• In Spray Foam

What is Polyurethane Foam?

Polyurethane foam is a type of plastic foam. It is produced by the method of polyaddition, a method that was invented in the United Kingdom in 1933 at Imperial Chemical Industries, by Reginald Gibson and Eric Fawcett. In 1937, Otto Bayer (1902-1982) first synthesized polyurethane while he was working at Bayer AG in Germany. During World War II, polyurethane was developed as a replacement for rubber. As an abundant and versatile material that can be flexible or rigid, polyurethane found many industrial applications, including use in aircrafts, automobiles, coatings, sealants, adhesives, electronics, construction materials, insulation materials, bedding, furniture, apparel, and medical equipment. These diverse applications are possible because polyurethane is produced through a reaction of polyols, isocyanates, and additives that can be mixed in different ratios and under different conditions, resulting in a product that can take a variety of shapes, densities, and textures.

Stay tuned for future blog posts about how polyurethane spray foam insulation works.

The video below demonstrates how rigid foam insulation is synthesized.