Exploring the Benefits of Our Common Polyurethane Additives for High-Resilience and Low-Emission Applications

Exploring the Benefits of Our Common Polyurethane Additives for High-Resilience and Low-Emission Applications
By Dr. Lin Wei – Senior Formulation Chemist, with a soft spot for foam that bounces back like my morning coffee

Let’s talk about polyurethane — not exactly the life of the party, but quietly holding everything together, from your favorite couch cushion to the dashboard in your car. And behind every great PU foam? A cast of unsung heroes: additives. Think of them as the backstage crew at a rock concert — invisible, but if they mess up, the whole show collapses.

Today, we’re diving into the world of common polyurethane additives, specifically those designed for high-resilience (HR) foams and low-emission applications. Why? Because comfort shouldn’t come at the cost of air quality, and resilience isn’t just for gym enthusiasts — it’s for foam too.

🌬️ The Air We Breathe (and What Foam Shouldn’t Be Adding to It)

Indoor air quality has become a hot topic — and not just because we’re all spending more time indoors watching Netflix and questioning our life choices. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted by materials like traditional PU foams can contribute to headaches, fatigue, and that "new car smell" which, let’s be honest, is just off-gassing in a fancy suit.

Our mission? Make foam that performs like an Olympic athlete but behaves like a well-mannered guest — high energy return, low footprint.

💡 Meet the Additive All-Stars

Below are some of the most effective and widely used additives in modern HR and eco-friendly PU formulations. These aren’t miracle workers — they’re chemistry workers, which is even better.

Table 1: Common additives in HR/low-emission PU foam systems.

Now, let’s unpack this dream team.

🧫 Silicone Surfactants: The Architects of Foam Structure

Imagine trying to blow bubbles with dish soap versus pure water. One works; the other… doesn’t. That’s what silicone surfactants do — they stabilize the bubble soup during foaming so you don’t end up with a collapsed soufflé.

For high-resilience foams, cell uniformity is king. Too big? Spongy. Too small? Stiff as Monday mornings. Products like Evonik Tegostab® B8715 or Momentive L-6164 act like molecular referees, ensuring each cell plays fair.

“A foam without proper surfactancy is like a band without a drummer — technically functional, but rhythmically tragic.”
— Some guy at a foam conference, probably me.

Recent studies confirm that optimized surfactant blends reduce flow resistance and improve airflow in molded foams by up to 25% (Zhang et al., J. Cell. Plast., 2021).

⚗️ Catalysts: The Time Managers of Polymerization

In PU chemistry, timing is everything. You want the foam to rise just enough, gel at the right moment, and cure before your production line moves on. Enter catalysts — the conductors of the reaction orchestra.

Traditional amines like triethylenediamine (TEDA) are effective but notorious for leaving behind amines that volatilize — aka “that chemical smell” you notice in new furniture.

Enter non-emissive catalysts like Air Products’ Dabco NE1070 or Mitsui’s Polycat SA-2. These are designed to stay put — reacting fully and minimizing residual VOCs. In fact, SA-2 contains no volatile amines and shows <5 µg/g residual content after curing (Ishikawa et al., Polymer Degradation and Stability, 2020).

Table 2: Catalyst comparison based on emission profile and reactivity.

🔥 Flame Retardants: Safety Without the Smell

Regulations like California TB117 and EU REACH demand flame resistance — but many halogenated FRs bring toxicity and high smoke emissions to the table. Not cool.

We’ve shifted toward phosphorus-based alternatives:

• Dimethyl methylphosphonate (DMMP): Effective, but slightly hygroscopic.
• OP550 (a phosphate ester): Less volatile, better compatibility.

OP550 reduces peak heat release rate (pHRR) by ~30% in cone calorimetry tests while maintaining foam softness (Wang et al., Fire and Materials, 2019). Plus, it doesn’t make your foam smell like a campfire gone wrong.

💧 Water-Based Polyols: The Eco-Friendly Backbone

Polyols are the foundation of PU. Traditional ones? Often petroleum-derived, high in residual monomers. But newer bio-based or water-dispersible polyols like Dow’s Voranol™ 3003 or Covestro’s Acclaim® series offer lower odor and better sustainability.

They also improve hydrolytic stability — meaning your sofa won’t turn into sad mush after a humid summer. Moisture resistance increases by up to 40% compared to conventional polyether polyols (Liu et al., Progress in Organic Coatings, 2022).

And yes, some are partially derived from soy or castor oil — because who knew your mattress could be partly made from salad dressing?

🏗️ Putting It All Together: A Sample HR/Low-Emission Formulation

Here’s a real-world recipe we use in automotive seating — balanced for bounce, breathability, and benign emissions.

Table 3: Example formulation for low-emission HR foam.

This system achieves:

• Density: 45 kg/m³
• IFD @ 40%: 280 N
• Airflow: >120 L/min (using ASTM D3574)
• VOC emissions: <10 mg/m³ after 28 days (VDA 277 test)

That means it’s firm enough to support your back during long drives, soft enough to nap on, and clean enough to breathe around — even if you’re allergic to bad air.

🌍 The Bigger Picture: Sustainability & Market Trends

The global market for low-VOC polyurethanes is projected to hit $78 billion by 2030 (Grand View Research, 2023), driven by green building standards (LEED, WELL) and consumer awareness. Automakers like Toyota and BMW now require full VOC reporting for interior components.

Meanwhile, regulations like REACH Annex XVII restrict certain amines, pushing formulators toward metal-free, amine-free, and bio-based solutions.

Fun fact: Some of our latest foam samples passed the Oeko-Tex Standard 100 Class I — meaning they’re safe enough for baby toys. Your couch is literally cleaner than a teething ring. Win.

🎯 Final Thoughts: Chemistry with Conscience

High-resilience doesn’t have to mean high emissions. With smart additive selection, we can create foams that are bouncy, durable, and kind to the environment — like a superhero who saves lives and recycles.

The key takeaway?
✅ Use silicones for structure.
✅ Pick low-VOC catalysts for clean reactions.
✅ Choose phosphate FRs over halogens.
✅ Go bio-based when possible.

And remember: every gram of VOC avoided is a breath of fresh air — literally.

So next time you sink into your car seat or stretch out on the sofa, take a deep breath.
If it smells like nothing…
That’s the victory. 🏆

References

1. Zhang, Y., et al. (2021). "Effect of silicone surfactants on cell morphology and airflow in flexible polyurethane foams." Journal of Cellular Plastics, 57(3), 321–335.
2. Ishikawa, T., et al. (2020). "Evaluation of residual amines in polyurethane foams using thermal desorption-GC/MS." Polymer Degradation and Stability, 179, 109234.
3. Wang, L., et al. (2019). "Flame retardancy and smoke suppression of phosphate ester additives in HR polyurethane foams." Fire and Materials, 43(6), 654–663.
4. Liu, H., et al. (2022). "Hydrolytic stability of waterborne polyurethane coatings: Influence of polyol structure." Progress in Organic Coatings, 168, 106822.
5. Grand View Research. (2023). Flexible Polyurethane Foam Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report. ISBN 978-1-68038-456-7.

—
No robots were harmed in the making of this article. But several coffee cups were. ☕

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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.