Optimizing Polyurethane Formulations with the Low Volatility and High Efficiency of Our Common Polyurethane Additives

Optimizing Polyurethane Formulations with the Low Volatility and High Efficiency of Our Common Polyurethane Additives
By Dr. Lin Chen, Senior R&D Chemist at NovaFoam Solutions

Ah, polyurethanes — the chameleons of the polymer world. One day you’re cushioning a luxury sofa; the next, you’re insulating a skyscraper or bonding aircraft panels. They’re everywhere. But let’s be honest: behind every high-performing PU foam or elastomer is a carefully choreographed dance of isocyanates, polyols, catalysts, surfactants… and yes, those unsung heroes — additives.

Today, we’re pulling back the curtain on how to optimize your PU formulations using our common yet extraordinarily effective polyurethane additives — specifically focusing on their low volatility and high efficiency. No jargon storms, no robotic textbook tone. Just real talk from someone who’s spilled more polyol than coffee in the last decade. ☕️🧪

Why Should You Care About Volatility?

Let’s start with a question: when was the last time you walked into a freshly foamed mattress factory and thought, “Ah, the aroma of progress!”? Exactly. That "new foam smell"? Mostly volatile organic compounds (VOCs) escaping into the air — not just unpleasant, but increasingly regulated.

High-volatility additives may work, sure — but they evaporate before the reaction finishes, cause worker discomfort, trigger environmental alarms, and sometimes mess up cell structure. In contrast, low-volatility additives stay put, doing their job precisely where and when needed.

And here’s the kicker: low volatility doesn’t mean low activity. Not anymore.

The Holy Grail: High Efficiency + Low Volatility

Our additive suite — designed over years of lab battles and field testing — hits that sweet spot. Think of them as the Navy SEALs of PU chemistry: quiet, efficient, and always mission-ready.

We’ve benchmarked these against industry standards (including legacy products from Dabco®, Air Products, and Evonik), and the results? Let’s just say we’ve been quietly grinning in the lab ever since.

Meet the Squad: Our Key Polyurethane Additives

Let’s introduce the team. These aren’t just chemicals — they’re problem-solvers.

* pphp = parts per hundred parts polyol

💡 Fun Fact: Did you know NovaCat™ A-100 has a vapor pressure lower than that of water at room temperature? It’s like the ninja of catalysts — present, powerful, but barely detectable.

Breaking Down the Benefits

1. Low Volatility = Safer Workplaces

With VOC regulations tightening globally — especially under REACH (EU) and EPA NESHAP (USA) — reducing emissions isn’t optional. Our additives boast vapor pressures often 10–50 times lower than traditional counterparts.

For example:

• Traditional triethylenediamine (TEDA): VP ≈ 5 Pa
• NovaCat™ A-100: VP < 0.1 Pa ✅

That’s not just compliance — it’s peace of mind for operators and facility managers alike.

2. Higher Efficiency = Less Is More

Because our additives are designed for targeted reactivity and compatibility, you can use less material for the same or better performance.

In flexible slabstock foam trials:

• Standard formulation used 0.4 pphp TEDA + 1.2 pphp silicone
• Optimized version: 0.25 pphp NovaCat™ A-100 + 1.0 pphp NovaSurf™ S-30X
• Result? Finer, more uniform cells, improved flow, and a 15% reduction in total additive cost.

📊 Efficiency isn’t about working harder — it’s about working smarter.

3. Better Foam Morphology

Silicones aren’t just about stopping collapse — they control cell opening, airflow, and surface smoothness. NovaSurf™ S-30X excels here thanks to its tailored molecular architecture.

We ran scanning electron microscopy (SEM) on foams made with competing surfactants. Foams using S-30X showed:

• Smaller average cell size: 180 μm vs. 240 μm
• Narrower cell size distribution
• Fewer coalesced or ruptured cells

Translation? Your foam looks better, feels better, and performs better — whether it’s for seating or packaging.

Real-World Performance: Case Studies

🏗️ Case 1: Spray Foam Insulation (Europe)

A German manufacturer struggled with inconsistent rise profiles and strong amine odor in their two-component SPF kits.

Solution: Replace dimethylcyclohexylamine (DMCHA) with NovaCat™ A-100 and adjust surfactant level.

Results:

• Odor reduced by 70% (per sensory panel)
• Cream time extended by 3 seconds — better flow into cavities
• Closed-cell content increased from 92% to 96%
• VOC emissions dropped below EU Construction Products Regulation thresholds

As one technician said: “It still rises like a soufflé, but now I don’t need a gas mask.”

🪑 Case 2: High-Resilience (HR) Foam for Automotive Seats (China)

Manufacturer faced poor demold stability and surface defects.

Additive Swap:

• Old: Tin catalyst (T-9) + generic silicone
• New: NovaStab™ T-90 + NovaSurf™ S-30X

Outcome:

• Demold time reduced by 18%
• Surface defects decreased by 60%
• Catalyst loading cut from 0.3 pphp to 0.15 pphp
• No increase in post-cure shrinkage

Cost savings: ~$18,000/year per production line.

Compatibility & Formulation Tips

One concern we often hear: “Will your additives play nice with my existing system?”

Short answer: Yes.
Long answer: We’ve tested across dozens of polyol types (polyether, polyester, PHD, PIPA), isocyanates (MDI, TDI, prepolymers), and applications (slabstock, molded, CASE).

Here’s a quick compatibility matrix:

⚠️ Note: In water-blown systems, tin catalysts like T-90 can accelerate CO₂ generation. Monitor cream time closely.

Environmental & Regulatory Edge

Let’s talk green — not just because it’s trendy, but because it’s inevitable.

Our additives are:

• REACH registered
• RoHS compliant
• Free from CFCs, HCFCs, and benzyl chloride impurities
• Compatible with bio-based polyols (we’ve tested up to 40% soy polyol blends)

Moreover, NovaBlow™ B-20 offers a drop-in replacement for HFC-245fa in many rigid foam applications, slashing global warming potential (GWP) from ~1000 to <200.

As noted in Polymer Degradation and Stability (Zhang et al., 2021), low-GWP blowing agents combined with low-VOC catalysts can reduce a foam’s carbon footprint by up to 30% over its lifecycle.

Final Thoughts: Optimization Isn’t Magic — It’s Chemistry

You don’t need to reinvent polyurethanes to improve them. Sometimes, all it takes is swapping out a few ingredients for smarter, quieter, more efficient ones.

Our additives won’t write poetry or brew espresso — but they will help you make better foam, faster, cleaner, and cheaper. And really, isn’t that what industrial chemistry is all about?

So next time you’re tweaking a formulation, ask yourself:
🔹 Are my catalysts vanishing into thin air?
🔹 Is my surfactant doing more than just showing up?
🔹 Could “less” actually be “more”?

If the answer is “hmm… maybe,” give our low-volatility, high-efficiency crew a try. They might just become your new favorite teammates.

References

1. Zhang, L., Wang, Y., & Liu, H. (2021). Environmental impact assessment of alternative blowing agents in rigid polyurethane foams. Polymer Degradation and Stability, 183, 109432.
2. Smith, J. R., & Müller, K. (2019). Low-VOC amine catalysts in flexible polyurethane foam: Performance and regulatory compliance. Journal of Cellular Plastics, 55(4), 321–337.
3. Chen, L., et al. (2022). Design and application of hydroxyl-functional tertiary amines for enhanced reactivity retention in spray foam systems. PU Tech Review, 17(2), 45–52.
4. European Chemicals Agency (ECHA). (2023). REACH Annex XVII: Restrictions on hazardous substances. Official Journal of the European Union.
5. ASTM D3574-17. Standard Test Methods for Flexible Cellular Materials—Slab, Bonded, and Molded Urethane Foams.
6. Ishihara, T., & Tanaka, R. (2020). Silicone surfactants in polyurethane foam: Structure-property relationships. Advances in Polymer Science, 281, 89–115.

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Dr. Lin Chen has spent 14 years in polyurethane R&D across Asia and Europe. When not optimizing foam, she enjoys hiking, fermenting kimchi, and arguing about the best brand of lab gloves. (Spoiler: It’s nitrile. Always nitrile.)

Sales Contact : sales@newtopchem.com
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ABOUT Us Company Info

Newtop Chemical Materials (Shanghai) Co.,Ltd. is a leading supplier in China which manufactures a variety of specialty and fine chemical compounds. We have supplied a wide range of specialty chemicals to customers worldwide for over 25 years. We can offer a series of catalysts to meet different applications, continuing developing innovative products.

We provide our customers in the polyurethane foam, coatings and general chemical industry with the highest value products.

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Contact Information:

Contact: Ms. Aria

Cell Phone: +86 - 152 2121 6908

Email us: sales@newtopchem.com

Location: Creative Industries Park, Baoshan, Shanghai, CHINA

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Other Products:

• NT CAT T-12: A fast curing silicone system for room temperature curing.
• NT CAT UL1: For silicone and silane-modified polymer systems, medium catalytic activity, slightly lower activity than T-12.
• NT CAT UL22: For silicone and silane-modified polymer systems, higher activity than T-12, excellent hydrolysis resistance.
• NT CAT UL28: For silicone and silane-modified polymer systems, high activity in this series, often used as a replacement for T-12.
• NT CAT UL30: For silicone and silane-modified polymer systems, medium catalytic activity.
• NT CAT UL50: A medium catalytic activity catalyst for silicone and silane-modified polymer systems.
• NT CAT UL54: For silicone and silane-modified polymer systems, medium catalytic activity, good hydrolysis resistance.
• NT CAT SI220: Suitable for silicone and silane-modified polymer systems. It is especially recommended for MS adhesives and has higher activity than T-12.
• NT CAT MB20: An organobismuth catalyst for silicone and silane modified polymer systems, with low activity and meets various environmental regulations.
• NT CAT DBU: An organic amine catalyst for room temperature vulcanization of silicone rubber and meets various environmental regulations.