Adiprene LFM C525: Lanxess's High-Standard Polyurethane Raw Material System

Recent years have brought numerous innovations in hot-cast polyurethane raw material systems. Among these, we can mention "Low Free" technology, commonly known as LF, polyurethane types produced using special polyol varieties (polycaprolactone and polycarbonate diol, etc.) and special isocyanate types (HDI, PPDI, etc.), and particularly curatives developed for use as an alternative to 1,4 BDO in MDI systems. Since the end of 2017, Kimsel has been the distributor of LANXESS, which manufactures ADIPRENE, VIBRATHANE and particularly ROYALCAST-branded raw materials used in bowling ball production, with 65 years of experience and accumulated expertise. Low Free polyurethane raw material systems produced by LANXESS and prepared using LF technology provide significant health benefits above all. Raw material types produced by conventional methods and classified as conventional types contain free isocyanate monomers, and these monomers penetrate the bodies of users through inhalation, posing health risks. While the free isocyanate monomer content in conventional hot-cast polyurethane raw materials is around 1%, in materials produced by LANXESS's Low Free technology it drops to 0.1% levels.

The reduction in free isocyanate monomer content from one percent levels to one-thousandth percent levels also significantly reduces health-related risks.

Low Free polyurethane raw materials, which provide such benefits for worker health, simultaneously offer low viscosity, longer pot life and improved durability characteristics, enabling users to gain advantages in both process and service life as well as product quality. Unlike other hot-cast polyurethane raw material system manufacturers, LANXESS, which can also produce MDI-based polyurethane raw material systems with Low Free technology, has recently developed ADIPRENE LFM C525, a special product that contains many of the aforementioned advantages and ensures very high durability in the products in which it is used. ADIPRENE LFM C525 was developed as an alternative to NDI-based raw materials, which provide very high durability and are known for this characteristic in the hot-cast polyurethane or polyurethane elastomer sector. To demonstrate the durability characteristics, the product was tested in independent laboratories under equal conditions with the market's high-standard NDI product. In this way, the objective was to show users whether LANXESS's ADIPRENE LFM C525 is a complete alternative to NDI-based raw materials by making direct comparisons with NDI-based materials known for their high-performance characteristics. ADIPRENE LFM C525 has a strong structure capable of providing nearly identical durability characteristics to the market's high-standard material. In addition, its significantly healthier composition and process advantages can be considered as other positive characteristics of ADIPRENE LFM C525. While products manufactured using NDI-based raw materials must undergo postcure treatment three times, ADIPRENE LFM C525 requires only 16 hours of postcure treatment. These characteristics, providing significant savings in energy, time and physical environment requirements, are other features that make ADIPRENE LFM C525 even more advantageous against NDI-based raw materials.

ADIPRENE LFM C525, which can be used particularly in the manufacture of forklifts, stackers, pallet trucks and heavy-load wheels, will fill an important gap in the sector with both its stronger and healthier structure compared to MOCA-containing TDI systems and its durability characteristics that nearly match NDI-based raw materials.

The capability to operate at 100°C temperature conditions to provide high performance and its suitability for manufacturing wheels operating under high dynamic loads and high speeds (such as roller coaster wheels) are another advantage of ADIPRENE LFM C525. When cured with its special curative VIBRACURE 2101, ADIPRENE LFM C525 provides 96 ShA hardness and, like conventional MDI raw material systems, can also be cured with 1,4 BDO, providing an excellent result of 19.4 mm³ in wear loss tests while yielding 88 ShA hardness. By enabling the manufacture of products at two different hardness levels and different durability characteristics with the same raw material, ADIPRENE LFM C525 demonstrates the significance of the innovation work that LANXESS has undertaken. Serkan İltan / Cast PU Sales Manager - Kimsel Kimyevi End. Hmd. A.Ş.