English Abstract

Industrial Synthetic Method of the Rubbers
8. Polyurethane Elastomers

Satoshi YAMASAKI
Specialty Polyurethane materials Development Group, Synthetic Chemicals Laboratory, R&D Center, Sodegaura-City, Chiba, Japan
Nippon Gomu Kyokaishi,(2016),89(2),29-35 General Review in Japanese

This article reviews the outline, manufacturing method, producers and properties of PUR (Polyurethane elastomers). PUR is a kind of multi-block copolymer composed of soft segment reacted with long chain polyol and polyisocyanate and hard segment reacted with polyisocyanate and short chain polyol. PUR is mainly divided into TSU (Thermosetting polyurethane elastomers) and TPU (Thermoplastic polyurethane elastomers) which has accounted for about 90% of world-wide PUR market. In particular, AAGR (Annual average growth ratio) and the market volume of TPU are expected to reach about 5-7% and 540 thousands ton towards 2018, respectively. TPUs have been manufactured in bulk by batch and continuous polymerization method as the form of pellets for injection, extrusion, blow and calendar processes and also in water or organic solvent by suspension polymerization as the form of particles with mean average diameter size of about 150 micrometer for slush molding process. Most of TPUs and TSUs are applied to various markets such as mobility parts, medical, healthcare, fiber, packages, roll, electronics and industrial parts and so on. Recently, PUR based on a new specialty diisocyanate which satisfies elasticity, heat resistance and light stability are developed for specific application.

Keywords: Polyurethane, TPU, TSU, Soft Segment, Hard Segment, Micro-phase Separated Structure, Specialty Isocyanate, Polyol