Clothing and Sports Equipment

Polyurethanes contribute to our everyday lives through a wide variety of clothing and sportswear applications. A typical example of this is spandex fiber, which is characterized by its comfort and elasticity properties, making it ideal for use in lingerie, stockings, socks and sportswear (swimwear and skiwear). Polyurethane-based coatings possess extraordinary anti-abrasion and weather resistance properties, and are used extensively in various sports equipment applications, such as skies and yachts. Rigid foams produced from polyurethane are lightweight and anti-abrasive, which makes them suitable for alpine ski and surfboard cores. In addition, the elastic and anti-abrasion characteristics of polyurethane elastomers make these products particularly well suited to sport shoe sole applications.

Home Appliances and Other Everyday Applications

Polyurethane paints and coatings provide wear resistance protection, as well as an aesthetically pleasing shine to furniture and musical instruments, such as pianos. Flexible polyurethane foams are also widely used to produce seating cushion materials and futon bedding. In the kitchen, rigid polyurethane foams are used as insulators for refrigerators and polyurethane-based adhesives are widely used for the lamination of various food packaging films. The biocompatibility of polyurethane-based elastomers enables them to be utilized in water purification units, diapers and sanitary napkins. Polyurethane artificial leather, synthetic leather and foaming materials are, likewise, widely used to produce bags, shoes and many other products, owing to their authentic feel and durability.

Electronics

Polyurethanes are also playing an important role in supporting the continued acceleration of the electronic industry's development. The abrasion resistance and superior adhesion properties of polyurethane adhesives have enabled the advancement of recording densities in the form of magnetic binders for various forms of recording media, from audio/video tapes, computer discs, and even prepaid cards and transportation tickets. Due to the electrical insulation characteristics of polyurethanes, they are also used extensively in wire coatings and optical fiber cables. Polyurethane adhesives may also be found in cellular phone printed-circuit laminates.

Medical Applications

Polyurethane has also played a significant role in supporting progress in the medical realm. Of particular note are the polyurethane elastomers that have molecular structures similar to that of human proteins, which make them prime candidates for a variety of medical applications requiring adhesive strength and unique biomimetic and antithrombotic properties. For example, polyurethane elastomers are currently being used as a special sealant to bind bundles of hollow fibers in artificial dialysis cylinders.

Transport

Polyurethanes are applied in an extremely wide variety of different physical forms in the automotive sector, such as heat-/sound-insulated roofing, comfortable seat cushioning, noise/vibration dampening flooring, sealants, instrument panels, door trims, dashboards, headrests, mud guards, shock absorbers, oil seals, puncture-proof tires and primer-/surface coatings. Another recently notable application is elastomeric tire chains, which are tough and abrasion resistant, but do not damage road surfaces as traditional metal chains do. Due to their durability and weather resistance, polyurethane-based coatings are also used for motorcycle, marine and railroad carriage applications.

Civil Engineering & Construction

Polyurethanes are used extensively in the construction field. In housing, rigid foams are the best insulators for walls, floor and ceiling, decreasing the need for air-conditioners, which helps to save energy. Due to their superior weatherability, polyurethane-based coatings are used in exterior wall surface finishings. In addition, utilizing their moisture resistance, chemical resistance and good elasticity properties, polyurethanes are also used in flooring materials for hospitals and gymnasiums, as bridge coatings to avoid rust, as buffers between rails and sleepers, as sealants and waterproofing agents for building roofs and as adhesives for prefabricated wooden houses. Polyurethane flooring materials are also used in all-weather sports grounds and golf courses.

Other Industrial Applications

Polyurethane elastomers are used in various rollers for copying machines and electronic printers, as well as for rollers in traditional paper, steel and metal plating manufacturing operations. Polyurethane elastomers are also used as insulation materials for LNG carriers and storage tanks. Polyurethane binders likewise find use in particle boards and MDF to overcome the formaldehyde emission problem associated with conventional housing materials.