API hosts meeting on polyurethanes.

Technical sessions on automotive and processing innovations at the global Polyurethanes 2006 Technical Conference, to be held September 25-27 at The Grand America Hotel in Salt Lake City, UT, will unveil a host of new testing procedures, polyurethane (PU) materials and processing advances that improve overall performance of PU in a wide range of automotive applications, according to the conference sponsor, the Alliance for the Polyurethanes Industry (API). The conference will also include a technical session that focuses on the reduction of volatile organic compounds in PU processes for automotive and related industrial applications.

"Environmental regulations, global competition and raw material supply issues have driven an extensive array of advances in polyurethane technology of direct interest to the international automotive industry," said Dick Mericle of the API. "In addition to the scientific developments reported in the technical sessions, automotive decision makers will not want to miss our panel discussion on critical issues, including globalization, energy efficiency and indoor air," he added.

The automotive technical session will include two presentations on improved PU foam testing methods that are said to save time and reduce costs. Representatives from Cannon Group will describe a new PU heavy layer spray technology that can reduce raw material consumption as an alternative to commonly available reaction injection molding (RIM) processes. A joint paper by scientists from Woodbridge Foam and Bayer MaterialScience LLC will unveil a new, molded, time-delayed response foam system that is said to offer improved energy-dissipating PU foams for head rests and other automotive applications.

The processing innovations technical session will include a joint paper by scientists from U.S.-based Linden Industries and Swiss-based Isotherm AG that reveals a new PU process for encapsulating sensitive automotive electronics and wires. Three of the papers will focus on new PU spray technologies, while a fifth paper will describe the development of high-performance, low-pressure PU mixing equipment.

During the elastomers technical session, representatives from Amerityre will present their testing data relating to the 2005 development of polyurethane automotive tires as a replacement for rubber tires.

The VOC reduction technical session will include papers from scientists based in Asia, Europe, North America and South America. The scientists will report on VOC reductions through the use of new amine-initiated polyols, strong gelling catalysts, new and novel additive packages and catalytically active polyols.

Altogether, the Polyurethanes 2006 Technical Conference will feature 18 technical sessions, four issue-oriented sessions and poster presentations, with 90 technical papers presented over the three days. Topical panel discussions will be led by experts in the fields of globalization, natural disasters, indoor air and energy efficiency. These issue-oriented sessions will include general discussions, as well as talks on the impact of each issue on the global polyurethane industry.

Environmental issues and green technologies are also among the leading topics this year, with special sessions devoted to volatile organic compound reductions, renewable content polyols, and environment, health and safety. With HCFC-based blowing agents being phased out around the world, a dozen papers in the blowing agents, appliance and construction technical sessions will be devoted to the development of greener alternatives. The renewable content polyols session will include several presentations on the development of seed oil and soy-based polyols. Many other green enhancements relating to polyurethane sprays, foams, boardstock and coatings will be reported in sessions.

During the blowing agents techni-performance, processing efficiencies, raw material utilization and other important economic factors will be reported in one or more industry-specific technical sessions, including appliance; automotive; coatings, adhesives and sealants; footwear; construction; and furnishings. Closely-related technology-based sessions will include blowing agents; elastomers; chemistry; flame retardancy and combustibility; polyols; and processing innovations.

Four panel discussions led by experts in the field will focus on globalization, natural disasters, energy efficiency and indoor air. Back by popular demand will be several polyurethane educational training programs, according to the API, including, "Introduction to polyurethane chemistry and technology"; "Overview of markets and applications"; and "Testing specifications and performance: The myth and the magic." This year, an "Environment, health and safety" program will be offered as part of the available training opportunities.

API anticipates that the conference will attract more than 1,100 people from 40 countries. For more information about API and the Polyurethanes 2006 Technical Conference, contact API [phone].