ABSTRACT
Polyester-based polyurethane slabstock foams are mainly used in the automotive industry in the form of textile laminates. In recent years the general awareness of environmental, health and safety issues has grown rapidly, resulting in more stringent requirements regarding the emissions of volatile compounds from the foam. Reduction of such emissions leads to lower fogging values and to potentially decreased health risks during the manufacture and handling of fresh foams.
The automotive industry has recently placed increased pressure on the foam producers to significantly decrease emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOC’s) and, in some cases, to eliminate the amine emissions from polyurethane foam.
Low fogging polyester polyols and careful selection of antioxidants (BHT free) can subsequently reduce the contribution of the polyol towards VOC emissions and also reduce fogging. There have been recent advances in reducing odor and emissions from polyester slabstock foam by introducing low odor, low emission catalysts. However, these intermediate advances may not be sufficient for future requirements. This paper will describe brand new innovations that enable the elimination of amine catalyst emissions. These new, non-fugitive catalysts chemically bind into the polyurethane foam matrix rendering them incapable of migrating back out of the foam after the reaction is complete.
This paper will compare results of these new nonfugitive catalysts with standard industry amine catalysts and the intermediate solutions adopted by some polyurethane slabstock foam manufacturers in recent years.
Silicone surfactants can also contribute to VOC and FOG emissions from foam. This paper also reports on recent work to develop new silicone surfactants for polyester foam applications, which result in reduced emissions.
This paper will present a total polyurethane additive solution that completely eliminates amine emissions and significantly reduces silicone surfactant emissions, while improving emulsification and overall foam physical properties.
