AUTO, FOOTWEAR MARKETS SPARK BOOM IN CASTABLE POLYURETHANES.

Properties, processing techniques and applications of liquid urethane elastomers are discussed in reference to the fact that the castable polyurethane elastomer industry is entering the most dynamic and challenging period in its short history. Demand for liquid PU parts is increasing by 15-20% annually, while the sales of liquid processing equipment is expected to jump from 20 systems in '70 to 35 in '73, and then leapfrog to 60 systems in '75. Three routes to cast polyurethane parts are described in some detail. Of the three main approaches available - raw material, prepolymer and precatalyzed - the raw material or one-shot approach is currently the center of greatest activity, even though, interestingly, it presently accounts for only about 15% of the market - prepolymers, with 80-85%, dominate the market; precatalyzed compounds have at most 1-2%. The application area - with automotive parts at the lead (bumpers and body front ends and sides) - is reviewed.