Dow Automotive Systems to launch amine emission free PU foam solution for interior applications

Dow Automotive Systems said in a recent press release that it has succeeded to design a new additive polyol family with high and specifically balanced catalytic activity. This breakthrough allows foam makers to completely eliminate the addition of catalysts when manufacturing PU foam and thereby eliminate amine emissions. Furthermore, the new additive polyol family results in an improved processing window and improved ageing and mechanical properties of foams based upon Specflex Activ.

“It is exciting to have this new family of additive polyols. Dow Automotive Systems is enabling customers to meet the increasingly tighter industry requirements on emission and odor in the car interior with potential across all the polyurethane applications. Once more Dow is demonstrating its material science capabilities that permit our customers to fulfill OEM requirements including never seen process capability advantages” says Dr. Esther Quintanilla, Specflex Activ project leader and EMEA Technical Service and Development for seating foams with Dow Automotive Systems.

Marc Poncelet, R&D Foam manager at Faurecia Automotive Seating adds “This is a first time in the market that seating TDI-based foams can be produced without the use of external catalysts. This is not only unique but represents a true milestone for innovative very low emissions automotive interior solutions. The concept has been fully validated using a wide range of TDI automotive foam formulations, allowing Faurecia to select the best Specflex Activ applications in both our R&D and production facilities. This mutual validation works allow us to be ready for an immediate implementation.”