reporting the world of polyurethanes for … library/a... · reporting the world of polyurethanes...

Composite wood products –a green success story

INSPIRE® PIR, SHOKLESS®

elastomer and RUBIFLEX® Litefoam launched at UTECH

Insulation for India’s firstheated oil pipeline

SPU/Huntsman collaborationon passive houses

R E P O R T I N G T H E W O R L D O F P O LY U R E T H A N E S F O R O U R C U S T O M E R S

July 2009

www.huntsman.com/pu

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PUbriefing July 2009

Using the trademark INSPIRE®, the newtechnology differentiates from competitiveproducts by not requiring an adhesive layerbetween the foam and the steel facings.INSPIRE PIR technology is characterized by aneasy foam processing and an industry-standard density – both in line with Europeanmarket requirements.

Nick Webster, European Vice President forHuntsman’s Polyurethanes division says: “PIRsandwich panels currently have a small sharein the European market, but we expect thistechnology will grow rapidly in the coming

years, driven by new fire legislation andinsurance company requirements.” He adds:“New INSPIRE PIR technology placesHuntsman in an excellent position to earn asignificant portion of this more specialised andhigher quality panel business.”

Three configurations

Huntsman is offering three different INSPIREPIR technology configurations with low,medium and high NCO-index, to suit customerneeds. PIR foam has many of the traditionaladvantages of polyurethane foam, such as

light weight, excellent thermal conductivity andmoisture resistance, but with superior fireresistance properties. PIR production involvesa higher proportion of MDI, resulting in athermally more stable product. Until thedevelopment of INSPIRE technology, PIRmaterials did not adhere to steel as well aspolyurethane, hence requiring an extraadhesive layer. The new Huntsman technologyeliminates that need. |

For info: [email protected]

INSPIRE® adhesive-free PIR launched at UTECH Europe

A new technology for fire-retarding

polyisocyanurate (PIR) sandwich panels

was recently launched by Huntsman at

this year’s UTECH Europe exhibition.

Continuing to build for the futureTony Hankins, President, Huntsman Polyurethanes

There are two schools of thought when it comes to riding out a recession. Go to ground and wait for the storm to pass orbuild for the future and emerge stronger. Recent issues of PU Review have hopefully made clear Huntsman’s continuingcommitment to innovation. But if further evidence is needed, our July newsletter should leave you in no doubt.

In this edition we highlight some exciting product developments in construction and automotive; two markets that, I ampleased to report, remain fertile ground for new technologies – despite the current harsh economic environment.

Legislative changes in energy efficiency, sustainability and fire safety are driving R&D in the building industry. This is increasingdemand for Huntsman’s polyurethane chemistries, particularly in foam insulation and composite wood applications – twomajor growth platforms for us. Similarly, in automotive, new solutions and product enhancements remain vital to supplierswanting to both lower production costs and improve performance.

As talk of the green shoots of recovery spreads, some of the new Huntsman polyurethane brands featured in this issue willundoubtedly create a stir. In the meantime, Huntsman will continue to invest in new technologies and seek innovativesolutions to customer challenges. This will ensure we, and our partners, can capitalize on the numerous opportunities that willemerge when the up-turn in global markets begins. We hope you enjoy reading our latest issue.

www.huntsman.com/pu 3

A polyurea hot spray coating developed by Prokol Polymers and Compounds BV, and based onMDI from Huntsman Polyurethanes, played a critical part in the construction of a new andfuturistic Texaco service station in Belgium. The custom coating was the key to giving Texaco theflexibility necessary to protect the exterior of the building, create a smooth finish and also provideessential chemical and fire resistance.

Texaco’s new station is different from other typical stations in that the design is based aroundsweeping curves rather than geometric shapes. The building is made from a basic steel structureand large foam EPS blocks, which were sprayed with the liquid coating from Prokol. Known asRocathaan® Hotspray, this BRoof (t1)-certified solution was used to enhance the appearance ofthe EPS blocks and guarantee their longevity.

According to Ron Koolen, CEO of Prokol: “Utilizing the durability and flexible qualities ofHuntsman’s MDI, Prokol was able to develop a high-performance coating that demonstrates theimportance of polyurea hot spray solutions to the construction market. We are delighted to haveplayed such a pivotal role in this project and look forward to working with Texaco to employRocathaan® at the other service stations now in the pipeline.”

Polyurea is a highly versatile component for coating solutions. It can be engineered to fit specificrequirements, giving architects and designers far greater freedom over the scale and scope oftheir designs. |


Polyurea hot spray for futuristicTexaco service station

Huntsman recently unveiled a new website(www.huntsman.com/insulation) highlightingthe key role that polyurethane insulationproducts play in reducing energy use inbuildings. Huntsman is a global leader in thesupply of MDI (methylene diphenyldiisocyanate) which is used to producepolyurethane insulation.

The environmental benefits of polyurethaneinsulation cannot be overstated. It is generallyrecognized that residential and commercialbuildings account for around 40% of the totalenergy consumed in developed nations – andthat this energy accounts for about a similarpercentage of CO2 emissions. A recent studyby McKinsey concluded insulation is thesingle, most cost-effective measure to reducegreenhouse gases.

According to Nick Webster, Vice-PresidentEurope who oversees the Polyurethanesdivision’s insulation activities: “Fluctuating oilprices and insecure energy supply will drivedemand for polyurethane insulation products.”

He added: “High performance polyurethaneinsulation products will become moreprevalent in buildings across the globe for tworeasons: polyurethane’s high thermal

resistance and air tightness significantly lowera building’s heating and cooling energydemand, leading to reduced greenhouse gasemissions; and the superior insulation value ofpolyurethane allows thinner building elements,which minimizes the building footprint ormaximizes internal useable space”.

Build tight and ventilate right

Polyurethane insulation allows easyconformance with the designer principles forlow energy usage buildings of “Build tightand ventilate right”.

Architects and building scientists haveevolved in their understanding ofsustainability. The durability of buildingenvelopes is important and moisturepenetration is the leading cause of damageto these envelopes. Polyurethane insulationproducts are a superior insulation choicebecause they not only control the flow ofheat and air infiltration but they also providea barrier to moisture movement and theirthermal performance is unaffected bymoisture ingress. |


New Huntsman insulation web pages launched

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Both products – SHOKLESS® microcellularelastomer and RUBIFLEX® Lite seating foamsystem – offer automotive suppliers andautomakers important performanceadvantages, along with the opportunity tolower total system costs in the manufactureof their vehicles.

Designed for suspension applications suchas spring aids, bump stops and enginemounts, SHOKLESS elastomer provides ahigh-performing alternative to current solutionsthat are based on NDI or rubber. Whilecomponents in competitive materials, such asrubber, tend to bulge under compression(and therefore require extra “surround” spaceto allow the rubber to expand), SHOKLESSelastomer imposes no such design restriction(by absorbing vibrations with very littlehorizontal expansion during compression).

A new testing methodology – dynamicfingerprinting – enabled Huntsman toformulate the new MDI material so that itoutperforms previously-available MDIs insuspension applications. As a result, the newHuntsman MDI offers Tier 1 suppliers the

opportunity to manufacture parts that matchthe performance of NDI or rubber-basedproducts, while lowering their costs for bothmaterials and production.

Full seating product portfolio

Huntsman RUBIFLEX Lite is a new seatingfoam that complements the existing line ofRUBIFLEX foams, with performancecharacteristics that are ideally suited fortechnically-demanding applications such asseat backs and rear seat cushions. RUBIFLEXLite is a low-density MDI system that offersgood flow in complex shapes, with thebalance of low density.

The addition of RUBIFLEX Lite systems nowenable Huntsman to offer the industry a fullMDI-based seating product portfolio to helpcustomers achieve the right balance ofimproved comfort, durability anddifferentiation, while striving to optimizeprocessing efficiencies and total part cost. |


New PU technologies for automotiveintroduced at UTECH Europe

Automotive sales may be down in many markets, but that’s not dampening Huntsman’s

commitment to innovation for its automaker customers. In April, Huntsman introduced

two important new technologies for the automotive market at the 10th UTECH Europe

event, held in Maastricht, The Netherlands.

Huntsman offers solutions for all seating foams

SHOKLESS® elastomer suspension application


The prefabricated piping used in the project,manufactured by Perma-Pipe India Ltd. (PPIL),is being insulated with rigid polyurethanefoam made with Huntsman’s MDI and polyolsystem. PPIL was solely awarded thepre-insulation contract for the entire pipelineproject and set up a factory especiallydesigned to manufacture the pre-insulatedpipes and fittings for this landmark project.The project is on schedule to deliver its first oilto Indian refineries in the second half of 2009.

The 24-inch diameter insulated pipeline willrun from Barmer, Rajasthan (in northwesternIndia) to a refinery district in Jamnagar, on thecountry’s west coast. The crude oil carried inthe pipeline will be heated in order to reduceits viscosity, allowing the oil to flow more easilyto its destination.

Polyurethane foam – an excellent insulatorknown for its durability – is spray-applied onsite to the piping materials. The spraytechnique offers significant cost advantagesover traditional pipe filling techniques,especially for large diameter pipes as used inthis project. Huntsman has obtained anEN253 approval – the common standard forpre-insulated pipes – for its polyurethanetechnology to apply spray foam on a rotatingpipe. This approval followed a jointdevelopment project between Huntsman andPerma-Pipe and evaluations at their facilitiesin Fujairah.

Perma-Pipe, an international market leader inpre-insulated piping systems, has beenserving the pre-fabricated piping market since1961. Huntsman brings more than 20 years’experience in piping insulation to the project.It has an extensive product portfolio coveringthe entire range of pipe filling techniquesand end applications. Its various foamtechnologies are currently in use at a numberof European, Russian and Middle East pipeproducers and can be supplied from variouslocations in those areas. |


Huntsman MDI used in India’s firstheated, insulated oil pipeline

Construction is now under way

on India’s first heat traced and

pre-insulated heavy crude oil

pipeline – a 600 kilometer

pipeline project owned by Cairn

India and Oil and Natural Gas

Corporation Limited (ONGC).

This strategic pipeline is

expected to play a key role in

helping to boost the country’s

domestic crude production by

approximately 25%.

The spray technique offerssignificant cost advantages overtraditional pipe filling techniques,

especially for large diameter pipesas used in this project.

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PU Review: When did Huntsman enter thecomposite wood products business and whatis its position in the market today?Greg Geaman: Huntsman (then ICIPolyurethanes) entered the composite woodproducts business in the early 1980s. OurRUBINATE® and SUPRASEC® branded MDIwas originally sold as a binder for waferboard,the predecessor to today’s Oriented StrandBoard (OSB). Today, Huntsman is the globalmarket leader in MDI-based binders forcomposite wood products with significantsales into OSB, particleboard (PB) and

medium density fiberboard (MDF) markets inNorth America, South America, Europe, andAsia. To maintain this position, we continue toinnovate and have recently developed a uniqueMDI resin technology for a new panel productcalled wood fiber insulation (WFI), which is soldin Europe.

PU R: MDI is usually associated withpolyurethane, but what makes it suitable asa wood adhesive?GG: MDI is reacted with a hydroxyl-containingcompound to produce a polyurethane. Typically,the hydroxyl-containing compounds are“polyols” made specifically for urethaneapplications. In composite wood products,wood constituents provide hydroxyl-containingcompounds for reaction with MDI. Manycomponents of wood naturally contain hydroxylgroups i.e. cellulose and water.

PU R: How does MDI compare with the hugenumber of wood adhesives on the marketand why should customers come toHuntsman? In particular, how do we compareto formaldehyde-based adhesives?GG: MDI is a high performance, formaldehyde-free adhesive technology that is often usedwhen high level structural properties and/ormoisture resistance are required. Increasingly,

Composite wood products –A green success storyEvery issue we interview a representative from Huntsman’s seniormanagement team to obtain a strategic view on specific parts of thebusiness. This time Greg Geaman, Vice President Americas (and responsiblefor the composite wood products market at division leadership team level),tells us about the evolution of Huntsman’s composite wood productsbusiness – a growing and green technology area, in all parts of the world.


MDI is being used to produce compositewood products which meet stringentformaldehyde emissions requirements such asthose mandated by the California AirResources Board or Japanese AgriculturalStandards. As the market leader, Huntsmanhas a dedicated team of wood specialistsworking in each region to provide servicestailored to the individual needs of ourcustomers.

PU R: Which are your main engineered woodmarkets (countries) and applications?GG: Our largest end use application is OSB,although the fastest growing part of theindustry is in fiberboard. Geographically ourbiggest market is North America where wood-based construction dominates building in theresidential housing sector. This territorycurrently accounts for about 50% of our sales,followed by Europe (40%) and then the rest ofthe world (10%). When it comes to marketexpansion, we are seeing the quickest growthin the ‘rest of the world’ category.

PU R: Where is Huntsman MDI for engineeredwood made?GG: Our MDI products are produced atthree global manufacturing sites in Louisiana,USA; Rozenburg, The Netherlands; andCaojing, China. In terms of supply, the highstability and long shelf life of MDI allows usto ship to customers all over the worldfrom these sites, often via local storage anddistribution centers.

PU R: Does handling MDI as an adhesivepresent EHS issues for panel makers?GG: As with all chemicals, paying attention toEHS is important. In many composite woodproduct markets, MDI is atomized forapplication. This means proper ventilation isessential to avoid creating an environmentwhere MDI aerosols could be inhaled. Spillsand direct skin contact should also beavoided. To help customers create a safeproduction environment, Huntsman has itsown team of industrial hygiene specialiststhat can offer guidance and practical adviceas needed.

PU R: Wood is obviously a natural product;doesn’t combining wood with MDI make itless ‘green’?GG: If you look at the bigger picture,composite wood products are actually anexcellent “green” success story. The vastmajority of wood used in this area is obtainedfrom managed and sustainable forest sourcescertified by the Forest Stewardship Council(FSC). This organization promotes theresponsible management of forests globallyand a principal requirement is that more treesare planted than are harvested. In marketssuch as the UK, environmental organizationssuch as Greenpeace also highlight theenvironmental credentials of OSB. PB andMDF provide two more positive recyclingstories. These products show that value canbe derived from waste generated at sawmillsand other cutting operations. WFI panels arealso produced from sawmill by-product chipsand are therefore an eco-friendly alternative toglass fiber insulation systems. If MDI or otheradhesives were not available to help createcomposite wood products, society would haveto consume more “whole wood” which wouldrequire the harvesting of much larger, moremature trees.

PU R: Are there market differences betweenthe regions of the world and how doesHuntsman approach these?GG: Composite wood product markets dovary from region to region. North America isunique because of the dominance of wood-based materials in the construction of

residential housing and the heavy use of OSB.In South America and Europe the use of OSBis growing as new applications are developed.And in Europe and Asia, the manufacture ofMDF and PB is more widespread, drivenby applications like furniture manufactureand laminate flooring. There is however onecommon element across all continents:growing demand for low or no addedformaldehyde emission panels. Germany andJapan already have long-standing markets forsuch panels but interest in the rest of theworld is now advancing as major companieslike IKEA, as well as industry groups like theEuropean Panel Federation, adoptformaldehyde emission limits for wood panels.

PU R: What new products do you haveunder development?GG: We are currently working to develop ourRUBINATE® LE system for OSB applications.The system is designed to work with highermoisture content wood, pressed at lowertemperatures than standard OSB conditions.The system offers many advantages over theconventional production of OSB, includingreduced energy consumption and lower stackemissions. Globally, we are also working on anew release agent technology that will enableour customers to use MDI in a more costeffective and trouble-free manner. In Europeand Asia, we have launched our I-BOND®

range of branded MDI resins, including newproducts aimed directly at the MDF and PBmarkets and a new generation of OSB resins.

PU R: What do you see as the main futurechallenges for Huntsman’s engineered woodproducts business?GG: I believe the biggest challenge facing ourwood products business is our ability togenerate value over the course of the businesscycle. As the dominant end market isconstruction, demand for MDI can rise andfall, often sharply, as the building sector expandsand contracts. This phenomenon also affectsour customers, so together we are looking atnew solutions and innovations that will broadenthe use and value of composite wood products. |

Feature

OSB is widely usedin construction

MDF for laminate flooring substratesis a key application

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KLEIBERIT® Klebchemie, a leadingmanufacturer of high-performance adhesives,has launched PANELPUR® A2 577 –a low-viscosity, EN 14509 compliant, two-component polyurethane adhesive solution.

Developed specifically for the mineral woolpanel market, PANELPUR A2 577 has a lowcalorific value (PCS-value) and low viscosity.As a result, it offers better processing anddistribution characteristics than existingalternatives. It is ideal for panels used in theconstruction of public buildings such asshopping malls and airports, where prolongedresistance to heat and fire is critical – givingpeople more time to leave in the event ofan emergency.

KLEIBERIT Klebchemie achieved PANELPURA2 577’s low-calorific value by combiningspecific additives and raw-materials, including

isocyanate from Huntsman. This special blendof ingredients means manufacturers need lessvolume of product to achieve the requiredresults – lowering the calorific value of thepanels further and allowing customers tobenefit from very efficient production costs.

Reduced temperature applications

In addition to its low calorific value,PANELPUR® A2 577 also provides increasedstability during application. It has beenspecifically engineered to offer a lowereffective temperature range for material andpanel processing. This helps to reduce energyusage and increases the processing window.These characteristics are important for themanufacture of micro-profiled mineral woolpanels, enabling the correct volume of

adhesive to be applied without impacting therequired A2 criteria or mechanical propertiesof the panel.

Dr. Jörn Küster, KLEIBERIT KlebchemieBusiness Manager Filter Automotive SandwichTextile team, said: “Until now, A2 adhesiveproducts, used to manufacture mineral woolpanels, needed to be applied at temperaturesof between 50 to 60 degrees centigrade toachieve optimum performance. In comparison,the low-viscosity of PANELPUR® A2 meansit can be employed at significantly reducedtemperatures, between 25 to 30 degreescentigrade. As a result, companies canpotentially achieve production cost savings,without compromising quality.” |


Huntsman has launched three new grades of high performance IROGRAN®

thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) specifically designed to meet the European Union’sGood Manufacturing Practice (GMP) regulations (EC2023/2006).

Following its implementation in August 2008, the GMP has provided strict guidance regardingthe manufacture of materials intended for contact with food. The regulations impact on eachstage of the process, from selection of raw materials to the point at which the final productcomes into contact with food.

The three new grades of IROGRAN have been specially developed to meet these regulationsand are designed for use in food industry conveyor belts.

Development of new GMP processes

Anja Weismann, Global Product Portfolio Manager, said: “It was important that with theintroduction of GMP we adapted our products to accommodate these new regulations.To meet with the strict requirements of the food industry, we developed special GMP processesto create plastics that fulfil the specific needs of this sector, without compromising ourwell-established reputation for quality. Huntsman has operated in this sector for more than10 years and these three new grades have enabled us to continue offering our customers highperformance, regulation-compliant products.”

Huntsman’s specially developed range of materials include; IROGRAN® A 85 E 5719 FCM,IROGRAN A 92 E 5670 FCM and IROGRAN A 85 E 4993 FCM. All Food Contact Materials(FCM) will be labelled with a picture of cutlery to ensure customers can easily identifyrelevant products. | For info: [email protected]

New GMP-compliant IROGRAN® TPUgrades for the food industry

KLEIBERIT® develops newA2-adhesive for constructionpanels with Huntsman isocyanate

Production cost savings and improvedlevels of fire safety are now availableto the manufacturers of mineral woolconstruction panels, thanks to a brandnew A2-adhesive that can be appliedsparingly, yet deliver the same resultsas traditional solutions.

Food-approved TPU conveyor belts


High flow TPU – polyester-based grades (using proprietarytechnology and offeringexceptionally high melt indices forimproved penetration and flow,without compromising physicalproperties) for fabric lamination,compounding and film adhesivesapplications.

Soft elastic TPU – polyesterand polyether-based grades(non-plasticized, phthalate-free,proprietary technology and offeringtechnology with hardness as lowas Shore A55). These soft gradesare easy to process and set upquickly – making them ideal foruse in compounding, extrusion,injection molding and filmapplications. Some grades are USPClass VI compliant.

High hardness aliphatic TPU- a new Shore 60D aliphaticgrade for outdoor applications

where additional abrasion andsurface hardness is required(for applications such as securityglazing, signage, surface protectionand other uses in high-UVexposed locations).

Foam TPU – SMARTLITE®

patented, closed and open cellfoams, in various hardnesses(both polyester and polyether),with densities as low as 0.4g/cm3.

Huntsman is a world leader in TPUvalue-added solutions for a varietyof end-use markets, includingsafety, footwear, transportation andapparel. Through its collaborativeapproach to development, thecompany works with customersglobally to develop new andinnovative products to meet varyingapplication needs. |

Innovative TPUs showcasedat NPE 2009

As part of an ongoing program of investment in China, Huntsman has installed brand new TPUtesting and injection molding equipment at its Asia Pacific Technology Center (ATC) in Shanghai.The new equipment will increase the company’s technical service capabilities at the center,adding value for customers operating in footwear, engineered parts and wire and cableindustries.

Opened in September 2008, ATC is a flagship development for Huntsman and a core part of theorganization’s strategy to strengthen its technology leadership in China. Since its inauguration,the center has become a leading contributor to business and customer support in the AsiaPacific region, helping accelerate the development of new products and extending the use ofpolyurethane technologies into new geographic markets and emerging application areas.

Huntsman has also announced the investment in a new compounding extruder, to be housed atthe ATC. The twin-screw extruder will increase the breadth of technical support Huntsman canoffer its customers and further extend its application development expertise in the region. |


Huntsman strengthens technical capabilities for TPU in China

Huntsman showcased new developments in four of itsthermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) technology platformsat the recent NPE plastics trade show in Chicago:


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One key component of the passive houseconcept is insulation board, manufactured bySPU Systems Oy. “The product we provide isthe best insulation material available in themarket,” says Janne Jormalainen, deputymanaging director. “It works in tandem withother key construction materials such as high-quality windows, doors and ventilationequipment to dramatically reduce a home’senergy requirements compared to traditionalbuilding techniques.”

The impact is remarkable: the single-familyhome now under construction in Espoo willuse less than 16 kilowatt hours per squaremeter annually for heating. “Achieving thislevel of efficiency is vitally important as societyworks to reduce both energy consumptionand CO2 emissions,” Jormalainen says. “Bybuilding more efficient homes, we can savehuge amounts of energy. Today, heating andcooling requirements represent about 40% oftotal energy consumption in the EU.”

SPU, based in Kankaanpää, finds itself on theleading edge of the passive house trend inFinland. “We have been supplying insulationproducts for many years, successfullymeeting the demand for what are called ‘low-energy’ houses,” Jormalainen notes. “But theconstruction of the first passive housesstarted only last year here.

“It’s really an entirely new market segment inmany respects,” Jormalainen says. “We haveto deliver solutions, not just insulationproducts – and that means working veryclosely with other suppliers to make insulationproducts that will function as part of acoordinated system.”

Polyurethane – made with Huntsman MDI –represents a key component of SPU’s passivehouse technology. The polyurethane materialprovides three performance advantages overtraditional insulating materials:

• Superior air tightness

• Superior moisture resistance

• Exceptional thickness-to-heat-transferperformance

Air tightness critical

All three characteristics are critically importantto passive house construction techniques,Jormalainen says. Design specificationsrequire, for example, that the air tightness of apassive house be almost seven times greaterthan that of typical timber frame construction.SPU’s insulation boards and installationtechniques are designed to meet thatexacting specification.

On the other hand, reduced air flow throughthe roof and walls increases the need for

SPU takes leading role in developingFinland’s passive house market

There’s a housing revolution starting

to take hold in Espoo, Finland. And

you can find further evidence of the

trend emerging about 200 kilometers

south of the polar circle in Oulu.

Both Finnish towns are home to an

exciting new approach in residential

construction – the “passive house” –

designed to deliver exceptional energy

efficiency, even in some of Europe’s

coldest climates.

Low energy apartment buildingswith SPU insulation


moisture resistance, since water has lessopportunity to evaporate within the insulationmaterial. An effective moisture barriertherefore becomes essential, to prevent moldand enhance air quality inside the home.

Polyurethane-based insulation boards out-perform traditional plastic membranes andsoft insulation in both air-tightness andmoisture resistance, because the boards’seams, nail holes and utility lead-ins can allbe sealed with foam.

But it’s in the category of structural thicknessthat SPU’s insulation boards have their bestchance to shine. The PU-based insulationin the roof of a typical passive house is just320 mm thick – compared to the 650 mmblanket that would be required to achievethe same R-value with mineral wool.

Polyurethane-based wall insulation materialsoffer a similar benefit: Just 240 mm thick,compared to the 450 mm thickness requiredfor mineral wool.

As the result of this thickness advantage,polyurethane-based insulation materials give

architects the freedom to design homes thatdon’t suffer from a bunker-like appearance,Jormalainen says.

“There’s a huge cost savings, too: The thinnerinsulation means builders can spend lesson framing materials, exterior siding, roofingmaterials, and so on,” Jormalainen says.“What’s more, when a home is built topassive house specifications, there’s noneed to install a central heating system.A simple auxiliary heater can keep thehome comfortable, even when externaltemperatures reach -35 degrees C.

“In Finland, homeowners and home buildersare keenly aware of the need to reduceenergy consumption – both to save money,and to reduce CO2 emissions,” Jormalainensays. “Passive house technology holdsgreat promise as an opportunity to meetthose emerging needs. With the new PU-based insulation materials we are developingat SPU, we fully intend to be a part ofthe solution for our customers here andthroughout the region.” |

A concept which originated in Germany,the term “passive house” refers to a set ofhome-building specifications designed todramatically reduce the structure’s energyconsumption. Typically, a passive housein central Europe must use less than15 kilowatt hours per square meter of floorspace for heating and cooling annually.

To achieve this level of efficiency, apassive house uses a number oftechnologies and construction techniquesin combination:

• Superinsulation (employing materialssuch as PU foam that significantlyreduce heat transfer through walls, roofand floor)

• Advanced window technology (featuringtriple-pane glazing, low-emissivecoatings, and argon or krypton gas fill)

• Air tightness (ensured through theinstallation of air barriers, including thesealing of all construction joints andutility penetrations)

• Ventilation (employing a heat-recoverysystem that is at least 80% efficient incapturing ambient heat from appliances,lighting, people and animals)

• Passive solar gain (using design featuressuch as smaller window openings,increased thermal mass and reducedsurface area to manage how sunlightaffects interior temperatures)

In most cases, a well-designed andconstructed passive house does notrequire a conventional centralheatingsystem. Instead, an 800- to 1500-wattheating/cooling element is integratedinto the supply air ducts of theventilation system.

Passive house –What is it?

The dark colours of thisthermogram of a passivehouse (right of picture) showhow little heat is escapingcompared to a traditionalbuilding (left of picture).

Photo: Passivehaus Institut Germany

One of the original passive houses inDarmstadt, Germany.Photo: Passivehaus Institut Germany


www.huntsman.com/pu12

Forthcoming events and technical presentations

Polyurethanes 2009 Technical Conference, Washington DC,USA (October 5-7, 2009)

Adhesives and Sealants Fall Expo, Lexington, Kentucky(October 13 – 15, 2009)

Simac, Bologna, Italy (October 13 – 15, 2009)

Fakuma, Friedrichshafen, Germany (October 13 – 17, 2009)

Western Coatings Show, Las Vegas, Nevada(October 25 – 28, 2009)

Polyurea Development Association Europe Conference,Cologne, Germany (November 16 – 18, 2009)

For more information on the subjects covered in PU Review magazine,please contact the editor:Michael Scharf, [email protected], +32 (0)2 7589884

While all the information and recommendations in this publication are to the best of our knowledge, information andbelief accurate at the date of publication, nothing herein is to be construed as a warranty, express or otherwise.

I-BOND®, INSPIRE®, IROGRAN®, RUBIFLEX®, RUBINATE®, SHOKLESS® and SUPRASEC® are registeredtrademarks of Huntsman LLC or an affiliate thereof in one or more, but not all, countries.

The tradenames below are registered trademarks of the following companies or their affiliates in one or more,but not all countries: ROCATHAAN® is a registered trademark of Prokol Polymers and Compounds BV;KLEIBERIT® and PANELPUR®are registered trademarks of Kleiberit Klebchemie.

Copyright © 2009 Huntsman Corporation. All rights reserved.

Designed and produced by: Chris Pearson creative communications.

REACH update

As you would expect, the Huntsman teamis deeply involved with the developmentof registration dossiers for a number ofisocyanates, polyols and their precursors –and the company is leading theMDI consortium.

Dossiers for MDI

In this role, Huntsman is heading up taskgroups to prepare registration dossiermaterials for five MDI and two polyolsubstances. For these products, the companyis acting as the Substance InformationExchange Forum (SIEF) Formation Facilitator(SFF) and initial communications with otherpre-registrants has already been completed.Huntsman was appointed SIEF leader by SIEFmembers, with the agreement that mostregistration dossier preparation work willproceed via the consortia.

To enable efficient communications with itscustomers and suppliers regarding this work,Huntsman has developed a password-protected web portal:https://www.huntsmanservice.com/REACH.This portal is now becoming the organization’smain channel of communication for allREACH-related matters. Customers who haveprovided their REACH contact details can log

on to the portal to see information specific tothe products they buy from Huntsman. Thisincludes an update on pre-registration statusand whether products contain anySubstances of Very High Concern (SVHC).

Mapping end-uses

Inherent to the registration process is therequirement to identify all substance end-uses.This work forms the basis for Chemical SafetyAssessment, which in turn defines the contentof future product safety data sheets (SDS).Together with ISOPA members, end-useshave been mapped out and reviewed withdownstream industry associations such asEuropur/Euromolders, BING, FEICA andothers. All end-uses, and related human andenvironmental exposure data, have beentranslated into a standard format, whichutilizes the European Chemicals Agency(ECHA) Use Descriptor System. Huntsmanbelieves it now has a fairly complete set ofend-uses to communicate with itsdownstream users in the supply chain.

Since March, customers have also been ableto use the Huntsman REACH portal to accessthe timetable for end-use communications,and we are pleased to report we havereceived a number of positive responses

from customers about how user-friendly thesystem is. At present, Huntsman is uploadingvarious end-uses into the portal, with a targetof late June/early July for communicatingthose details downstream. The registration ofcustomer end-uses will be very user friendly:

– If the end-uses are listed on screen, thenjust clicking the “Accept button” will suffice

– If a downstream user believes someend-uses are not covered, then Huntsmancan be informed of the missing applicationdetails via the electronic form provided inthe portal.

End-uses in future SDSs

This communication process is mandatoryand must be completed by the end ofOctober 2009 for registrations with a 2010deadline. End-uses will need to be covered inthe future SDS of the commercial product,and downstream users will need to identifyand apply the measures recommended in theSDS, to prevent operations from becomingillegal. This will be a focal point for themember states agencies responsible for theenforcement of REACH. |


Most of Huntsman’s polyurethanesdivision pre-registered substanceshave a registration deadline ofNovember 30, 2010. Together withother European Isocyanates andPolyols Producer Association (ISOPA)members, consortia have been formedto help meet these milestones.

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