Honeywell has announced that one of its low global-warming-potential (GWP) materials is being incorporated into a solution for producing integral skin foam used in applications ranging from office furniture armrests to padded cushions for rollercoasters.
Honeywell’s low-global-warming-potential Solstice Liquid Blowing Agent (LBA) is being used in foam systems developed by the Dow Chemical Co. to make integral skin, or I-Skin, foam.
Blowing agents are important for foam systems because they cause the foam to expand properly and impact the foam’s performance. Solstice LBA was developed as a low GWP replacement for a range of hydrofluorocarbon, or HFC, blowing agents that are being phased out by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to reduce the use of high GWP materials. Use of HFC blowing agents in I-Skin polyurethane foam applications will be banned in the U.S. beginning Jan. 1, 2017.
“Dow can offer its customers I-Skin foam systems that are HFC-free,” said Joanna Minion, global business manager for Honeywell fluorine products. “With the EPA mandate to discontinue HFCs in I-Skin foam by year-end, Dow’s adoption of Solstice LBA provides customers the time required to convert to new systems.”
Dow collaborated with Honeywell and Air Products, which makes catalysts designed to work with Solstice LBA, to develop the new systems.
“The result of our collaboration is I-Skin systems that meet our performance standards in advance of impending environmental regulations,” said Scott Snyder, marketing manager, Dow. “Our I-Skin systems will give our customers a competitive advantage, as well as improve the sustainability profile of their products.”
Integral skin foam is composed of a two-part polyurethane system: a lightweight foam core encased in a thick outer “skin” that is created in a single molding process. Tests of Dow’s polyurethane solutions, VORALUX for furniture and SPECFLEX for custom molding, demonstrated expected results for a variety of Shore A hardness levels.
The systems take advantage of Air Products’ emissions-free catalysts POLYCAT 203 and POLYCAT 204, designed to be used with Solstice LBA.
“Our emission-free catalysts, and the additional catalyst tools like Dabco 2040 catalyst, are designed to increase shelf stability of Solstice LBA I-Skin recipes,” said Jane Kniss, senior application chemist for comfort platform, Air Products. “The synergy of our products in Dow’s foam systems will help Dow’s customers stay ahead of the EPA scheduled deadline.”