Polyurethanes
Polyurethane products, resins, foams and rubbers
PU resins offer a wide and versatile range of resins suitable for prototyping, stage setting, casting sculpture, tools etc. They are generally used without reinforcement but a host of different fillers can be applied to achieve different effects.
They are easy and pleasant to work with because they do not have strong solvents like polyester resins and therefore do not spread strong fumes or odour. Mixing ratios are comfortable and viscosities can be extremely low, delivering highly detailed castings. Working times can vary from just a minute or less to ca. half an hour.
PU flexible foams consist of two component liquids that when mixed will rapidly extend to many times their original volume and fill any cavity or mold that they are poured in to. They than quickly cure to a strong but flexible foam body, not unlike the matress that you sleep on. PU flexible foams are all around us, used by industry to form the padding and upholstery in cars, furniture, tools, toys etc.
Poly Urethane elastomers or "rubbers" as they are commonly called form a productgroup with many uses. Polyurethane rubbers are strong, durable, stretchy, show virtually no shrinkage and have often very low viscosities which makes them easy to pour. They are the preferred material for making both negative and positive molds for the precast concrete industrie and the plaster and ceramic industries, but they are also used for prosthetics, industrial parts, coatings, glues, special effects, encapsulation, body protection, stage sets etc.
PU Rigid Foams consist of two component liquids that, when mixed will rapidly extend to many times their original volume and will fill any cavity or mold that they are poured in to. They than quickly cure to a rigid foam body. The strength of this foam body will depend on the density of the foam used, e.g. low density foams will expand many times their original volume (up to 30x times) but will be rather soft and will easily be indented under pressure. Higer density foams will expand less, but will give you a stronger end result. The low density foams are generally only used as a filler within e.g. a hollow casting of PU-resin to provide extra strength. The higher density foams are often used by themselves to create light weight objects. Some of these foams form a closed skin and can be painted and finished like a resin casting. Typical uses are the fabrication of stage props, stage setting, prototyping, insulating, fillers for extra strenghth and to prevent penetrationof moisture or contaminants.
These polyurethane pigments are used to color polyurethanes in all their forms. resins, elastomers, foams etc. You can achieve fibrant colors and a little goes a long way.
One component Polyurethanes that are used as coatings and laquers.