Polyurethane is an important new chemical material. Because of its excellent performance and diverse use, it is known as the “fifth largest plastic”. From furniture, clothing, to transportation, construction, sports, and aerospace and national defense construction, the ubiquitous polyurethane materials are innovative representatives of new chemical materials and an important support for my country to build a powerful country.
After more than 20 years of rapid development of polyurethane raw material industry, it has shown a change from volume -to -quality change. The production technology and production capacity of isocyanate have ranked leading in the world. It has entered a period of technology promotion that has entered high -quality development. At present, China has become the world’s largest polyurethane raw material and product production base, as well as the most complete region in the field of polyurethane applications.
As a key additive for polyurethane, polyurethane expansion agents are substances that can react with the functional group reactions on the line polymer chain to expand the molecular chain and increase the molecular weight. It is an indispensable raw material for the production of multiple polyurethane products. In the synthesis of polyurethane materials, polyurethane expansion agents can achieve two chemical reactions: expansion and cross -linking to achieve high -performance, high -quality polyurethane material production, such as enhancing the toughness, elasticity, and tearing degree of polyurethane material products, and the degree of tearing. Physics and chemical comprehensive performance of temperature resistance, oil resistance, weather resistance and corrosion resistance.
一、The role and classification of polyurethane chain expansion agent
Polyurethane expansion agent refers to the low molecular amine and alcoholic compounds containing two functional groups, which can generate a line -type polymer through the chain expansion reaction. By using different chain expansion agents, or changing the chain expansion formula, the chemical reactions of different rates are achieved, and polyurethane materials with different performance requirements are produced.
The role of polyurethane chain expansion agents in polyurethane synthesis reactions mainly include:
(1) Polyurethane chain expansion agent has a characteristic group (amino and hydroxyl group) that can perform chemical reactions with isocyanate. The molecular weight and lively reaction can make the polyurethane reaction system quickly expand or solidify, generate a line with a larger molecular weight The molecules have the performance of the polymer.
(2) Different chain extenders have different reactivity. By using different varieties of chain expansion agents and dosage, adjust the reactor viscosity, molecules and morphological structures to adapt to polyurethane production and products of different systems and quality requirements.
(3)Different polyurethane expansion agents can give polyurethane different properties, and some characteristic group structures in chain expansion molecules are introduced into the main chain of polyurethane, which affects the mechanics and chemical comprehensive performance of polyurethane, such as strength and abrasion resistance , Anti -defiring fatigue, temperature resistance, weather resistance, oil resistance, corrosion resistance, etc.
Polyurethane expansion agents are generally divided into amine, alcohol, and alcohol. From the use of process systems and performance structures, dilate and diol are mainly based on the process system and performance structure. Traditional dilate-type chain dilatation agents such as ethylene glycol, 1,4-butanol, and one-shrinkable dihydramol, etc., have limited performance to polyurethane products, and are ordinary chain expansion agents. The chain expansion agent with obvious performance of polyurethane materials is mainly the two categories: aromatic dihanramine and aromatic diol. It is called a high -performance chain expansion agent. It is characterized by a rigid benzene ring. Power, abrasion resistance, medium resistance and other properties.
The aromatic diharamine expansion agent is not only an indispensable key additive for synthetic polyurethane elastic series materials. The most widely, worst, and largest high -performance polyurethane chain expansion agent.
Traditional pouring polyurethane elastic bodies are generally fixed with two -step technique, that is, synthetic prematures, and then fixture with chain expansion agents for solidification. Depending on the type of isocyanate, prefabricated can be roughly divided into TDI and MDI types. Compared with the two, the TDI premature reaction activity is low, and it is mainly matched with highly active amine chain expansion agents; MDI prefabricated reaction activity is high, and the hydroxy -based chain expansion agent with lower active hydroxyl -based seal. According to the requirements of the use scenarios and product performance, it is particularly important to choose the appropriate chain expansion agent after selection after the type of isocyanate.
二、High -performance polyurethane chain expansion product types and application characteristics
2.1 The main arammer dihan amine chain expansion agent
Due to its excellent performance and high -quality quality, the aromatic dihamine dilation agent is the most common and most widely used chain expansion agent in polyurethane elastic materials.
Commonly used aromatic dianramine expansion agents mainly include 3, 3′-dichlori-4, 4′-diodes (MOCA: type I, type Ⅱ, high temperature resistance, etc.), 1,3-propylene glycol Double (4-amino benzoate) (740m), 4,4′-sub-base-double (3-chlorine-2,6-diecene aniline) (M-CDEA), polyphamorethyl ether Diol two-pair aminbenzoate (P-1000, P-650, P-250, etc.), 3,5-two ethylene torneramine (DETDA, also known as E-100), 3,5-diracle Sulfenylene (DMTDA, also known as E-300) and other products.
Overview of the application characteristics and development of the main products are as follows:
The MOCA chain expansion agent is the earliest professional high -performance chain expansion agent invested in industrialized production in my country. It is a solid state at room temperature. It has the characteristics of polyurethane products that can be used in terms of safety and convenience, which can meet the characteristics of various specifications and shapes. The elasticity of polyurethanes is high -intensity, high -rebound, high -wear -resistant, aggressive resistance, corrosion resistance and other comprehensive properties. It can make large -sized products. It is a comprehensive performance of aromatic dilate expansion agents. Since the development of DuPont in the 1950s, MOCA has occupied an important position in the field of polyurethane elasticity. It is currently the largest polyurethane chain expansion agent. It is even more indispensable in the field of pouring polyurethane elasticity. At present, the well -known MOCA manufacturers in China are: Suzhou Xiangyuan New Materials Co., Ltd. (subsidiary Jiangsu Xiangyuan Chemical Company), Huaibei Xingguang New Material Technology Co., Ltd., Shandong Chongshun New Material Technology Co., Ltd. Hua Chemical Technology Co., Ltd. (formerly Binhai Mingsheng Chemical Co., Ltd.), Chizhou Tianci High -tech Materials Co., Ltd., in addition, there are Taiwan Shuangbang Industrial Co., Ltd., Taiwan Sanhuang Co., Ltd., and Katshan Kohshan Perfect Industry Co., Ltd.
In recent years, under the leadership of Chinese companies, MOCA’s production technology has become increasingly advanced. For example, Xiangyuan New Materials overcome the problem of employee occupation health, serious pollution, and insufficient stability of the intermittent production of hydrogenation of hydrogenation of hydrogenation of hydrogenation. The continuous method catalyzes the hydrogen hydrogenation of high -purity acoustics and MOCA production processes, realizing automation, fully enclosed, green production, realizing solvents, dust -free, energy -saving consumption reduction and zero emissions. Continuous MOCA production device has become a world -renowned product manufacturer of polyurethane chain expansion agent.
In addition, Xiangyuan New Materials also developed Xylink740M and Xylink P series chain expansion agents, realizing the industrialization of this series of products, promoting polyurethane material manufacturers to improve quality, reduce costs, and broaden applications.
2.2 The main aromatic diol dilateral expansion agent
Commonly used aromatic diol dilation agents include phenyl-phenolic hydroxyxyl-based ether (HQEE), interciphenylbenols, hydroxyl ether (HER), and hydroxyethyl-based phenolic pyrodhenol mixture (HQEE-L ), Hydroxyethylhhexybenol mixture (HER-L), etc., is mainly used for polyurethane materials for MDI process systems, which is a non-toxic and pollution-type chain expansion agent. Overview of the application characteristics and development of the main products are as follows:
HQEE chain expansion agent is a molecular structure symmetrical aromatic diol expansion agent. It is a solid particle, non -toxic, pollution -free, and irritating. It has good compatibility with MDI and can effectively extend the life of the material. Xiangyuan New Materials has developed HQEE, HER, Xylink HQEE-L, Xylinkher-L series chain expansion agents. The quality is higher than similar products at home and abroad, and products are sold at home and abroad.
2.3 Other aromatic chain expansion agents with special performance
With the rise of polyurethane emerging fields, new polyurethane expansion agents and application technology have been continuously promoted to meet the demand for polyurethane market. Production enterprises have developed a variety of special performance aromatic chain expansion agents.
Tianmen Winterine (DMD230) is a chain expansion containing two beam amin amino -free, which is used for preparation of solventless or high -solid content coatings. Compared with ordinary spray polyettes, the product has moderate response, good operating performance, good construction efficiency, and excellent product comprehensive performance. It has a good gloss and apparent effects with polycoges in the preparation of fatty chloride polycisotripocyanate, good flexibility and mechanical properties, yellow -resistant yellow changes, good corrosion resistance, good weather resistance, and longer protection. In addition to the bridges, tunnels, and various types of flooring and road signs, it can also be used in high -end applications such as protective coatings and helicopter composite leather coatings of wind power blades. The industrial production and promotion of this product will help the high -quality development of the coatings.
The dispersal (311) of the aromatic diharamine and sodium chloride compounds (311) is a kind of compatrion of aromatic diharamine and inorganic salts. It can be matched with a variety of polyurethane pre -polystants at room temperature. It is especially suitable for complex shapes or large. Area products, microwave vulcanization, and other occasions that need longer operating time, can also be used as a curing agent for epoxy resin. Similar products include Caytur 31DA in the United States, Xylink 311, Xiangyuan New Materials.
Other submarine curing agents such as oxidazole, ketone amine, etc. can reduce the possibility of coating or other products to produce bubbles in the middle class of curing, and it also has room for development.
三、The development status of polyurethane chain expansion agents
My country’s polyurethane expansion industry has a relatively weak development foundation. In the early days, the domestic polyurethane chain expansion market has always been monopolized by multinational enterprises. Since entering this century, a group of local polyurethane chain expansion companies represented by Xiangyuan New Materials have successfully broken foreign monopolies after years of R & D and technology accumulation. Some of my country’s polyurethane chain expansion products have reached the level of similar international products.
As the most extensive amine polyurethane expansion agent, MOCA’s production process is mature, stable, moderate, and appropriate in response. In the field of pouring elastic body in downstream applications, especially the TDI system, a large number of polyurethane products have accumulated a large number of mature formulas of polyurethane products mature formula Essence MOCA’s stability and functionality have been tested after many years of market and customer practice. The cost is relatively high. After years of use, a certain process barrier has formed. It has an irreplaceable role, and the application field is constantly extending.
The European Chemical Administration, as an institution in charge of the EU Reach certification, issued a report on November 30, 2017. After comparing safety risks, performance, and price costs, it proposed that in the field of polyurethane elastic body, MOCA’s product quality Performance, cost -effectiveness and other advantages are outstanding, and there are currently no alternatives.
Chinese polyurethane expansion industry started late. In the early days, due to the low production technology level, weak supporting raw materials, and insufficient R & D talents, the domestic polyurethane chain expansion market has been monopolized for multinational enterprises. Until the 1990s, a number of domestic polyurethane chain expansion manufacturers successfully broke foreign technology monopolies after years of R & D and technical accumulation, and the performance of some polyurethane chain expansion agent products reached the level of similar international products. In particular, Xiangyuan’s new materials have taken the lead in building a 10,000 -ton -level continuous MOCA production device. The product quality and technical level reached the world’s advanced and domestic leading level. At present, domestic MOCA manufacturers have been able to meet the requirements of free ionamine. The granular MOCA and high -temperature yellow -changing MOCA in the MOCA series products are favored by the polyurethane industry.
The “Twelfth Five-Year Plan for the” Twelfth Five-Year Plan “of polyurethane industry proposes that in addition to expanding the production scale of high-quality chain expansion MOCA, the promotion and application of new chain expansion agents MCDEA, E-100, HER, HQEE and other products should be increased. Based on the MOCA series products, with the diversification of polyurethane materials and products, other new chain expansion products have also emerged, forming a differentiated layout with MOCA products.
With the continuous improvement of technology research and development, the new products of high -performance aromatic chain expansion agents have specific advantages in response speed, high temperature resistance, operating, safety and environmental protection. The application has gradually matured, and the application amount continues to expand. For example, P-1000, P650, P250, 740M, due to its green, environmentally friendly, non-toxic characteristics, gradually opened the application market in multiple fields. In recent years, with the development and growth of a more environmentally friendly MDI system, the use scale of high -performance aromatic diol dilateral dilation agents such as HQEE and HER with better compatible and compatible with the MDI system has gradually increased, giving polyurethane elasticity excellent body excellence Specific performances such as heat resistance and tear strength. In addition to manufacturing pouring products, it can also produce high -performance thermoplastic elastomic products, which can be relieved. In the application areas with high performance requirements for polyurethane materials in developed countries and some polyurethane materials, chain expansion agents such as 740m, HQEE, HER are deepening application. The new chain expansion agent has differentiated advantages in specific segmentation, and the technical threshold is relatively high. At present, the domestic market is still in the application promotion stage.
四、The development pattern of polyurethane chain expansion industry
The polyurethane industry in North America and Western Europe has accumulated decades of development. The industry has strong technical strength in the industry, and the market is relatively mature. At the same time, consumers in these areas have higher performance requirements for polyurethane products, and the demand for new chain expansion agents is faster than MOCA. At present, developed countries such as Europe and the United States occupy the main share of the demand for new chain expansion agents.
The large consumption of polyurethane in the Asia -Pacific region and other emerging countries is becoming the main driving force for global polyurethane demand. Among them, the Asia -Pacific region is already the world’s largest polyurethane consumer market, accounting for about 48%of the global market share; other emerging countries such as India, Brazil, Mexico, etc., the demand for polyurethane in buildings, building materials, home furnishings and other industries is also increasing. However, compared to developed countries in Europe and the United States, some of these regions in these regions are still in the early stage of industrialization. They are highly sensitive to the price of raw materials in the polyurethane industry and pay more attention to cost and cost performance. In the future, in the future, this area will still maintain a high demand for high -cost MOCAs.
At present, the major internationally major polyurethane expansion companies, such as the Kazaka Kagosan Perfect Industry Co., Ltd., the United States Air Chemical (Winchuang acquisition in 2016), and the United States Coco (acquired by Langsheng in 2017), etc., monopolized the world Most of the market share of chain expansion agents, some small companies that do not have the improvement of the industry -university -research system have been eliminated by the impact of product quality and price, and the concentration of the chain expansion industry has further increased. At the same time, large companies also rely on strong capital strength and research and development background to expand professional raw materials and product production scale, and establish transnational monopoly large -scale production bases and sales and R & D centers in areas with excellent resources, markets, and labor conditions.
5. The current status and development direction of polyurethane expansion agents
As an important additive for polyurethane materials, polyurethane expansion agents are mainly used in the CASE system (including coatings, adhesives, sealing and elastic bodies) in polyurethane materials. Among them, polyurethane elastic body is a polymer synthetic material between general rubber and plastic. It has both the high elasticity of rubber and the high hardness and high strength of the plastic. 5 to 10 times), it has the reputation of “the king of wear -resistant rubber” and has good mechanical strength, oil resistance, chemical resistance, flexion resistance and excellent low temperature resistance and insulation performance. In addition to conventional pouring type and thermoplastic polyurethane elastic body, polyurethane elastic body material also includes adhesives, coatings, sealing, paving materials, sole, synthetic leather, fiber, etc. that become elastic polyurethane materials. With the continuous improvement of the technical level, polyurethane elasticity has been replaced in rubber, plastics, and metals in various fields such as automobiles, mines, printing, equipment, machinery processing, sports, and transportation.
According to statistics from relevant agencies, the consumption of Chinese polyurethane CASE (elastic body, coatings, synthetic leather, sealing and adhesives) in 2021 was 7.77 million tons, and the average annual growth rate of 11.5%in 2016-2021 was 11.5%.
The elasticity of Chinese polyurethane in 2016 was 925,000 tons, and the output in 2021 reached 1.5 million tons, with a compound annual growth rate of 10.2%; the average annual growth rate of consumption was 12.5%. It is estimated that by 2025, my country’s polyurethane elastic body output will reach 2.059 million tons, which will still be at a rapid development trend.
Globally, the global output of polyurethane elastomers reached 2.52 million tons in 2016 and 3.539 million tons in 2021, with an annual compound growth rate of 7.0%. By 2025, the global production of polyurethane elastomer is expected to reach 4.495 million tons, showing a rapid and steady development trend.
The thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer (TPU) has excellent wear resistance. Its tensile strength is high, elongated, oil -resistant, low temperature resistance, weather resistance, and ozone resistance is prominent, and the range of hardness is wide. In recent years, the market application of TPU has expanded from the shoe industry to high -end market fields such as pharmaceutical, aviation, and environmental protection. According to statistics, from 2014 to 2021, the average annual compound growth rate of TPU production in China was as high as 14.5%. In 2021, my country’s TPU output was about 645,000 tons. my country has become the world’s largest TPU production country. The output and net export volume have steadily increased in recent years.
From the perspective of demand, the global TPU market is currently concentrated in Europe, the United States, and Asia -Pacific regions. Among them, the Asian region led by China is the fastest regional market in the global TPU consumption. According to the statistics of the Elastic Special Committee of the China Polyurethane Industry Association, the total consumption of polyurethane products in my country in 2018 reached 11.3 million tons, of which the consumption of polyurethane elastomers (TPU+CPU) was about 1.1 million tons %.
TPU is still one of the products with faster growth in polyurethane in the near future. my country has become the world’s largest TPU consumer country. According to statistics, the average annual compound annual growth rate of China’s TPU consumption in 2017-2021 was as high as 12.9%, of which the total consumption in 2021 was 602,000 tons, an increase of 11.6%year-on-year. Based on the global TPU output of 1.09 million tons in 2021, the domestic TPU consumption has exceeded half the world. In the future, the needs of shoe materials, film, pipes, and wires will be more vigorous. In the field of medical equipment, cable wires, and film, it will further replace traditional PVC materials. It is very likely to replace EVA in the shoe material field. It is expected that the TPU will remain 10 in the future 10 10 %Or more growth trend. It is expected that its consumption will reach about 900,000 tons by 2026.
With the gradual expansion of production scale, the cost of polyurethane elastic products is lower, variety is more diverse, market demand has improved, and industrial development is rapid. During the “Fourteenth Five -Year Plan” period, the Case industry should vigorously promote the development of products in the direction of water -oriented, solventless, and high -solid content; increase CASE’s development and synthetic technology development of basic raw material structure, focusing on the polytianmen water -to -pyrodramine polyphonus Application; focus on carrying out water -based basic theory and engineering technology research; improve product performance, develop new products, broaden the application field, and promote the construction of new infrastructure construction in rail transit, highway, bridge tunnel, power transmission, etc. And the application of the medical field; promote the technical application of polyurethane adhesives for zero formaldehyde to add artificial plates; develop differentiated, functional, and high value -added ammonia products; strengthen the research and application technology of polyurethane waterproof material structure, performance, durability period of time; Promote the application of polyurethane materials in prefabricated buildings.
The main development directions of elastomer field are:
Polyurethane elastomers for automobiles. Today’s automobile industry is developing towards high performance, high quality, light weight, comfort and safety. Rubber and plastic synthetic materials are gradually replacing metal materials, which opens up a very broad prospect for the application of polyurethane elastomers.
Polyurethane elastomers for construction. The traditional asphalt felt waterproof material has been gradually replaced by durable, integral construction polyurethane waterproof material; The application of polyurethane sports track is more and more widely. The expansion joints of large Bridges, sleeper of high-speed railway, airport runway and highway caulking are also gradually made of PVC elastomer solidified at room temperature.
Polyurethane elastomer for mine use. There is a great demand for non-metallic materials with high wear-resisting, high strength and elasticity in coal mines, metal and non-metal mines.
Polyurethane elastomer for shoes. Polychloride ester elasticity has the advantages of good buffering performance, light weight, wear resistance, skid resistance, and so on, has become an important supporting material in shoe industry.
Polyurethane elastomer for medical use. Good biocompatibility, blood compatibility and no additives are important reasons for the application of TPU and CPU materials in the medical field. Its application in the field of medical and health is very broad.
New polyurethane composite sheet. Composite material technology is expected to bring a new market explosion period for polyurethane elastomers.
六、Polyurethane chain expansion industry “14th Five -Year Plan” development trend
From the global perspective, the rapid development of the construction field, automotive industry, electronic intelligence equipment, new energy and environmental protection industries has greatly driven the demand for polyurethane products. The global polyurethane giants continue to innovate technology and application, and will continue to promote the development and production of new polyurethane products. With the expansion of polyurethane products in the field and scope of the downstream terminal market, the diversified demand for polyurethane products will promote the continuous innovation and development of polyurethane chain chain agents.
In the next 10 years, the application of polyurethane products in some niche areas will also develop rapidly. Industry experts analyze that the global demand for polyurethane will increase at an rate of 4.5%per year. Among them, the average annual growth rate of polyurethane demand is estimated to be 5.7%in the fields of refrigeration, shoe, textiles, leisure and other fields. The demand in the product field has increased slightly, and it is expected to be about 3.3%per year. The emerging countries in the Asia -Pacific region have been supported by innovative technology to expand downstream applications, and the demand for polyurethanes will reach a double -digit growth rate each year.
As an important raw material for the polyurethane industry, my country’s polyurethane additive industry must unswervingly implement the new development concept. Below, the theme of promoting the high -quality development of the polyurethane industry, with the direction of promoting the polyurethane industry to accelerate the construction of a new development pattern of “dual -cycle”, focusing on green, low -carbon, and digital transformation. , Accelerate the construction of a modern industrial system, promote the “shortcomings” of high -end products, “grab high -end” key technologies, “open a new road” in traditional products, and promote my country to move from polyurethane to a strong country.
At present, polyurethane chain extender has become one of the necessary polyurethane raw materials for major national infrastructure projects. The polyurethane chain extender industry is increasing innovation investment, developing in the direction of environmental protection, high efficiency and high quality. Centering on the needs of aerospace, electronic information, new energy, automobiles, high-speed rail, rail transit, highways, large Bridges, healthcare and national defense industries, the transformation and application of new polyurethane chain extender technological achievements are accelerated to improve the overall development level of the polyurethane industry.
The development direction of polyurethane chain extender industry is to develop high-quality, green chain extender products with more environmental protection performance. It is not only clean and pollution-free in the production process, but also safe and green in the use process to promote the green of polyurethane products manufacturing process. Second, to further expand the use of existing chain extender products, so that the existing professional chain extender full of new application vitality. The technological level of some domestic polyurethane chain extender enterprises is equal to that of multinational companies, but further application research is needed to make more users realize the superiority of the products, especially to promote liquid aromatic diamine products with convenient operation and excellent performance, and to exert the synergistic effect of chain extender to save energy and reduce consumption and cost. The third is to further develop new products according to the market demand, to provide more suitable and higher quality products for the polyurethane industry, to meet the needs of the downstream market and expand the scope of application.
For polyurethane elastic materials, chain extender is an important and key additive with large amount and high added value, which is of great significance for improving product performance. In addition, in other polyurethane materials and even foam plastics, polyurethane chain extender has an obvious effect on the improvement of product performance. In the polyurethane industry, polyurethane chain extender market space is huge. In order to promote and lead the high-quality development of polyurethane industry, it is necessary to strengthen the application research and promotion of polyurethane chain extender, and develop better and more varieties of polyurethane chain extender under the premise of paying attention to health, energy saving, safety and environmental protection and application performance, so as to make greater contribution to the better life of human beings.
Post time: Feb-08-2023