Signaling a significant breakthrough in polyurethane research and development, Innovative Polymers has introduced a new biobased family of products to the marketplace. The environmentally conscious line of polyurethane materials includes biobased elastomers with Shore 30A to 90A hardnesses as well as one rigid Shore 80D biobased polyurethane. Created for hand-batch and vacuum-assisted casting processes, these formulations contain 30% to 40% soy oil-based polyols, a rapidly renewable feedstock produced as a co-product of soybeans grown and processed as a food source for humans and livestock.
According to Michael Molitor, president of Innovative Polymers, “We developed our new line of biobased polyurethanes to provide customers with environmentally sound casting materials that offer measurable carbon benefits to contribute to reduced global warming.”
New InnoGreen polyurethanes exhibit low viscosity for easy handling and processing. Parts cast from the new elastomers can be demolded in less than 12 hours. Once cured, the polyurethanes exhibit elongations of up to 200% and tear strengths as high as 115 pli. In addition to use as casting systems, the new products are ideal for overmolding biobased foams.