Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania -- Bayer MaterialScience has introduced new high-solids, fine particle polyurethane dispersions for the North American textile coatings market, a 4 May BMS statement said.
Developed for textile applications including automotive interior and contract upholstery, and offering "environmental and economic advantages for applicators," BMS said, the new dispersions are:
• Impranil LP RSC 1554 polyurethane dispersion: Gives textiles more volume and body and is well suited to sporting goods and interior furnishings;
• Impranil LP RSC 1380 polyurethane dispersion: Improves the haptic properties of synthetic leathers in sporting goods and interior furnishings, and;
• Impranil LP RSC 1537 polyurethane dispersion: Characterised by softness and flexibility and well suited to the creation of an adhesion layer that is subsequently transferred to the textile together with the top layer, BMS said.
"From an economic and logistical perspective, these new aqueous dispersions help make the textile coating process more efficient," said Scott Grace, technical director, Waterborne Business Development, Coatings, Adhesives and Specialties, BMS.
According to Bayer, the PU dispersions feature solids content of up to 60 percent, which can reduce the inventory amount of raw materials needed. "Furthermore, applicators can achieve higher film builds in one coat, reducing the number of overall coats that are necessary. Also, processing is more efficient because less water needs to be evaporated, and fewer stabilising additives are required," the statement said.
"Utilising polyurethane dispersions as a replacement for PVC (polyvinyl chloride) coatings allows for a coating with ultra-low volatile organic compounds (VOCs)," said William Corso, technical manager, Textile and Specialty Laboratories, Coatings, Adhesives and Specialties at BMS, pointing out the environmental advantages of the PU dispersions.
"For this reason these Impranil dispersions are a more eco-friendly and applicator-friendly option for synthetic leather formulations," he added. (RD)
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