Tag blowing agent

-DTBPS- -TBPS- -DMDS- Dimethyl Disulfide (DMDS), DMDS, DTBPS, TBPS

Dimethyl Disulfide (DMDS): Catalyst Sulfiding and Advantages

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Dimethyl Disulfide (DMDS): Catalyst Sulfiding and Advantages

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Expandable Polystyrene and Pentane: An Introduction

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Expandable polystyrene (EPS) is a type of thermoplastic foam that can be expanded by heating to form various shapes and sizes of products. EPS is composed of polystyrene beads or granules that contain a blowing agent and other additives. The most commonly used blowing agent for EPS is pentane, a low-boiling hydrocarbon that can generate gas bubbles when heated.

EPS has many advantages, such as low density, good thermal insulation, sound absorption, shock resistance, water resistance, acid and alkali resistance, etc. EPS is widely used in packaging, insulation, food containers, furniture, appliances, and automotive industries.

Pentane is a colorless, flammable, and volatile liquid that belongs to the alkane family. Pentane has three isomers: n-pentane, isopentane, and neopentane. Pentane is mainly used as a solvent, a fuel, and a blowing agent for EPS and other foams.

The global production of pentane is dominated by a few leading companies, such as Shell, ExxonMobil, Chevron, BP, Junyuan Petroleum Group and Total. These companies have advanced technologies, large-scale facilities, and extensive distribution networks to meet the growing demand for pentane, especially in the emerging markets of Asia and Africa.

n-Pentane, Isopentane and Cyclopentane in flasks
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How to Choose n-Pentane, Isopentane and Cyclopenane

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Choosing between n-Pentane, Isopentane and Cyclopenane depends on the intended use. Here are some general differences between them:

  • Pentane is a colorless, volatile liquid, mainly used for chemical experiments, solvent and solvent mixture preparation, and also an important raw material in the petroleum industry.
  • When buying pentane, you should pay attention to the following aspects:
    • Purity: The higher the purity of pentane, the better its performance and quality, but the higher the price. According to different uses, you can choose different purity grades, such as AR, CP, GCS, GR, HPLC, agricultural residue grade, etc.
    • Packaging: Pentane is a flammable liquid and should be packed and stored in suitable sealed containers to prevent leakage and fire. Generally speaking, the packaging specifications of pentane are 200L steel drums and ISO tank containers.
    • Price: The price of pentane is affected by many factors such as market supply and demand, raw material cost, transportation cost, etc., generally ranging from hundreds of USD to thousands of USD. When buying, you should compare the quotations of different manufacturers and channels, and choose products with high cost performance.
    • Manufacturer: There are many manufacturers of pentane, and there are great differences in production scale, technology level, product quality, etc. You should fully understand the qualifications, reputation, after-sales service, etc. of the manufacturers when buying. You can choose regular, professional and reliable manufacturers through the Internet, industry associations, peer recommendations, etc.
n-Pentane, Isopentane and Cyclopentane in flasks
Cyclopentane

The facts about Cyclopentane

by Manufacturers, Producers, Suppliers

Many manufacturers will be using a new, more environmentally friendly insulation material, called cyclopentane, in the manufacture of select refrigerators and freezers. Cyclopentane is a blowing agent for the polyurethane foams that are used to insulate refrigerators and freezers. Unlike some other chemicals used to insulate refrigerators, cyclopentane does not contain hydro-fluorocarbons (HFCs). Using cyclopentane results in significant reductions in equivalent CO2 emissions. The most common foam-blowing agents currently used in the U.S. are R134a and R245fa. These industry-standard insulations can have a global warming potential (GWP) as high as 1300 (134a) and 950 (245a). In contrast, the foam-blowing agent cyclopentane has a GWP of approximately 10. When it comes to GWPs, the lower the number is, the better it is for the environment, so cyclopentane is clearly the more environmentally friendly choice. Cyclopentane increases the efficiency of the insulation foam by approximately 4 percent over the R134a foam currently used in most refrigeration products. Cyclopentane has been very popular as a blowing agent in Europe since the early 1990s, but the cost of retrofitting existing production facilities and the lack of U.S. regulations restricting the use of HFCs has delayed implementation in the U.S. However, there are other manufacturers currently selling refrigerators in the U.S. that use cyclopentane. Compared to other insulating foams, cyclopentane is competitively priced and relatively easy to produce. Like many gases, in its pure form, cyclopentane is a highly evaporative and flammable material. However once foamed, the unit is no more hazardous than a unit foamed with other blowing agents. As with any of our manufacturing processes, we’ve integrated a wide variety of redundant engineering and operational safeguards. To learn more about cyclopentane, click here.

 Common questions about cyclopentane

Q: What is this new material being used in the foam insulation?
A: The new material is called cyclopentane, a highly evaporative gas that is used to apply the foam insulations in refrigeration units. 

Q: What is cyclopentane?
A: Cyclopentane is a blowing agent for the polyurethane foams that are used to insulate refrigerators and freezers. 

Q: What are the benefits of using cyclopentane instead of other materials?
A: From an environmental perspective, unlike some other chemicals used to insulate refrigerators, cyclopentane does not contain hydro-fluorocarbons (HFCs). Using cyclopentane results in significant reductions in equivalent CO2 emissions. 

Q: What foam-blowing agents are most commonly used in the U.S.? How is cyclopentane different?
A: The most common foam-blowing agents in the U.S. right now are R134a and R245fa. These two industry-standard insulations can have a global warming potential (GWP) as high as 1300 (134a) and 950 (245a). Comparatively, the foam-blowing agent cyclopentane has a GWP of approximately 10. When it comes to GWPs, the lower the number is, the less adverse impact on the environment, so cyclopentane is clearly a better choice. 

Q: Are there significant insulating advantages, as well?
A: Yes, cyclopentane is approximately 4 percent more efficient than the R134a foam we currently use in most of our products. 

Q: Do other refrigerators available in the U.S. market use cyclopentane?
A: There are other manufacturers currently selling refrigerators in the U.S. that use cyclopentane. 

Q: Why hasn’t cyclopentane caught on in the United States?
A: It has been very popular as a blowing agent in Europe since the early 1990s, but the cost of retrofitting existing production facilities and the lack of U.S. regulations restricting the use of HFC’s has delayed implementation in the U.S. 

Q: Is it more expensive than other insulating materials?
A: It is competitively priced and relatively easy to produce. 

Q: Is it dangerous?
A: Like many gases, in its pure form, cyclopentane is a highly evaporative and flammable material. However once foamed, the unit is no more hazardous than a unit foamed with other blowing agents. As with any of our manufacturing processes, we’ve integrated a wide variety of redundant engineering and operational safeguards.

blowing agent, Expandable Polystyrene, PE - POLYETHYLENE, polystyrene foam, polyurethane and polyisocyanurate foam, phenolic foam, polyolefin foam, and elastomeric foam., Polystyrene Manufacturers, Polyurethane

What is the difference between EPS fire resistance levels A, B, and B1?

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The difference between EPS fire resistance grades A, B, and B1:

  1. Fire resistance coefficient: Class A is non combustible; Level B is further divided into three levels, with B1, B2, and B3 having different levels of combustion.
  2. Flammability: Class A has zero flammability;, B1 is flame retardant, B2 is flammable, and B3 is flammable.
    At present, the common A-grade products in the market include phenolic aldehyde, rock wool, insulation mortar, foam ceramics, foam glass, and foam concrete. At present, the most advantageous A-grade material is foamed concrete, also known as foamed cement.
    EPS polystyrene board itself is a flammable material, so it is not a fireproof material in terms of fire rating. So it’s not at all A-level or B1 level. The fire resistance rating of polystyrene boards on the market is only B2 (flammable) and B3 (flammable).
    Extended Information:
    EPS physical and mechanical properties:
  3. Density
    The density of EPS is determined by the expansion ratio of polystyrene particles during the forming stage, which is generally between 10 and 45kg/m3. As EPS used in engineering, its apparent density is generally between 15 and 30kg/m3.
    At present, the density of EPS used as lightweight filling material in road engineering is 20kg/m3, which is 1% to 2% of that of ordinary road filling material. Density is an important indicator of EPS, and its mechanical properties are almost directly proportional to its density.
  4. Deformation characteristics
    When the confining pressure exceeds 60KPa, the yield strength significantly decreases, which is clearly different from the variation law of the soil. When axial strain ε When a ≤ 5%, regardless of the confining pressure, the volumetric strain ε V is close to axial strain ε a. The lateral deformation of EPS is small, which means the Poisson’s ratio is small.
    To minimize post construction settlement, after laying the EPS material layer, fill 1.2m of soil on it for preloading. The average compressive settlement of the EPS material layer is 32mm, and it can be calculated that the elastic modulus of EPS is 2.4MPa, and the EPS material is still in the elastic deformation stage.
  5. Self-reliance
    The self-sustaining nature of EPS is very beneficial for the stability of high slopes. Due to the small lateral pressure generated by the vertical compression of EPS, the use of EPS as filling material for the roadbed at the bridge head can greatly reduce the soil pressure behind the abutment, which is very beneficial for the stability of the abutment.
    The friction coefficient f between EPS block and sand is 0.58 (dense)~0.46 (loose) for dry sand and 0.52 (dense)~0.25 (loose) for wet sand; The range of f between EPS blocks is between 0.6 and 0.7.
  6. Water and temperature characteristics
    The closed cavity structure of EPS determines its good insulation performance. Its biggest characteristic when used as insulation material is its extremely low thermal conductivity, with various specifications of EPS boards having thermal conductivity ranging from 0.024W/m.K to 0.041W/m.K. EPS is a thermoplastic resin that should be used below 70 ℃ to avoid thermal deformation and strength reduction.
    Simultaneously utilizing this feature, electric heating wire processing can be used. Flame retardants can be added in production to form flame retardant EPS. Flame retardant EPS extinguishes itself within 3 seconds after leaving the ignition source. Due to the much lower bulk density of EPS compared to soil, the 1% to 10% increase in bulk density caused by water absorption can have negligible impact on engineering.
  7. Durability
    EPS has stable chemical properties in water and soil, and cannot be decomposed by microorganisms; The cavity structure of EPS also makes water infiltration extremely slow; If exposed to ultraviolet radiation for a long time, the surface of EPS will change from white to yellow, and the material will appear brittle to some extent; EPS has stable properties in most solvents, but can be dissolved in organic solvents such as gasoline, diesel, kerosene, toluene, acetone, etc. This indicates that EPS fillers require a good protective layer.

    Reference Source: JUNYUAN PETROLEUM GROUP – EPS Blowing Agent Department (Folystyrene Foam)

Expandable polystyrene (EPS)

Revolutionary patented polystyrene production method

Expandable polystyrene (EPS) consists of polystyrene micro-pellets or beads containing a blowing agent and other additives for foaming. We have developed a continuous production process in which the blowing agent is directly injected into the melt, combined with subsequent underwater pelletization.

Commercial EPS is manufactured with the addition of a blowing agent, typically a chlorinated hydrocarbon or a low-boiling petroleum-derived agent with the presence of pentane. These substances are highly flammable; by reducing the amount of flame retardant due to the addition of gypsum, they ignited during the flame propagation test, increasing the burn rate of the GPS.

Main benefits

  • The patented EPS process is economical, compact, and easy to operate
  • Continuous process for consistent product quality
  • Dispersing a wide range of additives and pigments is possible
  • Minimized waste production
  • Reduction of wastewater and process water
  • Recycling possibility for waste EPS pellets/beads/foam
  • Process allows developing innovative applications

Main applications

  • Expandable Polystyrene

EPS Panel

The self-extinguishing, fire-retardant EPS Panel foam is manufactured from 100% virgin bead and oven-cured after manufacture to ensure the resulting blocks are completely dry and free from all residual pentane.

EPS Panel is a lightweight, CFC-free, non-brittle, closed cell insulator with more consistent thermal performance over time. It has a high dimensional stability and low water vapor transmission.

A special chemical coated to the Expanded Polystyrene beads (raw material) distinguished it from standard/common EPS Panel. Fire-Retardant EPS Panel is a self-extinguishing, non-combustible material.

Fire-retardant EPS Panel with a density of 15 kg/m3 is used for clean rooms, food processing facilities and modular buildings, while the 20 kg/m3 is used for industrial and commercial cold storage.

Core

Width (cover mm)
Thickness (mm)
Length
Exterior Facing Skin
Internal Facing Skin
Standard Colors
Joint System
Finishes
Type of SkinEPS
(Expanded Polystyrene)
1,160
50, 75, 100, 125, 150, 200, 250
Up to 12 meters
0.5mm, 0.6mm G300 CRP Steel
0.5mm, 0.6mm G300 CRP Steel
Off White
Slip Joint
Plain, Ribbed, Diamond
Anti Bacterial (AB)
Food Grade (FG)
Xterior Roof and Wall (XRW)

Features and Advantages

  • Fire retardant
  • Meets safety requirements
  • Energy saving
  • Longer lifetime
  • Resistant to termites and rodents
  • Customized design
  • Easy to install saving cost of installation time
  • High performance on insulated panel
blowing agent

Properties of Pentane Blowing Agent and Properties of Rigid Polyurethane Foam

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Polyurethane foam is widely used in construction, refrigeration, piping and other fields due to its low density, good thermal insulation, low water absorption, low toxicity, and good processability. The blowing agent is an important auxiliary agent for the production of polyurethane foam plastics. Since the second-generation blowing agent HCFC-141b has an ODP value of 0.11 and a GWP value of 725, it has a great impact on the ozone layer and the greenhouse effect, so it can only be used as a transitional agent. use of sex substitutes. According to China’s polyurethane foam industry HCFC-141b phase-out plan (second phase), the polyurethane foam industry will gradually reduce HCFC-141b consumption based on the results achieved in the first phase, and will achieve industry-wide phase-out by the end of 2025. At present, the commonly used substitutes for HCFC-141b blowing agent mainly include pentane, water, hydrofluorocarbon (HFC), liquid carbon dioxide, hydrofluoroolefin (HFO) and methyl formate. Among them, pentane is widely used due to its advantages of environmental protection, low price, and easy availability. However, pentane is flammable and explosive, and is a dangerous chemical. The use of this kind of blowing agent requires safety renovation of production equipment and workshops. Although the initial investment of pentane foaming replacement technology is relatively high, in the long run, the comprehensive economic benefits are obvious, and it is an ideal substitute for HCFC-141b.

Refrigerant

Development Trend of Refrigerants

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Development Trend of R601 Refrigerants

Product Description: n-Pentane; Pentane; Normal Pentane

GAS No.: 109-66-0

Packaging Specification: ISO-TANK

R601 Refrigerant Introduction

R601 refrigerant, pentane and n-pentane in Chinese, is a colorless liquid with faint mint fragrance. n-Pentane R601 is slightly soluble in water, and soluble in ethanol, ether, acetone, benzene, chloroform and other organic solvents, with a melting point of – 129.7 ℃ and a boiling point of 36.1 ℃.

R601 Refrigerant Application

R601 is mainly used for molecular sieve desorption, replacing Freon as foaming agent, as solvent, manufacturing artificial ice, agent, and synthesizing amyl alcohol.



Storage and Transportation

R601 refrigerant cylinder is a pressurized container, which should be stored away from fire, heat source and direct sunlight. It is usually stored in a cool, dry and ventilated warehouse; The steel cylinder, valve and other accessories shall be handled with care to prevent damage.

It is a general trend to use green and environment-friendly refrigerants. Green and environment-friendly refrigerants can be synthetic or natural. Although synthetic environment-friendly refrigerants will not damage ozone, natural refrigerants are the most ideal choice for the sustainable development of the earth’s ecology.

The history of refrigeration technology is actually the history of refrigerant development process. In the early days, people used the evaporation effect of storing natural ice and water and some other methods to refrigeration. In the 1930s, Perkins invented the vapor compression refrigeration cycle, and mankind ushered in the development period of refrigeration technology. The invention, renewal and replacement of refrigerants throughout the entire process. At present, according to the development requirements of the new era, refrigerants will face new challenges. At present, the development of refrigerant is divided into four stages, and the characteristics of each stage are shown in the left figure.

In general, the development trend of refrigerant should meet the requirements of sustainable development of ecological environment and promote its further development. According to the core requirements of coordination between economic development, resource protection and ecological environment protection in sustainable development, there are two development directions of refrigerant:

The first is environmental protection. It is a general trend to use green refrigerants. Green refrigerants can be synthetic or natural. Although synthetic environmental refrigerants will not damage ozone, natural refrigerants are the most ideal choice for the sustainable development of the earth’s ecology.

The second is energy conservation. With the improvement of people’s living standards, refrigeration, air conditioning and other equipment are becoming more and more popular, and at the same time, a large amount of energy consumed by them is also attracting more and more attention. This summer, 18 provinces and cities in China experienced a shortage of electricity. A survey by the China Electricity Regulatory Commission showed that the intensification of the contradiction between supply and demand caused a shortage of electricity this summer, of which the rapid growth of air-conditioning refrigeration load is a factor that cannot be ignored. Therefore, in addition to improving refrigeration technology, we can also start from refrigerants. It is also a development direction to reduce the energy consumption of refrigeration and air-conditioning equipment by developing new energy-saving refrigerants.

To sum up, the development of refrigerants is closely related to environmental protection and the sustainable development of the earth’s ecological environment. The development trend of refrigerants reflects the requirements of sustainable development of the environment.

Polyurethane

Pentane as Blowing Agent in PUR foam and PU Market in China

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Preface

Pentane as blowing agent in PUR foam: in polyurethane foaming, the main function of foaming agent is to generate gas and form fine bubbles evenly distributed in polyurethane. The blowing agent itself does not participate in the chemical reaction between the polyisocyanate and the combined polyether. The foaming process using freon (such as R11 and R12) as foaming agent is called fluorofoaming. The foaming process in which the foaming agent does not contain Freon is called fluorine-free foaming. Such as Cyclopentane foaming.

Polyurethane

Polyurethane (PU), with the full name of polyurethane, is a polymer compound. It was made by Otto Bayer in 1937. Polyurethane is divided into polyester type and polyether type. They can be made into polyurethane plastics (mainly foamed plastics), polyurethane fibers (called spandex in China), polyurethane rubber and elastomers.

Soft polyurethane mainly has a thermoplastic linear structure. It has better stability, chemical resistance, resilience and mechanical properties than PVC foam materials, and has less compression deformation. Good heat insulation, sound insulation, earthquake resistance and anti-virus performance. Therefore, it is used as packaging, sound insulation and filtering material. Rigid polyurethane plastic is light, sound insulation, excellent thermal insulation performance, chemical resistance, good electrical performance, easy to process, and low water absorption. It is mainly used as structural material for building, automobile, aviation industry and thermal insulation. The performance of polyurethane elastomer is between plastic and rubber, which is oil resistant, wear-resistant, low-temperature resistant, aging resistant, high hardness and elasticity. It is mainly used in the shoemaking industry and medical industry. Polyurethane can also be used to make adhesives, coatings, synthetic leather, etc.

Polyurethane appeared in the 1930s. After nearly 80 years of technological development, this material has been widely used in the field of home, construction, daily necessities, transportation, home appliances and so on.

  • Name in Chinese: 聚氨酯
  • English Name: Polyurethane
  • Abbreviation: PU
  • Main products: polyurethane foam, spandex, polyurethane coatings, adhesives, etc
  • Characteristics: oil resistance, wear resistance, low temperature resistance, aging resistance, high hardness and elasticity
  • Applications: home, construction, daily necessities, transportation, home appliances, etc

Pu Development Overview

Polyurethane (PU) was first developed by German scientists in the 1930s. German scientists polycondensated liquid isocyanate and liquid polyether or glycol polyester to form a new material. The physical performance parameters of this material are different from those of polyolefin materials at that time. Scientists named it polyurethane. With the end of the Second World War, the chemical manufacturing industry in the United States flourished, and polyurethane soft foam was synthesized in the 1950s. This was an important landmark research in the chemical industry at that time, and provided a solid technical foundation for the development of the polyurethane industry in the future.

Global PU Market

The global polyurethane market is mainly distributed in developed countries in Europe and America, and the Asia Pacific region is mainly represented by China, Japan and South Korea. The above countries and regions account for 90% of the global polyurethane market, of which China’s total polyurethane consumption accounts for half of the world. There are many kinds of polyurethane products in the world and they are applied in various fields. By the end of 2016, the total global output of polyurethane had reached about 22 million tons.



PU market in China

China’s polyurethane industry is mainly concentrated in the Yangtze River Delta. In recent years, with the continuous development of industrial manufacturing technology, the Bohai Sea Rim production area, the Pearl River Delta production area and the northwest manufacturing industry base centered on Yantai are all booming. Under the pressure of China’s environmental protection, various enterprises began to seek transformation, taking the creation of a green and environmentally friendly polyurethane production process as the main development direction, and gradually eliminating backward production capacity. It is estimated that in the next few years, China’s polyurethane products will be mainly used in the construction field, furniture field and sports field. By 2016, China’s Polyurethane consumption has reached 11 million tons, creating about 350 billion yuan of direct economic benefits for China.

Market Overview of Main Raw Materials

The main raw materials of polyurethane include diphenylmethane diisocyanate (MDI), toluene diisocyanate (TDI) and polypropylene glycol (PPG), which have become international commodities. The production technology and equipment of these raw materials are very complex, and the product competition is quite fierce. As a result of long-term development, the production is relatively concentrated.

Isocyanate is the general name of various esters of isocyanate. If classified by the number of – NCO groups, it includes monoisocyanates R-N = C = O, diisocyanates o = C = n-r-n = C = O and polyisocyanates; It can also be divided into aliphatic isocyanates and aromatic isocyanates. At present, aromatic isocyanates are used most, such as MDI and TDI.

（1）MDI

MDI’s production technology and equipment requirements are relatively complex, and the production technology is controlled by several giant enterprises in the world. More than 95% of the world’s MDI production enterprises are concentrated in Asia and Europe. Compared with the two, the growth rate of the European market is not as fast as that of Asia, but its MDI industry started early and the market is relatively mature.
On June 1, 2015, the China South Korea free trade agreement was formally signed, which changed the tariff rate of polyurethane raw materials. The export tariff rate of China’s polymerized MDI fell faster than the import tariff rate. With the increase of domestic aggregate MDI market capacity and output, import dependence will decrease and export dependence will increase. The implementation of China South Korea free trade agreement will have a greater impact on China’s aggregate MDI exports than on aggregate MDI imports.

（2）TDI

In 2015, the trend of TDI prices in various regions of China fluctuated greatly, and the firm offer of manufacturers became the only driving force for the rise of TDI prices. However, affected by demand, the trend declined several times and broke new lows repeatedly. The price range in 2015 was lower than that in the previous two years, and the high level of TDI market no longer exists. In addition, the overall operating rate of domestic TDI manufacturers in 2015 was lower than that in 2014, which led to a much smaller output.

（3）PPG

PPG is one of the main raw materials for the production of polyurethane products, and its use in polyurethane foam can reach more than 90%, accounting for the largest proportion. Due to the large scale of polyether polyol production units, the production capacity is mainly concentrated in several large multinational companies such as BASF, Bayer, Dow Chemical and shell. China’s polyether polyol manufacturers have only formed a certain scale through technology introduction and independent research and development. In recent years, with the expansion of production of large manufacturers, the varieties and specifications of polyether polyols are basically complete, and the product quality and stability are also greatly improved.

Pu Product Classification

Polyurethane products mainly include the following: foamed plastics, elastomers, fiber plastics, fibers, leather shoe resins, coatings, adhesives and sealants, among which foamed plastics account for the largest proportion.

Polyurethane Foam
Polyurethane foam is divided into hard foam and soft foam, which have excellent elasticity, elongation, compressive strength and softness, as well as good chemical stability. In addition, polyurethane foam has excellent processability, adhesiveness, thermal insulation and other properties, which belongs to the buffer material with excellent performance.

The production of polyurethane materials has spread all over North America. It is reported that the overall average annual growth rate of polyurethane foam Market in North America is expected to reach about 6%. It is estimated that by 2020, the growth areas will mainly focus on the market of spraying polyurethane foam applications in residential and industrial areas, as well as military applications. In addition, polyurethane will also be used in the medical industry to treat wounds in a timely and effective manner.

Polyurethane Elastomer
Polyurethane elastomer has soft and hard segments in its structure, so it can give materials excellent properties such as high strength, good toughness, wear resistance and oil resistance through the design of molecular chains. Polyurethane, known as “wear-resistant rubber”, has both the high elasticity of rubber and the rigidity of plastic.

In the past year, due to the sharp drop in crude oil prices, and against the background of the global economic depression, the year-on-year growth of China’s polyurethane elastomer market was slower than that of previous years. The imbalance between supply and demand led to a serious downturn in the price of polyurethane elastomer. However, this phenomenon only occurs in traditional polyurethane products. The market prospect of elastomer products with high scientific and technological content and high innovation degree, such as nano polyurethane elastomer materials, is still very considerable.

Polyurethane Fiber Plastic

In 2015, the overall price of the spandex market fell all the way, and the price of all specifications of spandex silk has fallen to the lowest point in history, and has even broken the new low in history. By the end of 2015, the mainstream quotation of 40d spandex was as low as about 36000 yuan / T, a decrease of 25.47% over the beginning of the year, creating a new historical low in the cycle.

From the upstream and downstream of the industrial chain, the current situation of polyurethane fiber plastics is constrained by the continued depression of the economic environment, and the production and sales in the downstream manufacturing field are not strong, with supply exceeding demand and serious pressure on goods; On the other hand, it is also due to the sharp decline in raw material prices.

The price of spandex has fallen all the way, leading to a decline in industry profits. The continuous release of new intelligent production capacity has caused oversupply, which has also strongly impacted the spandex market. Coupled with the shortage of funds in the downstream industry of spandex and the vicious circle of the industrial chain, the import volume of spandex in China plummeted from January to November 2015, and the contradiction between supply and demand has become a hard wound of the decline in spandex prices.

PU Coating

Application Status

Since the 1950s, China began to develop and apply polyurethane coatings. With the continuous improvement and improvement of the material living standards of the public, the development speed of a series of industries such as automobile processing, furniture manufacturing and processing, petrochemical industry, machinery industry, bridges and ships is constantly improving. Polyurethane coatings, with its outstanding performance advantages, have begun to enter a new stage of rapid development. According to statistical data, from 1980 to 2004, the use of polyurethane coatings in various industries showed a very rapid development trend. The total use of polyurethane coatings has achieved a breakthrough development from 1,700 to 200,000 tons. The output of polyurethane coatings is second only to alkyd resin coatings, acrylic resin coatings and phenolic resin coatings, and has become the fourth largest variety in the coating field, And this development trend continues to this day, and its output and use range still maintain a very rapid development trend.

Among the production and processing enterprises of polyurethane coatings, the enterprises responsible for the R & D and application of polyurethane coatings are mostly concentrated in the Pearl River Delta and Yangtze River Delta. Up to now, more than 60 kinds of polyurethane coatings have been developed. It should be noted that, influenced by factors such as capital investment and technological development, most of the development enterprises related to polyurethane coatings are mainly joint ventures, wholly foreign-owned enterprises and domestic large-scale production enterprises. The market positioning is mainly middle and high-grade goods, while township enterprises are mostly low-grade products.

Polyurethane Coating

From the perspective of the R & D and application of polyurethane coatings, the most mainstream is still the two-component polyurethane coatings, whose application range in wood furniture coating and other fields is constantly expanding and improving. In addition, one-component polyurethane coatings still have very strong application advantages in the fields of automobile processing, basement waterproofing and so on. This kind of coatings takes polyurethane as the main material and has very good application value in the production of various paints and varnishes. The newly developed acrylic polyurethane paint uses biuret as curing agent, and its application value in automotive repair paint is quite reliable. Especially for light vehicles, large buses and vans, the coating function in vehicle processing is very worthy of recognition, and the market prospect is considerable. A variety of new polyurethane coatings developed on the basis of acrylic polyurethane coatings can also play an application value in other manufacturing and processing fields to meet the processing quality requirements of processed goods such as household appliances and trains.

In addition, special polyurethane coatings that can be applied to floor coating, machine tool coating, aerospace equipment surface coating and other fields are in the accelerated development and research stage. In relevant reports, the classification, characteristics and application fields of polyurethane coatings are reviewed and analyzed.

R & D Progress

(1) Waterborne polyurethane coating

In 1942, shlack successfully prepared cationic waterborne polyurethane for the first time. In the 1970s, the industrial production of waterborne polyurethane began. Now, the annual output of waterborne polyurethane esters in the world is about 50000-60000 tons. Water is selected as the dispersion medium of waterborne polyurethane coatings, and there are few organic solvents in the whole polyurethane coating structure system, which meets the energy conservation and emission reduction requirements of the current environmental protection in the coating field. Therefore, the application and development of waterborne polyurethane coatings in related fields are increasingly concerned and valued by people in the industry. Up to now, although the application proportion of polyurethane coatings in the whole coating field in China is only about 4%, the engineering application of water-borne polyurethane coatings is maintaining a growth rate of nearly 10% in recent years. In general, the waterborne polyurethane coating does not need to add additional dispersant or emulsifier, and the molecular size and molecular structure can be adjusted as appropriate. In view of this feature, compared with latex coatings widely used in the traditional sense, waterborne polyurethane coatings can have better low-temperature film-forming characteristics, without adding plasticizers and film-forming AIDS in the same proportion. Compared with other coatings, waterborne polyurethane coatings not only have a good appearance, but also have a short drying time, which shows unique advantages in the field of wood coatings. The traditional solvent based acrylic leather coating has been gradually replaced by waterborne polyurethane leather coating. With its advantages in chemical resistance and low temperature resistance, it has attracted the attention of people in the field of leather coating. In addition, this kind of material also plays a very precise application value in the fields of plastics, vehicles, industry and corrosion protection, and has a very broad development space.

There are still some limitations in the performance of waterborne polyurethane coatings, and the lack of water resistance is one of the most important factors affecting the application of waterborne polyurethane coatings in practice. In addition, there are also some problems in the application of water-based polyurethane coatings during the construction of the project. For example, for the two-component water-based polyurethane coatings, the drying speed is relatively slow after being mixed into the construction raw materials, which requires a long time of maintenance. The carbon dioxide bubbles generated during the reaction between the waterborne polyurethane coating and water may remain in the coating film in large quantities, affecting its performance. Moreover, the high cost has also become one of the main factors affecting the industrial application of waterborne polyurethane coatings. More importantly, in water-based polyurethane coatings, a large amount of water-based coatings may affect the iron base materials in engineering buildings, resulting in flash corrosion, and even affecting the wettability and appearance performance of surface coatings. In view of the above problems, in order to promote the further development of water-based polyurethane coatings, composite modified water dispersion polyurethane coatings should be taken as the development direction and research focus in the future, and some molecular structures with special functions, such as silicon-containing polymer chains and fluoropolymer chains, should be introduced into the polyurethane chains to improve the comprehensive performance of the film and give play to its advantages in high temperature resistance, water resistance and weather resistance. Low VOC and high-performance two-component waterborne polyurethane coatings can also be taken as the focus of research and development to reduce the cost of polyurethane coatings and improve the efficiency of use.

(2) Modified polyurethane coating

For the relatively single polyurethane coating, in the process of industrial production and application, its shape, gloss, water resistance and hardness still have certain limitations, so we can try to improve its performance level by developing modified polyurethane coating. At the current technical level, there are two types of modification methods that can be applied to polyurethane materials: the first is to make polyurethane coatings have two or more characteristics through chemical intervention; The second is to mix two or more kinds of resin materials with complementary characteristics through physical intervention, so that polyurethane coatings can have diverse properties. Among them, for silicone materials, this material has a series of characteristics and advantages such as non-corrosion, non-toxic, flame resistance, ozone resistance, weather aging resistance, electrical insulation, etc., and has a very good application value in the modification processing of polyurethane coatings. Bayer company took the lead in the basic research and development of polyurethane powder coatings, and successfully developed a closed isocyanate crosslinking system. The commonly used IPDI curing system closed by caprolactam has a curing temperature of more than 170 ℃. This high-temperature curing is conducive to the high leveling of the coating film and is a variety without volatile by-products. Previous reports also pointed out that trying to combine silicone materials with polyurethane coatings and applying appropriate methods to modify and process can obviously overcome the performance defects of polyurethane materials, which has a very definite value for expanding the application field of polyurethane materials. At the same time, polysiloxane has a special chemical structure, which shows excellent stability, biocompatibility, electrical insulation and high and low temperature resistance. It has been widely used in industrial production practice since the 1940s. In the research and development process of modified polyurethane materials, polysiloxane can be used as a soft segment to synthesize polysiloxane polyurethane block copolymer, so as to highlight the advantages of polyurethane and polysiloxane, and highlight the outstanding advantages of the modified polyurethane coating in surface enrichment, dielectric property and biocompatibility, It has great application space and development potential.

(3) Environmental friendly polyurethane coating

Affected by the requirements of environmental protection and the sustainable development of the entire coating industry, relevant personnel in the industry must actively explore and develop polyurethane coating products with environmental protection benefits, such as UV curable polyurethane coatings, high solid content and low viscosity polyurethane materials, and powder polyurethane materials. The polyurethane coating presented in the form of powder can have good physical and mechanical properties and chemical resistance, and also show good appearance. Compared with other polymer materials, waterborne polyurethane dispersion resin materials have a lot of advantages, and meet the requirements of environmental protection. It can be dispersed in water, without favorable isocyanate, non-toxic, and has good adhesion to the substrate. The waterborne two-component polyurethane coating is composed of water-based polyol containing – OH group and low viscosity polyisocyanate curing agent containing – NCO group. The coating performance is mainly determined by the composition and structure of hydroxyl resin.

One component waterborne polyurethane coating is a kind of coating based on waterborne polyurethane resin and water as dispersion medium. The waterborne polyurethane coating modified by crosslinking has good storage stability, film mechanical properties, water resistance, solvent resistance and aging resistance, and is similar to the traditional solvent based polyurethane coating. It should be one of the very important development directions of environmental friendly polyurethane coating. From the perspective of future development trend, polyurethane powder coating has become one of the most mainstream development directions in the whole coating field, and its proportion in various powder coatings and even polyurethane coatings is constantly increasing. For example, for the automotive coating processing market, in the process of coating product development, polyurethane powder coating should be the best choice and development direction. At the same time, through technological innovation and research and development, a new generation of polyurethane powder coating with good adaptability to low temperature environment and no volatile by-products should be developed. This new powder coating has good similarity with two-component solvent-based polyurethane coating in performance, It can be applied to the coating manufacturing and processing field of the new generation of automobile production lines. While ensuring the coating performance, it reflects good environmental protection benefits and has very considerable comprehensive benefits.

PU Adhesive

The synthesis of polyurethane adhesive is based on the unique chemical properties of isocyanate. Isocyanates are compounds containing isocyanate groups (-nco) in their molecules, which have a highly unsaturated bond structure with overlapping double bond arrangement and can react with various compounds containing active hydrogen. In the field of polyurethane adhesives, isocyanates containing two or more NCO characteristic groups are mainly used. Polyurethane adhesives are divided into general-purpose isocyanate polyurethane adhesives and yellowing resistant isocyanate polyurethane adhesives according to whether products yellowing occurs under light.

Universal PU Adhesive

General purpose isocyanates, that is, aromatic isocyanates, are the most widely used isocyanates in the polyurethane industry at present. Because the methylene group connected to the benzene ring in the structure is easy to be oxidized to form quinone chromophores, the material will turn yellow. The commonly used general-purpose isocyanates include TDI, MDI and polymethyl polyphenylene isocyanate (Papi). TDI is liquid at normal temperature and is easy to use. It is the earliest isocyanate used in the polyurethane industry.

Yellowing Resistant PU Adhesive
In order to improve the yellowing of polyurethane materials caused by universal isocyanates, the generation of chromophores with benzene ring conjugated quinone structure should be avoided in addition to the use of relevant additives. For this reason, researchers have developed many yellowing resistant isocyanates, such as benzylidene diisocyanate (XDI), hexamethylene diisocyanate (HDI), isophorone isocyanate (IPDI), etc.

Modification of PU Adhesive

Although polyurethane adhesive has excellent performance, it is easy to be affected by external environment such as light, heat, oxygen, water and so on, which reduces its use value. With the development of society, the single performance of polyurethane adhesive can not meet the application needs. The research on the modification of polyurethane adhesive has become a hot field, of which physical modification and chemical modification are the main modification methods.

(1) Physical Modification

Physical modification is mainly a method to improve the performance of polyurethane adhesive by doping some fillers and additives under certain conditions in the preparation process of polyurethane adhesive. Quartz powder has good compatibility with polyurethane adhesive system, which can significantly improve the tensile strength, elongation at break and tear strength of polyurethane adhesive products. The polyurethane adhesive film for food packaging was prepared by ultrasonic dispersing nano boron nitride (BN) in polyol and then reacting with MDI. Compared with the adhesive without nano BN, the water vapor transmission of the film was reduced by 50%, the adhesive strength was increased by 37%, and the peel strength was increased by 7.14%. When SiO2 nanofibers were added to the polyurethane matrix, it was found that the hydroxyl groups on the surface of SiO2 nanofibers formed a close cross-linked structure with polyurethane, which improved the adhesion of the adhesive, the hardness and tensile strength of the adhesive film, but also increased the viscosity of the colloid.

(2) Chemical Modification

Chemical modification is a modification method that changes the type of atoms or atomic groups on the molecular chain and their binding modes through chemical reactions of polymers. Among them, block and graft are common chemical modification methods of polyurethane adhesives. Among them, high-performance epoxy resin modified polyurethane adhesive, acrylate modified polyurethane adhesive and silicone resin modified polyurethane adhesive are the competitive development goals in the industry. Epoxy resin has many advantages, such as good adhesion, corrosion resistance, high strength, etc., but its toughness is poor. Introducing epoxy into polyurethane system can obtain products with better performance. Silane modified polyurethane adhesive can not only improve flexibility, but also avoid the shortcomings of traditional polyurethane adhesive, such as easy foaming after curing and poor adhesion to smooth substrate.

PU Product Applications in Industrial Fields

Furniture Industry

In the furniture industry, wood like materials are one of the main application directions of polyurethane rigid foam. Wood like materials are light in weight and have the same density and strength as wood. When using this material to make furniture, not only will there be no cracks after molding, but also the cost of production and manufacturing can be reduced. With the increasing awareness of national environmental protection, wood like materials will be more applied in the furniture industry, thus replacing the status of natural wood in furniture.

China is a big country in furniture production and processing in the world. According to the total consumption of polyurethane in the furniture industry during the 12th Five Year Plan period; During the “13th five year plan” period, China’s furniture industry still focuses on expanding domestic demand and stimulating urban consumption. With the continuous tightening of China’s real estate policy, the construction speed of affordable housing and low rent housing will continue to accelerate. China’s furniture industry will not be impacted, and the public’s demand for polyurethane will grow at a rate of 5% every year.

Construction Industry

Polyurethane rigid foam is the preferred material used in the field of building insulation. It has simple structure, long product life, high construction efficiency, high fire resistance rating and low comprehensive cost. [3] With the continuous implementation of China’s energy conservation and environmental protection policies, the construction industry will face more severe tests during the 13th Five Year Plan period, and polyurethane rigid foam will be widely used in the field of building insulation. In addition, as an important waterproof coating, polyurethane is widely used in building roofs, exterior walls, roof slabs, basements, kitchen and bathroom rooms, roads and bridges, etc. with the continuous development of rail transit and high-speed railway in China, polyurethane waterproof coating will also be widely used in railway construction. At present (2015), the consumption of polyurethane in China’s construction industry is about 1.25 million tons, accounting for 20% of the total consumption, while the total consumption of developed countries in the same industry is 35%. Combined with data analysis, it is not difficult to find that China’s polyurethane rigid foam still has a great development space in the construction industry.

Footwear and Leather Industry
China is the world’s largest exporter and production base of footwear products, accounting for 60% of the world’s total footwear output. Polyurethane (PU) materials are one kind of polyurethane. In addition, sizing is mainly used to manufacture artificial leather, synthetic leather and other related products.

Current Application Fields of PU Products

Furniture Industry

In the furniture industry, wood like materials are one of the main application directions of polyurethane rigid foam. Wood like materials are light in weight and have the same density and strength as wood. When using this material to make furniture, not only will there be no cracks after molding, but also the cost of production and manufacturing can be reduced. With the increasing awareness of national environmental protection, wood like materials will be more applied in the furniture industry, thus replacing the status of natural wood in furniture.

China is a big country in furniture production and processing in the world. According to the total consumption of polyurethane in the furniture industry during the 12th Five Year Plan period; During the “13th five year plan” period, China’s furniture industry still focuses on expanding domestic demand and stimulating urban consumption. With the continuous tightening of China’s real estate policy, the construction speed of affordable housing and low rent housing will continue to accelerate. China’s furniture industry will not be impacted, and the public’s demand for polyurethane will grow at a rate of 5% every year.

Construction Industry

Polyurethane rigid foam is the preferred material used in the field of building insulation. It has simple structure, long product life, high construction efficiency, high fire resistance rating and low comprehensive cost. With the continuous implementation of China’s energy conservation and environmental protection policies, the construction industry will face more severe tests during the 13th Five Year Plan period, and polyurethane rigid foam will be widely used in the field of building insulation. In addition, as an important waterproof coating, polyurethane is widely used in building roofs, exterior walls, roof slabs, basements, kitchen and bathroom rooms, roads and bridges, etc. with the continuous development of rail transit and high-speed railway in China, polyurethane waterproof coating will also be widely used in railway construction. At present (2015), the consumption of polyurethane in China’s construction industry is about 1.25 million tons, accounting for 20% of the total consumption, while the total consumption of developed countries in the same industry is 35%. Combined with data analysis, it is not difficult to find that China’s polyurethane rigid foam still has a great development space in the construction industry.

Footwear and Leather Industry

China is the world’s largest exporter and production base of footwear products, accounting for 60% of the world’s total footwear output. Polyurethane (PU) materials are one kind of polyurethane. In addition, sizing is mainly used to manufacture artificial leather, synthetic leather and other related products. At present (2015), less than 10% of the polyurethane slurry is used in the sole, which cannot reach the average level of developed countries.

However, with the continuous improvement of China’s industrial production technology, the manufacturing cost of polyurethane slurry will continue to decrease, and its development potential is beyond doubt.

Transportation Industry

There is also a lot of polyurethane in the transportation industry, which mainly includes soft, hard and semi-hard foams, as well as polyurethane elastomers, polyurethane adhesives, polyurethane sealants and polyurethane coatings. The total amount of polyurethane required for a formed car is about 30kg. The use of high-quality polyurethane products in cars is also one of the important factors to measure the grade of cars. China is a big automobile country, ranking first in the world in terms of both the manufacturing quantity of the automobile industry and the car ownership. According to relevant statistics, the annual consumption of polyurethane used in China’s automobile industry is nearly 400000 tons. With the continuous introduction of new energy vehicles, polyurethane consumption in the automotive industry will have a broader growth space.
In addition to the automobile industry, China’s cold chain transportation industry is also another field of polyurethane development. With the continuous improvement of people’s living standards in China, more and more people’s demand for flowers and aquatic products has soared, which has driven the development of China’s cold chain transportation industry. The transport vehicles in the cold chain transportation industry usually use polyurethane hard foam sandwich panels as heat insulation materials. At the same time, a large number of polyurethane heat insulation materials are also required in the construction of cold storage, which is also a great advantage for China’s polyurethane industry.

Home Appliance Industry

Refrigerators and freezers mainly use polyurethane hard foam as the heat insulation material of household appliances. Under the same volume condition, this material can effectively increase the internal volume of refrigerators and freezers and reduce the total amount of external shell materials. It can not only reduce the production cost, but also reduce the weight of refrigerators and improve the heat insulation performance. In China, the weight of polyurethane rigid foam is about 6-8kg to make a refrigerator with standard volume, and about 11kg rigid foam is required for a freezer. China is a big refrigerator manufacturing country, and has gradually become the world’s integrated base of refrigerator R & D, production and transportation; The total amount of polyurethane rigid foam used in refrigerator manufacturing industry in China is about 800000 tons every year. With the continuous implementation of the policy of “energy saving and emission reduction” for household appliances in China, the total amount of polyurethane used in refrigerators will show a downward trend, and all manufacturing enterprises will move towards the development route of “green and environmental protection”.

In addition, the thermal insulation material of solar water heater is also polyurethane rigid foam. China’s solar energy industry is an emerging industry. With the continuous optimization of the energy structure, the solar energy industry will be further developed and polyurethane industrial products will be more favored.

Sports Industry

Polyurethane pavement materials are widely used in the pavement construction of plastic runways, indoor basketball courts and volleyball courts in stadiums and public sports venues. A few years ago, the “toxic runway” incident continued to ferment, resulting in the whole industry being in a low-end and poor competitive state, and many small enterprises operating without licenses wantonly seek profits; With the continuous improvement of the quality of China’s polyurethane industrial products, the quality of polyurethane pavement materials has been greatly improved, and enterprises are constantly on the road to environmentally friendly pavement products.

Other Industries

Polyurethane can also be used for the packaging of fragile goods, especially in the transportation packaging of some precision instruments, handicrafts, fragile goods, etc; This kind of products can also be used in the fields of aviation, aerospace, automobile manufacturing, LNG carrier (ship) manufacturing, etc. (2015), the polyurethane slurry used in the sole is less than 10%, which can not reach the average level of developed countries.

However, with the continuous improvement of China’s industrial production technology, the manufacturing cost of polyurethane slurry will continue to decrease, and its development potential is beyond doubt.

Transportation Industry

There is also a lot of polyurethane in the transportation industry, which mainly includes soft, hard and semi-hard foams, as well as polyurethane elastomers, polyurethane adhesives, polyurethane sealants and polyurethane coatings. The total amount of polyurethane required for a formed car is about 30kg. The use of high-quality polyurethane products in cars is also one of the important factors to measure the grade of cars. China is a big automobile country, ranking first in the world in terms of both the manufacturing quantity of the automobile industry and the car ownership. According to relevant statistics, the annual consumption of polyurethane used in China’s automobile industry is nearly 400000 tons. With the continuous introduction of new energy vehicles, polyurethane consumption in the automotive industry will have a broader growth space.
In addition to the automobile industry, China’s cold chain transportation industry is also another field of polyurethane development. With the continuous improvement of people’s living standards in China, more and more people’s demand for flowers and aquatic products has soared, which has driven the development of China’s cold chain transportation industry. The transport vehicles in the cold chain transportation industry usually use polyurethane hard foam sandwich panels as heat insulation materials. At the same time, a large number of polyurethane heat insulation materials are also required in the construction of cold storage, which is also a great advantage for China’s polyurethane industry.

Home Appliance Industry

Refrigerators and freezers mainly use polyurethane hard foam as the heat insulation material of household appliances. Under the same volume condition, this material can effectively increase the internal volume of refrigerators and freezers and reduce the total amount of external shell materials. It can not only reduce the production cost, but also reduce the weight of refrigerators and improve the heat insulation performance. In China, the weight of polyurethane rigid foam is about 6-8kg to make a refrigerator with standard volume, and about 11kg rigid foam is required for a freezer. China is a big refrigerator manufacturing country, and has gradually become the world’s integrated base of refrigerator R & D, production and transportation; The total amount of polyurethane rigid foam used in refrigerator manufacturing industry in China is about 800000 tons every year. With the continuous implementation of the policy of “energy saving and emission reduction” for household appliances in China, the total amount of polyurethane used in refrigerators will show a downward trend, and all manufacturing enterprises will move towards the development route of “green and environmental protection”.
In addition, the thermal insulation material of solar water heater is also polyurethane rigid foam. China’s solar energy industry is an emerging industry. With the continuous optimization of the energy structure, the solar energy industry will be further developed and polyurethane industrial products will be more favored.

Sports Industry

Polyurethane pavement materials are widely used in the pavement construction of plastic runways, indoor basketball courts and volleyball courts in stadiums and public sports venues. A few years ago, the “toxic runway” incident continued to ferment, resulting in the whole industry being in a low-end and poor competitive state, and many small enterprises operating without licenses wantonly seek profits; With the continuous improvement of the quality of China’s polyurethane industrial products, the quality of polyurethane pavement materials has been greatly improved, and enterprises are constantly on the road to environmentally friendly pavement products.

Other Industries

Polyurethane can also be used for the packaging of fragile goods, especially in the transportation packaging of some precision instruments, handicrafts, fragile goods, etc; This kind of products can also be used in the fields of aviation, aerospace, automobile manufacturing, LNG carrier (ship) manufacturing, etc.

References

  1. Xu Liyi, Zhou Yi. Encyclopedia knowledge data dictionary. Qingdao: Qingdao publishing house. 2008
  2. Wang Daquan. Dictionary of fine chemicals. Beijing: Chemical Industry Press. 1998, pp. 344-345
  3. Wang Yaoxi, Luo Xiaoming. Research on the application and development of polyurethane industry [J]. Chemical management, 2018 (29): 10-11
  4. Li Cheng, Wu Zigang, Wang Xiaotong, Yan Jing, Shao Kai. Current situation and development trend of polyurethane industry [J]. Bonding, 2016,37 (11): 63-67
  5. Su Yong, Du Wengong, Liu Na, Chen Yaoqing, Wang Weike, Hu Mei. Research status and development exploration of polyurethane coatings [J]. Henan chemical industry, 2018,35 (10): 9-14
  6. Li guozun, Gao Zhixiang, Li Shixue, Li Jianwu, Chen Yu, Zhao Miao. Research progress, synthesis, modification and application of polyurethane adhesive [J]. Bonding, 2019,40 (05): 177-180

blowing agent

Pentane Blend Market Price on September 09, 2022

by Manufacturers, Producers, Suppliers
The price of Pentanes in China has fluctuated greatly in the recent month. After a period of decline, it has been rising in the recent month, with a weekly price increase of about 100 CNY per ton The prices of n-/Isopentane and cyclo-/Isopentane also maintained an upward trend. Junyuan Petroleum Group believes that Pentane prices are now at a relatively low point this year, and manufacturers in urgent need of raw materials can start purchasing. In addition, the sea freight to all parts of the world has been reduced by half, compared with the same period last year.

Pentane products are widely used as blowing agent, solvent and chemical raw materials. At present, Junyuan Petroleum Group is the largest manufacturer of high-purity Isopentane, n-Pentane, Cyclopentane and Pentane Blends/Blowing Agents in the Chinese market, with an annual output of 800,000 tons.

Pentane Blend (Blowing Agent) Market Price on September 09, 2022

Product

City

Low End Price

High End Price

Mainstream Price

Rise and Fall

Incoterms

Remarks

n-/Isopentane

Dongying

7900

8050

7950

0

EXW

–

Cyclo/Isopentane

Dongying

7900

8050

7950

0

EXW

–

Remarks:
1. The price in this list is the price including tax in spot exchange, and the unit is CNY / ton;
2. Release time: before 17:00 on working days, for reference only;
3. The rise and fall are compared with the closing price of the previous working day.



n-/Isopentane Refrigeration Foaming

Refrigerant is the working medium of refrigeration, also known as refrigerant, snow. In the refrigeration system, it is vaporized by absorbing energy from the cooling medium in the evaporator, and transfers heat to air and water in the condenser to condense. The increase in the consumption of refrigerants in China also drives the demand for refrigerants. Another point is that the state promotes fluorite as a strategic resource for protective development. In combination with these reasons, the price of refrigerants gradually rises.

At present, there are more than 80 kinds of substances used as refrigerants, including ammonia, freon-12, Freon-22, R-134a, r-404a, R-410A, azeotropic and hydrocarbon refrigerants. Previously, with regard to the impact on the ozone layer, the production of CFC substances such as R11, R12, R113, R114, r115, R502 and R22 was restricted.

In the early days, most of the refrigerants were flammable or toxic, and some accidents often occurred due to excessive pressure. The history of the development of isobutane R600a refrigerant appeared in the middle of the 19th century. It was a vapor compression system using ether as the refrigerant. Carbon dioxide (CO2) and ammonia (NH3) were first used as refrigerants in 1866 and 1873, respectively. Other chemicals include chemical cyanide (petroleum ether and naphtha), sulfur dioxide (r-764) and methyl ether, which have been used as refrigerants for vapor compression. Its application is limited to industrial processes. Most foods are still preserved with ice cubes collected in winter or prepared industrially.

R290 refrigerant, propane refrigerant, is a hydrocarbon refrigerant, which has no damage to the ozone layer and has a very small greenhouse effect. It is actually an environmental protection refrigerant today. From the perspective of environmental protection, almost all countries in the world have no restrictions on the use of R290 refrigerant in the initial installation of new refrigeration equipment and after-sales maintenance. The product is mainly used to replace R22 and R502 refrigerants in low-temperature refrigeration equipment; Because R290 is flammable, it is usually only used in low-temperature refrigeration equipment with less liquid filling, or as a component of low-temperature mixed refrigerant; R290 is compatible with conventional lubricants. The R290 refrigerant steel cylinder for storage and transportation is a pressurized container, which is flammable and explosive. During storage, it should be kept away from kindling and heat sources and avoid direct sunlight exposure. It is usually stored in a cool, dry and ventilated warehouse; During handling, it shall be loaded and unloaded with care to prevent damage to steel cylinders, valves and other accessories. Matching refrigeration oil for the refrigeration engine oil matched with R290 refrigerant, it should follow the recommendations of the manufacturers of refrigeration compressors and refrigeration (air conditioning) equipment, or determine to use the refrigerator lubricating oil with the same design requirements according to the specific conditions of the refrigeration compressors and refrigeration equipment, that is, select the equivalent refrigeration engine oil.

The refrigerant in the refrigerator is added with fluorine in a fixed amount. Use a fixed amount dispenser to add fluorine according to the marked amount. When adding fluorine, feel whether the return pipe is cool by hand. If the return pipe is cold or slightly dewy, the evaporator can be basically covered with frost. When filling, first add less fluorine than the original amount and let it run. When the evaporator is full of frost, finally add it to the return pipe only to condense dew. Generally speaking, the steps of fluorinating the refrigerator are very simple. Vacuumize the refrigerator, pump out the air inside, and then add fluorine. Then seal the refrigerator.

The use of new environmentally friendly refrigerants does not destroy the ozone layer, and the refrigeration efficiency is higher than before. The use of new hydrocarbon refrigerants has also begun internationally, which fully meets the international standards for energy conservation, environmental protection and emission reduction. It is the ideal refrigerant in the world at present.

Isopentane, Pentane (nC5)

Isopentane (iC5) vs n-Pentane (nC5), What’s the difference?

by Manufacturers, Producers, Suppliers
Isopentane (IC5)

  • Description


Isopentane (IC5) is a volatile flammable liquid hydrocarbon (CH3)2CHC2H5 and one of three isomers of pentane. Pentanes are components of some fuels, such as gasoline, and are also used as specialty solvents in the laboratory. Hydrocarbons are a diverse group of organic compounds that are made up of primarily carbon and hydrogen atoms. Hydrocarbons are derived from petroleum, coal tar and natural gas, as well as from plants and animals.

Iso-Pentane (IC-5) is used in the Polyethylene reaction and catalyst for the Gas Phase process in order to increase the production of the PE. Isopentane (iC5) It is supplied in the form of an Isopentane fraction with a base material content of up to 99.8% (grade A), is used for foaming polymers and as a component of motor fuel. Although hydrocarbon foaming using Isopentane (iC5) requires more complex and expensive equipment, it allows to produce polyurethane foam of better characteristics.

  • Boiling point: 81.86°F (27.70°C)
  • Density: 0.62 g/cm³
  • Chemical formula: C5H12
  • Average Molar mass: 72.15 g/mol
  • Classification: Alkane


Why Use Pentane, a Hydrocarbon?

Polyisocyanurate foams were traditionally produced using CFC-11 (a chloro-fluorocarbon) as the blowing agent.When evidence became irrefutable that CFCs destroyed stratospheric ozone, most of the world adopted the ground-breaking Montreal Protocol, which mandated the phaseout of CFCs for non-essential uses by 1996.

Isopentane (iC5) vs n-Pentane (nC5)- What’s the difference?

Isopentane Versus n-Pentane as a Noun. Isopentane differs from n-Pentane (as nouns) because Isopentane means “ an aliphatic hydrocarbon with the chemical structure CH₂CH₂CH(CH₃)₂; isomeric with pentane and neopentane,” while n-Pentane is “ the saturated aliphatic hydrocarbon (CH₃(CH₂)₃CH₃).”

ISOPENTANE

It is supplied in the form of an Isopentane fraction with a base material content of up to 99.8% (grade A), is used for foaming polymers and as a component of motor fuel.

Although hydrocarbon foaming using Isopentane requires more complex and expensive equipment, it allows to produce polyurethane foam of better characteristics compared to analogues. The coefficient of thermal conductivity of the gas formed during Isopentane foaming is lower than when using pure water foaming and, consequently, the panel filled with polyurethane foam on Isopentane provides better thermal insulation. The use of Isopentane as a foaming agent makes working at a lower density possible. The filling density of foam on Isopentane is 42 kg / m3 against 45-50 kg / m3 in the case of water foaming.

This means that holding the dimensions fixed the sandwich panel with the pentane-foamed polyurethane filling is lighter in comparison with the one with a CO2 – foamed polyurethane filling. In the end, it reduces the weight of the entire mobile building envelope as a whole and the load on its elements, making it more reliable and economical to use. Fine uniform porosity of the foam makes it possible to obtain maximum thermal insulation characteristics.

Hydrocarbon foaming allows to achieve the best characteristics of polyurethane foam, and, consequently, to improve the characteristics of sandwich panels, as well as manufactured from them mobile enclosing structures. It provides:

  •     better energy saving due to high thermal insulation characteristics;
  •     high durability thanks to better adhesion to metal sheets of the panel;
  •     efficiency and an advanced technological design due to it being lighter;
  •     durability of the structure.

You can place an order for Isopentane (iC5) with Junyuan Petroleum Group, send email to: info@junyuanpetroleumgroup.com.

Isopentane-pentane-cyclopentane-n-pentane-hexane-and-alkanes.pdf
Cyclopentane Price Trend in China Market 2022
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