Conference 2000, October8-11, 2000, Boston6. Marc Broekaert, Wolfgang Pille-Wolf,“The influence of isomer composition andfunctionality on the final properties ofaromatic polyurea spray coatings”,Proceedings of the Utech 2000Conference, The Hague7. Marc Broekaert, “Modified MDIprepolymersimprove the initialphysical properties and reduce the ‘inservice’time of aromatic polyureacoatings”, Proceedings of the 6thNürnberg Congress – Creative advancesin coatings technology, April 2-4 , 2001,Nürnberg, p. 7618. Marc Broekaert, “Profits in thepipeline”, Polymer Paints ColourJournal, July 2001, p. 189. Aureliano Perez Jr., Calvin C. Shen,“Performance enhancements ofaromatic polyurea spray coatings by theuse of conventional primer systems”,presented at the Polyurea DevelopmentAssociation in New Orleans, Louisiana,U.S.A., November 29 – December 1rst,200010. Gusmer Corporation, “Directimpingement mixing for the sprayingof polyurea”, 1st Annual PDA meeting,30/11-1/12/2000, New Orleans11. Marc Broekaert, “Polyurea spraycoatings, the technology and latestdevelopments”, Polyurethanes for highperformance coatings II, ECC, Berlin,March 14th – 15th, 200212. Jay A. Johnston, Samantha Smith,“Physical properties of aromaticpolyurea elastomer coatings afterexposure to extreme conditions”,Polyurethanes Expo 2002, Salt Lake City,October 13th – 16th, 2002, p. 29113. Greg Livingston, “Polyurea coatingon highly reinforced concretestructures”, 2nd Annual PDA meeting,28-30/11/2001, Orlando14. Art Weiss, “Polyurea and metalcoating”, 2nd Annual PDA meeting, 28-30/11/2001, Orlando15. PMDI User Guidelines for ChemicalProtective Clothing Selection, The Societyof the Plastics Industry, ref. AX178, July199416. Technical Update on skin protectionby Ansell, website: www.ansell.be‘SUPRASEC’ is a registered trademark ofHuntsman International LLC. The markis registered in one or more countries, butmay not be registered in all countries.‘JEFFAMINE’ and ‘JEFFSOL’ are registeredtrademarks of Huntsman PetrochemicalsCorporation. The marks are registered inone or more countries, but may not beregistered in all countries. The informationand recommendations in this publicationare to the best of our knowledge,information and belief accurate at thedate of publication. NOTHING HEREINIS TO BE CONSTRUED AS A WARRANTY,EXPRESS OR OTHERWISE. In all cases, itis the responsibility of users to determinethe applicability of such information orthe suitability of any product for theirown particular purpose. NOTHING INTHIS PUBLICATION IS TO BECONSTRUED AS RECOMMENDING THEINFRINGEMENT OF ANY PATENT OROTHER INTELLECTUAL PROPERTYRIGHT AND NO LIABILITY ARISINGFROM ANY SUCH INFRINGEMENT ISASSUMED. NOTHING IN THISPUBLICATION IS TO BE VIEWED AS ALICENCE UNDER ANY INTELLECTUALPROPERTY RIGHT. The sale of anyproducts referred to in this publication issubject to the general terms andconditions of Huntsman InternationalLLC or its affiliated companies.Huntsman Polyurethanes is aninternational business unit of HuntsmanInternational LLC. HuntsmanPolyurethanes trades with Huntsmanaffiliated companies in the relevantcountries such as HuntsmanInternational LLC in the USA andHuntsman Holland BV in WesternEurope.Copyright © 2003 HuntsmanInternational LLC. All rights reserved. 01-2003.Corrigendum:The Polyurethanes market report covered in the last issue, as being available by Research & Markets,should have stated that this report is published by IAL Consultants, and is available directly from IAL(www.ialconsultants.com), as well as a number of resellers. The volume mentioned is part of IAL’sfive volume report on the EMEA markets for Polyurethane Chemicals and Products, published inJune 2008. IAL also published its report on the Asian markets in late 2008, of which Volume 3,covers the Indian market.M A R C H 2 0 0 9P O L Y U R E T H A N E S T O D A Y33

PUTodayCompany ProfileCoim Asia Pacific Pvt LtdCOIM’s main aim: To become animportant and committed playerin hot cast elastomers:Coim is a multi product, multination organization, headquartered in Italy that makes worldclass quality polyether and polyesterpolyols (both aromatic & aliphatic),thermoplastic polyurethanes(TPUs),polyurethane dispersions (PUDs),microcellular systems, systems forrigid foam, PU solutions forsynthetic leather and adhesives,and coatings for flexible packagingindustry with a revenue in • 480million. Coim is one of the world’sleading producers of polyesterpolyol.COIM has made a significant moveinto systems for hot-cast elastomersover the last couple of years, and isconvinced it has a good futurebusiness in this market, as a resultof its ability to offer a highlycustomer-focused approach.In hot cast elastomer, COIM makesthe following prepolymer productsto make elastomers in the hardnessrange from Shore 30A to 75DImuthane 2D series: PTMEG-TDIbased prepolymersImuthane 1D series: Polyester-TDI based prepolymersImuthane 2M series: PTMEG-MDIbased prepolymersImuthane 1M series: Polyester-MDI based prepolymersImuthane 3T series: PPG-TDIbased prepolymersImuthane 3M series: PPG-MDIbased preolymersImuthane 4D series:Polycaprolactone-TDI seriesImuthane 4M series:Polycaprolcatone-MDI seriesImcure series curativesCOIM’s Imuthane pre-polymers forhot-cast elastomer products arebacked by an expert, personalizedtechnical service, a vital ingredientin this highly fragmented marketand offer a highly customer-focusedapproach.COIM’s move into this segment hasbeen embraced by many of thesmall processors who make up alarge proportion of this sector. Hotcastelastomers — “a high-price,technology-driven specialty,” — aretargeted to become a strategicbusiness for COIM in future.The Imuthane pre-polymers for hotcast elastomer is a very good fit forCOIM and a natural extension for itsproduct portfolio. Its coretechnology is polyester polyols: thatdrives the downstream value-addedproduct lines such as the HCEprepolymers, systems for shoe soles,TPUs and laminating adhesives.COIM is able to offer world classquality hot cast elastomer atcompetitive prices.COIM is now manufacturing prepolymersfor the HCE business at itsUS, Brazil, Italy and Singapore sites.In hot cast elastomers, though themain target is rubber replacementin demanding applications, it isalso used to replace metals andplastics in variety of applications inview of its light weight, excellentabrasion resistance, corrosionresistance and the ability to makeit highly resilient or deaddepending on the formulation.Typical application area includemining screens, chute liners,desanders and desilters, castorwheels, steel & paper industryrollers etc that require highperformance and strength.COIM expect a double digit growthin Imuthane business especiallyfrom high potential Asian marketthat has great scope for growth. InAsia, India will be a country thatholds great future for hot castelastomers as the current market isin its infancy stage and more andmore applications are introducedwith new processors taking on tothis business with promising future.COIM has a dedicated lab in NorthAmerica for Imuthane technicalservice and has employed highlyexperienced technical andcommercial people across the globeto penetrate the market andbecome major player soon.Imuthane business for Asian marketincluding India will be under theSingapore set up that can providequickest logistical support so thatcustomers can keep minimuminventory and can get materialdirectly from the manufacturer thusgetting fresh stocks at competitiveprices.34 P O L Y U R E T H A N E S T O D A YM A R C H 2 0 0 9

Sponsored ArticlePUTodayPolyurea Elastomers (Resins) (Stelacoat)(For Waterproofing)IntroductionPolyurea is a remarkableprotective coating system.Polyurea were first developed inthe early 1980"s for automotivefacial application due to their highstrength and impact resistance.Today’s polyurea chemistry isbased on the reaction of anisocyanate component with anamine blend to produce a polyureawhich is popularly known as anelastomer. Polyurea is the reactionof an isocyanate with primaryamine terminated polyethers.are 100% solids by volume. Theyrequire no use of catalysts. Cost : Polyurea > Hybrid(RIM)>Polyurethane Physical Properties : Polyurea >Hybrid(RIM) >Polyurethane Reaction : Polyurea >Polyurea Spray coating materialshave a equality reaction, excellentapplication property andchemicals- proof property. Andalso, it could reduce theconstruction working period withan excellent adhesion and fastworkability. But, it could behappen a pin-hole and bubbleproblems, when spray workswithout a completely surfacetreatment at concrete constructionbuilding or surface. Especially, incase of big area constructionbuilding have to treatmentcompletely. Otherwise, it couldn’tget a main purpose of waterproofand protect against corrosionproblem due to a less adhesionproblem and leakage problem.There were traditional protectivematerials such as polyesters, epoxies,vinyl esters and paints available inthe market. Polyurea are saving timeand money with their ability to“return the substrate to service” inminutes (often seconds).Polyurea is a protective coatingsystem with a range of uses limitedonly to your imagination. With itshigh strength and adhesioncharacteristics and its ability toresist abrasion and corrosion. Itgoes on fast and stays on long.Chemical MechanismProcessed in commerciallyavailable high pressure, hightemperature impingement mixspray equipment. These systemsPolyurea Compared With Other ResinPolyurea Compared With Other ResinHybrid(RIM) > PolyurethaneCommon Applications / Uses1) Concrete waterproofing.Anticorrosive coating.2) Steel plate and steel pipeanticorrosive coating3) Waterproofing on generalconcrete floor.4) Waterproofing lining forwaste water plant.5) Waterproofingfor construction andwall surface.6) Waterproofing forstand and ridge.7) External andinternal coating forchemical tank &lining for pipe.8) Parking lot &plant floor.9) Waterproofingand insulation forroof.M A R C H 2 0 0 9P O L Y U R E T H A N E S T O D A Y35

PUTodaySponsored ArticleAnticorrosive Coating (Ship) Anticorrosive Coating (Chemical Plant)Anticorrosive Coating (Pipe) Oil Flow Pipe Anticorrosive(WaterDetergent)Anticorrosive Coating LNG Tank(Outdoor Coating) Parking lot(Lotte World)Power PlantAnticorrosive Coating (Chemical Plant)Advantages1) High-speed cured type whichreduces the construction period.Cured within 3 minutes ( oftenseconds ). For non solvent use.2) Complete waterproofingperformance attained withseamless coated layer.3) Applicable to horizontal,vertical or any surface.4) Excellent in impact, abrasion,freezing and water resistance.5) Efficient in working andpreventive of imperfect curingcaused by failures in stirring ormix8ing process.6) Unrestricted in thicknessdesigned.7) Good adhesion to anymaterial of substrate.8) No VOC’s and little to noOdor.9) Weather Tolerant : Cures at -25 degree F to 300 degree F.10) Resistant to Various Solvents,Caustics and Mild Acids.Kangnam Chemical Polyurea &Hybrid – STELACOATConclusion:The Polyurea Elastomers (Resin) are beingdeveloped by M/s. KANGNAM ChemicalCo. Ltd., KOREA. M/s. Kangnam ChemicalCo. Ltd. is being established in 1971having ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 and largestmanufacturer & exporter of Polyurethaneand Polyurea Resin for ConstructionIndustries.Especially, through waterproofing andanticorrosive construction (about 40000m2of Incheon International Airportwhich was applied by new surfacetreatment construction methods andsubway infrastructure construction(about 80000 m2. It could remarkablydecrease the working period andconstruction problem of large sizedinfrastructure construction. KANGNAMChemical Co. Ltd. is also havingPolyurethane for IAAF approved Athletictracks/tennis courts. They are also havingPolyurethane Sealant (Single pack & twopack). Kangnam Chemical is now enteringin INDIA with new product POLYUREAELASTOMER (RESIN) for Waterproofing.For More information please contact:1) AROMATIC AGENCIES (INDIA) PVT. LTD.,41, Manoj Industrial Estate, G.D.AmbedkarRoad, Wadala, Mumbai -400 031.vnvora@aromaticagencies.com &mamtapolycoats@gmail.com36 P O L Y U R E T H A N E S T O D A YM A R C H 2 0 0 9

Industry ReportPUTodayAn overview of indian chemical & polyurethanesindustryIndian Chemical IndustryThe Chemical Industry whichincludes, as per NationalIndustrial Classification, BasicChemicals and its products,Petrochemicals, Fertilizers, Paints &Varnishes, Gases, Soaps, Perfumes &Toiletries and Pharmaceuticals isone of the most diversified of allindustrial sectors coveringthousands of commercial products.According to the 2007 – 08 Annualreport of the Ministry of Chemicalsand Fertilizers, this industrycontributes 2.8% in the GDP ofIndia. The industry is characterisedby fragmentation, growing at therate of more than 10% annuallyagainst the GDP growth rate ofaround 7.5% (2007 – 2010). TheIndian Chemical Industry ranks 12thin the world and third largest in Asiain volume terms, the Internationaltrade data for Chemicals industry invalue terms is shown in Graph 1below.The Petrochemical industry mainlycomprises of synthetic fibres,polymers, elastomers, syntheticdetergents, intermediates andperformance plastics. TodayPetrochemical products permeatethe entire spectrum of items of dailyuse and cover almost every sphereof life ranging from Clothing,Housing, Construction, Furniture,Automobiles, Household items,Toys, Agriculture, Horticulture,Irrigation, and Packaging to Medicalappliances. There are six crackercomplexes in the country off which3 are Naptha based and 3 are gasbased.According to the 2007 – 08 Annualreport of the Ministry of Chemicalsand Fertilizers, as per FY 2006 – 07the Share of States in productionof various petrochemical productswas lead by Gujarat and followedby Maharashtra as shown in Graph2 below.Graph 2. Source : 2007 – 08 Annual report of Ministry of chemicals and FertilizersIndian PolyurethanesIndustryGraph 1 . Source : 2007 – 08 Annual report of Ministry of Chemicals and FertilizersAs far back as 1991, when India hadopened its door to economicliberalization and FDI, the avg.annual growth in GDP has beenaround 8%, with the exception of2008, the GDP for 2007 – 08 hasgrown by 9.3%. With an economysize of USD 1 trillion and Forexreserves exceeding USD 250 billion,India is set to overtake the USbefore 2050 as the second largesteconomy in the world.M A R C H 2 0 0 9P O L Y U R E T H A N E S T O D A Y37

PUTodayIndustry ReportThe growth in consumer spendingcombined with the youngconsumer demographics; India isexperiencing phenomenal growthin sectors related to Polyurethanesindustry. From 1996 – 2006 the GDPhas grown by 112% whereas theconsumption of Polyurethanes hasgone up by over 300%.It is estimated that thePolyurethanes industry is aroundUSD 3 Billion industry in India andwould grow to 170% by 2012 overthe base of 2005 in value terms.This is illustrated in the Table 1below.Historical growth of PU consumptionas illustrated in exhibit 2 from 1990to 2005 shows almost uniformgrowth over this period.Source: Plastemart.comThe major drivers for thePolyurethanes industry to grow inIndia are:Graph 3. Source: Gobi InternationalTable 1. Market growth by value 2005 – 2012 (Source: Gobi International)Various sectors that contributetowards the Polyurethanesindustry have been shown inExhibit 1 with the AAGR est till2015.Source: Plastemart.comThe Indian market Forecastcompared to the world Forecast forthe period 2005 – 2012 is depictedbelow in Graph3.1. The avg. / capita consumption is prettylow (200 gms. Compared to 1.2 Kgsglobally).2. The development of Cold Chain.3. Fastest growing telecommunicationmarket in the world.4. Commercial Infrastructuredevelopment.5. Investments from major automotivemanufacturers and OEM suppliers.6. Strong growth in paints and coatingssegment esp. in decoratives.7. Variety and abundance of raw materialfor Footwear segment.8. India’s strategic position couldpossibly make for an attractivemanufacturing base to serve South Asia/ Middle East and Africa regions and9. Increased awareness of customersdue to organized selling techniquesbeing adopted by the mid and largesize manufacturers of PU products.The speed of recent global events hadtaken everybody by surprise and thegrowing recessionary clouds everywherein the world so far have not been able tocheck the spirit of Polyurethanes industryin India which still continues to show ahealthy positive growth trend.38 P O L Y U R E T H A N E S T O D A YM A R C H 2 0 0 9

Environmental IssuesPUTodayWhat’s the Future of “Green” for thePolyurethane Industry?Dow News Centre, Dec 1 2008Once the domain of a fewspecialty manufacturers inniche markets, green products havefound their way into theinventories of major manufacturersand big box retailers. As a result,major producers have beenknocking on suppliers’ doors,asking for more materials that areconsidered ‘earth-friendly’.Today consumers are driving thedemand for products that haveever-increasing levels of renewablecontent – believing green is good,but “more green” is even better.Not only are they looking for moregreen content in the products theyuse, they are also expecting theseitems to perform as well as – andpreferably better than – productsmade with traditional petroleumbasedcontent.In a recent consumer study tosupport the marketing of naturaloilpolyols (NOPs) created by Dowvia RENUVARenewable ResourceTechnology,consumers in NorthAmerica and Europerevealed severalimportant insightsinto their current andfuture eco-friendlybuying behaviors: 68% said theyexpected to do moreover the next 3 yearsto make their homemore environmentallyfriendly. While they expect topurchase more“green” products inthe categories ofhousehold cleaning and personalcare, 18-20% were most interestedin buying environmentally friendlyfurniture and mattresses.“As consumers become moreeducated about green productsand marketers begin offeringproducts with higher-and-higherlevels of renewable content,companies like Dow will be giventhe opportunity to demonstratehow technology can impact realenvironmental innovation,” saidUmberto Torresan, DowPolyurethane’s global marketingmanager for RENUVA.The Challenge – Defining“Green”In order to better define the term“green” for our customers andconsumers, Dow is working withindustry leaders to create a universalmetric to measure the truerenewable content in finishedpolyurethane products. Ultimately,this information will help enableconsumers to make more informedchoices when it comes to selectinggreen end-use polyurethaneproducts.“The issue is that the industrydoesn’t know or have a clearagreement on what ‘green’ meansand there are no governmentregulations as to what isconsidered green,” continuedTorresan. “For example, if you buya can of spray foam insulation or amattress, you don’t know whatpercentage of the product isactually green. Today, marketerscan call their product green evenif they have only one or twopercent renewable content,M A R C H 2 0 0 9P O L Y U R E T H A N E S T O D A Y39

PUTodayEnvironmental Issuesbecause of the lack of definitionof what constitutes a green orrenewable material.”Setting an Industry-WideMetric for Determining aProducts’ “Greenness”In his technical paper presentationfor the 2008 Center forPolyurethanes Industry Conferencein San Antonio, Texas, Researchand Development leader for DowPolyurethanes, Juan Carlos Medina,advocated a two-part solution:adopting a newly defined methodfor testing renewable content inend-use products, andreemphasizing the connectionbetween final productperformance properties andrenewable content.“We are trying to educate theindustry on the importance ofmeasuring the level of renewablecontent in end-use products andto use that information as acompetitive advantage in themarketplace,” Medina added. “Byenlisting the help of independentlaboratories to measure therenewable content in the finalfoam product and making thatinformation available toconsumers, manufacturers andretailers can help create moredemand for products that areeven more environmentallyfriendly.”The First Step in BringingClarity to What is and is not“Green”Defining “green” in common termswill benefit all players in thepolyurethane value chain – fromformulators and producers tomanufacturers of end products,and ultimately the consumer.“Using a standard measurementwill help make it simpler forproducers and manufacturers todetermine what level ofrenewable content is possible intheir product, verify the contentlevel in the final product, andthen be able to promote the‘greenness’ of the product to theircustomers with confidence,”added Torresan.Dow is proposing to thepolyurethane industry –formulators, manufacturers,retailers and regulatory bodies –the use of their new testingmethod as the standard process todetermine bio-based content infinished urethane products.Furthermore, Dow is stressing theimportance of requesting andproviding performance propertiesof the finished product, along withthe bio-based content, whenevaluating or making “green”claims for foams manufacturedwith NOPs.“Dow has experimental data thatdemonstrates for the first time thatthe method is capable of accuratelyand precisely determining biobasedcontent in polyurethaneproducts made from NOPs,”continued Medina. “Usingtechnology to provide consumerswith a choice when it comes togreen products is our focus atDow.”Using up to 60% fewer fossil fuelresources than conventionalmethods, RENUVA Technologycan be used to createenvironmentally-friendly productswith high levels of renewablecontent for applications such ascoatings, adhesives, sealants,furniture, bedding, footwear, andtransportation.To learn more about RENUVA, visitwww.dowrenuva.com.40 P O L Y U R E T H A N E S T O D A YM A R C H 2 0 0 9

InterviewPUTodayEnergy efficient construction using prefabricatedsteel panels and rigid polyurethane foam core:Rinac India Ltd.Prefabricated steel buildings canbe anything from simplestorage structures, to complexsteel framed office buildings.Prefabricated steel buildings costless than most other types ofbuildings for a number of reasons.For example, prefabricatedbuildings are available along withother components, all ready to theassembled thus decreasing laborcosts and saving time. Use ofcomputer-based technologies forprecise designing, measuring andplanning, increases the accuracy ofcost prediction. There are nosurprises while assembling; theconstruction process is typicallyhighly efficient and less subject todelays and setbacks.Manufacturers are reinventing theprocess of home construction usingassembly line automation andprefabricated panels made fromrigid polyurethane foam (PUF) asthe insulant and finished with steelfacings. The installed panels form astructural envelope that eliminatesthe need for conventional RCCframing, provides integralinsulation, and can be assembledswiftly with less labour. Theseadvantages have spurred productionand introduced a thermally efficientstructural method of lightconstruction to a broad marketespecially in the industrial buildingconstruction.Different systems offer advantagesfor particular building needs orcircumstances, but all share thebasic design of a buildingcomponent with inherentMr. M. S. Manjunath: Marketing Head of RINAC India Ltd.structural and insulating capacity.The panels are assembled to formexterior walls or roofs with minimaladditional framing. Many panelsare lightweight, and can bedesigned to resist earthquakes,high winds, debris impact,moisture, and insect infestation.Insulation capacity is an advantageof panel systems. There is a definiteconclusion that insulated panelsprovide better overall air tightnessand thermal performance. Panelsystems offer a dense, uniform andcontinuous insulation barrier withfew thermal bridges, and littleopportunity for internalconvection. This translates into avast power saving when thebuilding is equipped with airconditioning.In India, theprefabricated PUF insulated panelconstruction is pioneered by RinacIndia, a Bangalore based companywith a significant presence in thearena of cooling solutions, cateringto a gamut of industries all overIndia. Its unmatched solution forthe modern industrial constructionindustry, through its prefabricatedsandwich steel panel system, isworth elaboration. The companybegan in 1994 and commencedcommercial production in 1995.Eleven years hence, there areeleven branches already for thispromising company.PU Today takes this opportunity totalk to Mr. Manjunath M S, Head-Marketing for Rinac India Ltd.PU Today: Please elaborate onRinac’s corporate focus andyour range of products?MS Manjunath: Our focus is onpre-fabricated & pre-engineeredfactory building construction andM A R C H 2 0 0 9P O L Y U R E T H A N E S T O D A Y41

PUTodayInterviewthese are the advantages:Quick & hygienic construction.Flexible and modular.Power saving in AC.Most preferred MOC for HACCPapprovals.The end - user segments are:Food processing plants.Pharmaceuticals clean rooms.Automobile workshops andassembly rooms for precision.Plastics, print, textiles facilities.Telecom tele-shelters, electronicassembly facilities.Our core competencies lie indesign, manufacture, supply,erection and after sales service, ofprefabricated sandwich panelsystem, prefabricated modularcold storages, prefabricated cleanroom envelopes and clean zoneprocessing facilities andrefrigeration systems for industrialand commercial applications.Rinac’s product portfolio:Clean room constructions.Clean zone constructions.Walk-on ceilings.Teleshelters.Warehouse constructions.Non- walk on ceilings.Pre-fabricated and Preengineeredfactory constructionsfor process industry:PU Today: How old is the use ofprefab insulated panels in India?MS Manjunath: As far as industrialconstruction is concerned thePrefab insulated panel is fairly new;say about 5 -6 years old in India.PU Today: Is this 100% indigenous,or do you import any materials?MS Manjunath: The entire knowhow,product components andmanufacturing in this product lineare indigenous. All componentshave been tested as per certaininternationally accepted standardsto ensure superior quality andaccuracy.PU Today: What are the featuresof this type of panels and theiradvantages over conventionalcounterparts?MS Manjunath: The Insta-buildConstruction system is a brandowned by Rinac and its featuresare:Aesthetic finish.Cutouts for fixtures like lights,filters, alarms are possible at site.Movement of cables in and out ofthe construction is facilitated.Capacity to withstand weather andwind load conditions, suitable foroutdoor construction.Excellent labour and energy costsavings.Eco-friendly construction.Walk-on Ceiling can take humantraffic for normal maintenance.Has over 95% transfer and salvagevalue.Our core competencies liein design, manufacture,supply, erection and aftersales service, ofprefabricated sandwichpanel system,prefabricated modularcold storages,prefabricated clean roomenvelopes and clean zoneprocessing facilities andrefrigeration systems forindustrial andcommercial applications.The following are variousadvantages of insta-build systems:Quick and easy construction.Light weight yet sturdy.Dust proof and weather proof.Reduces transmission of heat intothe shelter to as much as 8 timescompare to brick and mortarconstruction.Relocation possible (Salvagevalue is high)Site work for erection will bequick and neat.Non-shedding laminate materialfor use in clean-roomapplication.PU Today: What type of industriesis the Insta -build applicable to?MS Manjunath: Insta-build - themodern building panel system hasa wide range of applications andmostly benefits the following:Telecom industry.Pharmaceutical industry.Automobile industry.Electronic component mfg.industry.Hotels.Hospitals.Food and agro – processing.Information TechnologyConstruction – wherever Dustproof and Clean ZoneConstructions add value tomanufacturing.PU Today: Can you describe themanufacturing facility of RinacIndia in Bangalore andMaharashtra? What is the strengthof your workforce, have theyreceived any specific technicaltraining to handle this product?MS Manjunath: We have 2 unitsmanufacturing panels One islocated at Tavarekere, Bangalore42 P O L Y U R E T H A N E S T O D A YM A R C H 2 0 0 9

InterviewPUTodayfor manufacture of Non Continuouspre-engineered insulated sandwichpanel systems, insulated doors,walk On ceiling, tele -shelter, warehouse, non walk ceiling. The shopfloor area is 50,000 sq.ft andemploys around 80 people. Ourkey staff and foremen have receivedtraining at appropriate levels. Manyof our engineers have gone abroadto study systems and processes inconnection with the Prefabinsulated construction.The second unit is located atMurbad in Maharashtra and is a‘State Of Art” facility manufacturingPUF prefab panels on a Continuousline. This line has been tested andapproved by European Consultantsas a well established and Qualityconsistent line.PU Today: Please provide thedetails of quality control and safetymeasures adopted at Rinac?M S Manjunath:Quality control:Procurement of raw materialwith specs, on a lot basis andverification is done at site.Verification of every panel &door for dimensional accuracy &visual appearance.Tests for strength carried out atthe structural laboratory.Availability of clean coveredspace for storage at floor levelsprior to installation, if workforceis following the erection s-o-p.Safety norms:Use safety belts for heights above2m and use scaffolding for workabove 2m.Use shoes & helmets at site.Use the appropriate tools.Earthen the electrical lights andtools.The prefab insulated panelsystem has excellentkeeping qualities. Tests onsurface coatings that havebeen done by the paintcompanies reveal that thecoating remainsunblemished for a decade.Illuminate the work spot withadequate lighting.Avoid usage of fire near workspots.PU Today: In buildings, is there aspecific type of structure that yourproducts are applicable to andprove beneficial?MS Manjunath: The prefabinsulated panel construction isused most widely (and fullycompatible with) in the preengineeredsteel buildingstructural system. Rinac undertakesturnkey construction from groundzero for food processing facilities,ready to eat facilities etc.PU Today: What industries maynot be able to use your productsas effectively as others?MS Manjunath: Limitations in theuse of prefab insulated panelconstruction are less but they exist.Chiefly the prefab panelarchitecture currently prevalent inIndia still does not submit tocurvatures and textured finish.Color choice is also limited forsmall quantities.PU Today: What marketingstrategies have you adopted tomarket your products?MS Manjunath: We are proactivein many media and non mediainitiatives. We have a systematicadvertising-plan in the print media.We participate in key exhibitionand organize seminars and presentpapers at various seminars on thesubject matter.PU Today: How are the longevity,maintenance and payback of thesepanels?MS Manjunath: The prefabinsulated panel system hasexcellent keeping qualities. Testson surface coatings that have beendone by the paint companiesreveal that the coating remainsunblemished giving a decade ormore as the period to repaint. Overconventional construction using anair conditioning system, the prefabinsulated panel system offers apayback period of approx 2 years.PU Today: Please elaboratefurther on Rinac’s future plans?MS Manjunath: Market placesuccess is achieved by continuallyoffering superior value. We striveto be innovative and explore newerapplications and better technologyon the product improvement.PU Today: Your closing remarksand prospects for future?MS Manjunath: Rinac has shownthe way to quick, hygienic, flexibleand power saving industrialconstruction. Together with Pubsthis construction will be the mostpreferred construction for industrialbuildings in future. Rinac haspioneered the concept andpopularized it by executing manylarge construction projects in India.It is a matter of time before evencommercial business installationswill opt for this type of construction.M A R C H 2 0 0 9P O L Y U R E T H A N E S T O D A Y43

PUTodayA D V E R T I S E M E N T T A R I F FAdvertisement 1 Issue 2 Issues 4 IssuesBack Cover 14,000.00 13,000.00 12,000.00Inside Front Cover 10,000.00 9,000.00 8,000.00Inside Back Cover 10,000.00 9,000.00 8,000.00Full Page Colour 8,000.00 7,500.00 7,000.00Half Page Colour 5,000.00 4,500.00 4,250.00Quarter Page 3,000.00 2,750.00 2,500.001/8 th Page 2,000.00 1,750.00 1,500.00Special Feature (2 pages) 10,000.00Each Additional Page 4,000.00Service tax is applicable at the rate of 12.36% as per government rules. The inside front & back coversand back cover is already booked for the next four issues.44 P O L Y U R E T H A N E S T O D A YM A R C H 2 0 0 9

Book ReviewPUToday“Plastics Materials” – John BrydsonOne is dumbstruck withadmiration and almost totaldisbelief on being presented withthe new edition of PlasticsMaterials, or simply ‘Brydson’ as itis more popularly known. How canjust one man know so much aboutthe subject? Just about everythingthat could possibly be said aboutplastics or rubber material is there,which is why it has enjoyed areputation and status as the Bibleof the industry for many years.British Plastics & Rubber‘Since the publication of the firstedition in 1996, John Brydson’sPlastics Materials has becomewidely acknowledged within theindustry as a classic source ofreference…. Certainly nocollection of plastics literatures willbe complete without a copy.’Rapra AbstractsAlso, someone from the IPuA alsorecommends this book highly:Mr. Mukesh Bhuta – who had thegood fortune of being Mr. Brydson’sstudent, when he was the Head ofthe Department of PhysicalSciences& Technology – Universityof North London. He feels that therecould be no better authority onPlastics than Mr. Brydson till date.One of the aims of this book is toshow how the many differentmaterials arise, to discuss theirproperties and to show how thesecan to a large extent be explainedby consideration of theircomposition, and in particular, themolecular structure of the basepolymer employed.The seventh edition of this classicreference work once more providesa comprehensive overview ofcommercially available plasticsmaterial. Bridging the gap betweentheory and practice, it enablesscientists to understand thecommercial implications of theirwork as well as providingtechnologists with a theoreticalbackground.Since the previous edition, severalnew materials have beenannounced. Many of thesematerials results from metallocenecatalyst technology. In addition,developments also continue withcondensation polymers withseveral new polyester typematerials of interest for bottleblowingand/or degradableplastics. New phenolic type resinshave also been announced. As withprevious editions, an explanationof the properties of these newmaterials in terms of theirstructure and morphologyinvolving the principles laid downin the earlier chapters is presented.This book intends to provevaluable information to technicalstaff who are involved in thedevelopment and use of plasticsmaterials and who wish to obtaina broader picture of thoseproducts than they could normallyobtain in their daily work. Atechnologist who has goodbackground knowledge of hissubject, and who knows where tolook for further details, has anenhanced value for industry. Themore detailed monographs, givenat the end of each chapter, willprovide valuable guidelines fornavigating through the everthickening ‘jungle of technicalliterature!’ContentsThe historical development of plasticsmaterials - The chemical nature ofplastics - States of aggregation inpolymers – Relation of structure tothermal and mechanical properties –Relation of structure to chemicalproperties – Relation of structure toelectrical and optical properties –Additives for plastics – Principles of theprocessing of plastics – Principles ofproduct design – Polyethylene –Aliphatic polyolefins other thanpolyethylene, and diene rubbers – Vinylchloride polymers – Fluorine containingpolymers – Poly (Vinyl acetate) and itsderivatives – Acrylic plastics – Plasticsbased on styrene – Miscellaneous vinylthermoplastics – Polyamides andpoloimides – Polycarbonates – Otherthermoplastics containing p-phenylenegroups – cellulose plastics – Phenolicresins – Aminoplastics – Polyesters –Epoxide resins –Polyurethanes andpolyisocyanurates – Furan resins –Silicones and other heat-resistingpolymers – Miscellaneous plasticsmaterials – Special functional polymers– Material selection.M A R C H 2 0 0 9P O L Y U R E T H A N E S T O D A Y45

PUTodayEvents & TrendsEvents CalendarINTERNATIONALMarch 4-5, 2009High Performance Fillers for PolymerComposites 2009 Barcelona, SpainMarch 31-April 02, 2009UTech Europe 2009MECC, Maastricht, The Netherlands Contact CrainCommunications Ltd.Tel. +44 20 7457 1400Fax. +44 20 7457 1440email: pmitchell@crain.comconf contact UTECH-2009@crain.comMarch 31-April 2, 2009European Coatings Show 2009March 31-April 1, 2009Elmia Materials and Functions 2009Jönköping, SwedenApril 7-9, 2009ExpoCoating 2009 - International Exhibition& ConferenceMoscow, RussiaApril 15-16, 2009Paint and Varnish Materials, Raw Materialsand EquipmentKiev, UkraineApril 19-21, 2009PMA Annual Meeting, 2009Hilton DeSoto Savannah, GeorgiaApril 21-23, 2009REACH Europe 2009Antwerp, BelgiumMay 5-7, 2009Polyurethanes 2009 Technical ConferenceFort Washington, MD (Wash., DC Area)29 th Oct. to 01 st Nov. 2009PUTECH EURASIA 2009Istanbul Expo CenterOctober 11-13, 2010Polyurethanes 2010 Technical Conference,in partnership with UTECH North AmericaHilton Americas Hotel and the HoustonConvention Center, Houston, TexasHIGH PRESSURE FOAMING MACHINE FOR SALEModel : Ecomaster - 100Ratio : 2 : 1Output : 100 kgs per minuteWith pentanization and all accessories in brand new condition, unusedContact : M.D. Management ConsultantsGuzdar House, 629 - J Shankar Seth RoadDhobi TalavMumbai - 400 002E-mail : techtradingindia@yahoo.co.in46 P O L Y U R E T H A N E S T O D A YM A R C H 2 0 0 9

PUTodayM A R C H 2 0 0 9P O L Y U R E T H A N E S T O D A Y47

PUTodayFOR 48PRIVATE P O L YCIRCULATION U R E T H A N EONLY. S T OEdited D A Yby Ms Medha Bhuta Published by K. Ramamurthy for Indian Polyurethane M A R C H 2Association0 0 9Printed by : citiprints • ph : 044-4206 4271, 81 • fax : 044- 4206 4291 • mobile : 94449 42151 • email : citiprints@gmail.com