Worldwide consumption of Thermoplastic Polyurethane Elastomers:

Global production of TPUs in 1998 was estimated at 196,000 tonnes; by 2004 this figure is
estimated to have grown to around 357,000 tonnes, creating an AAGR of 10.5%. Although still
regarded as a niche product within the PU market, there is growing interest due to the wide
variety of applications and properties offered by this material. Demand for TPUs in China alone
has been estimated to be around 90,000 tonnes in 2004, representing a quarter of global demand.
An explosion in the number of new producers in China is anticipated, provided raw materials and
technology is available

In 2007, the global consumption of polyurethane raw materials was above 12 million metric tons.

The following table shows how polyurethanes are used (US data from 2004). This trend is
similar to the one observed worldwide.

Application Usage (millions of pounds) Percentage of total

Building & Construction 1,459 26.8%

Transportation 1,298 23.8%

Furniture & Bedding 1,127 20.7%

Appliances 278 5.1%

Packaging 251 4.6%

Textiles, Fibers & Apparel 181 3.3%

Machinery & Foundry 178 3.3%

Electronics 75 1.4%

Footwear 39 0.7%

Other uses 558 10.2%

Total 5,444 100.0%

Polyurethane Elastomer Applications:
Packaging
Polyurethanes are excellent materials for packaging applications. They provide a wide range of
physical and performance properties that can be tailored to meet specific packaging and shipping
requirements.

Polyurethanes are extremely versatile. Polyurethane foams are used for cushion packaging for
extremely fragile and delicate items to impact resistance for heavier shipping applications
requiring shock absorbing die cut inserts or corner and end cap assemblies.

Polyurethanes can be custom fabricated and fitted in a variety of ways including:

 Foamed In Place Cushioning

 Convoluted Egg Crate Foam Sets
 End Cap and Corner Assemblies
 Die Cut and Saw Cut Carton Inserts
 Sheets
 Laminated Panel Cores

1. Polyurethane packaging foam (PPF) provides cost-effective, custom form-fitting

cushioning to uniquely and securely protect items that need to stay safely in-place during
transit.  PPF begins as a two-component liquid which, after being mixed and poured into
a bag or box, slowly expands into a rigid foam to surround and secure the shipment. The
foam can be injected with dispensing equipment or hand-poured into open containers or
molded forms.  It is widely used to safely protect and transport a variety of items, from
electronic and medical diagnostic equipment to delicate glassware to large industrial
parts.  A versatile on-site solution for many packaging challenges, PPF saves time and
money by providing a custom-fit container with each shipment.

2. Filling of spaces and cavities: Two Binary liquids, one of which is a polyurethane
(either T6 or 16), when mixed and aerated, expand into a hard, space-filling aerosolid.

3. Construction sealants and fire stopping: Polyurethane sealants are available in one,
two and three part systems, and in cartridges, buckets or drums. Polyurethane sealants are
used to fill gaps thereby preventing air and water leakage. They are also used in
conjunction with inorganic insulation, such as rockwool or ceramic fibres, for
firestopping. Firestops can thwart smoke and hose-stream passage.

Footwear
The global market for polyurethane applications in footwear has grown rapidly in recent years.
This growth can be attributed to the rapid pace of polyurethane innovation, the functional and
economic advantages of polyurethane over competing materials, and the use of polyurethane for
components other than soles. New components include foam linings, water-proof barriers, coated
uppers, sole inserts, upper components and sockliners.

There have been a variety of new technologies for improving soles. Collectively, these
innovations help soles to resist water, resist wear and reduce slipping. They also improved
process efficiency and the performance and appearance of shoe soles.

Some applications in footwear industry:

1. Sporting ski boots & skates: Offers abrasion resistance, low temperature flexibility &
Resiliency.

2. Consumer footwear: Offers durability, flexibility, finish & comfort.

THERMOPLASTIC POLYURETHANE ELASTOMER (TPUR)

Advantages
1. Excellent abrasion resistance, wear resistance, and tear strength
2. High tensile strength
3. High dynamic load-bearing capacity
4. Low coefficient of friction
5. Good UV, weathering, oxygen, and fungus resistance
6. Good resistance to non-polar fluids

Limitations
1. Narrow hardness range compared to other TPEs
2. Low upper service temperature limit
3. Susceptible to hydrolytic attack by acid and base solutions and by pure water at elevated
temperatures
4. Limited resistance to halogenated solvents
5. Can be "tricky" to process; TPUs are more sensitive to temperature and shear than other
TPEs
6. Must be dried before processing
 Overview
All thermoplastic polyurethane elastomers exhibit excellent abrasion and wear resistance and
high tensile and tear strengths. Low creep and low stress relaxation rates make them ideal
candidates for dynamic load-bearing applications. The inherent translucency of TPUs make
them easy to color and is an added functional benefit in many applications.
Ester type TPUs exhibit excellent resistant to non-polar hydrocarbon based solvents, oils,
greases and fuels. They are more susceptible to hydrolytic attack than ether type TPUs.
Service temperatures range from -90 to 200 degrees F (-65 to 90 degrees C); hardness ranges
from 55 to 80 Shore D.
Ether type TPUs exhibit better hydrolytic stability than ester types, but do not perform quite
as well with respect to hydrocarbon resistance. Service temperatures range from -100 to 160
degrees F (-70 to 70 degrees C); hardness ranges from 70 Shore A to 75 Shore D.
RTP Technologies that can be applied to thermoplastic urethane elastomers include:
glass fiber reinforcement, custom colors, specific gravity adjustment, anti-static and
conductivity modification, flame retardancy, and wear resistant lubrication.

References:
http://www.answers.com/topic/polyurethane-uses

http://www.rtpcompany.com/info/guide/descriptions/1200m.htm

http://www.mindbranch.com/listing/product/R212-113.html

http://www.polyurethane.org/s_api/doc.asp

http://www.polyurethane.org/s_api/sec.asp?CID=944&DID=3721

http://www.polyurethane.org/s_api/bin.asp?CID=910&DID=10310&DOC=FILE.PDF

https://www.dow.com/polyurethane/ap/en/apps/packaging/index.htm