Development of High Performance, High Bio Based Content Thermoset Elastomeric Compliant Materials Technology

聚氨酯泡沫是众多产品的重要组成部分。使用PU泡沫的主要优点之一是易于加工/形成发泡产品，并且通过调节微结构来调节泡沫性能的能力很大。PU泡沫的主要组分之一是异氰酸酯前体（反应物），其对环境不友好。Stewart Canada是世界上最大的自动扶梯聚氨酯泡沫制造商之一，目前使用固体聚氨酯泡沫为从鞋类到瑜伽垫和其他合规材料技术的一系列行业提供产品。目前的聚氨酯设计仍然严重依赖于异氰酸酯的利用。Stewart的目标是增加PU泡沫中的生物含量，同时保持所需的机械性能。除了积极的环境影响外，这也有望提高产品的性价比。建议项目的目标是减少异氰酸酯的用量，增加生物基含量，同时保持所需的机械性能水平。发泡过程需要使用热力学控制来设计，并且需要开发保形填料基质表面化学。通过将多伦多大学发泡领域的学术专长与世界领先的聚氨酯制造商之一相结合，Stewart的产品组合设想了新的泡沫和工艺创新。沿着可持续性方面的改善，这将为改善目前的制造系统创造机会，从而在加拿大创造更多的就业机会。

PU foams are essential components of an immense range of products. One of the main advantages of using PU foams is the ease of processing/forming the foamed products and large tailor-ability of foam properties through adjustment of micro-configurations. One of the main components of PU foams is the iso-cyanate precursor (reactant) which is not environmentally friendly. Stewart Canada, one of the largest escalator PU foams manufacturer in the world, currently utilizes solid PU foams for supplies a range of industries from footwear to yoga mats and other compliant materials technologies. The current design of PU still relies heavily on the utilization of iso-cyanate. Stewart's goal is to increase bio-content in the PU foams while maintaining required mechanical properties. Besides the positive environmental effects, this is also expected to increase the cost to performance ratio of the products. The goal of the proposed project is to reduce the ammount of iso-cyanate and increase the bio-based content while maintaining the required level of mechanical performance. The foaming process would need to be designed using thermodynamic controls and con-formal filler matrix surface chemistry would need to be developed. Through the combination of academic expertise in the foaming field at the University of Toronto together with one of the Leading PU manufacturers in the world, novel foam and process innovations are envisioned for the Stewart's product portfolio. Along with improvement of the sustainability aspect, this would open opportunities for improvement of the current manufacturing systems which would in turn create more jobs in Canada.