Polyurethane Molding Photo Courtesy of Unicast Inc.

This particular polymer was developed in Germany by Otto Bayer and his cohorts in 1937 and was originally being explored for its foam structure potentials. World War II got in the way of development, which didn’t pick up again until 1952. In the years that followed closely on 1952’s heels, variations of polyurethane, also referred to as urethane were introduced, ranging in texture from soft foam to hard plastics. Polyurethane and the processes developing to manufacture products, such as polyurethane molding gained popularity quickly because it was cheap, efficient and effective, as well as able to pertain to a wide variety of industrial markets.

Because of laboratory explorations, it is clear that polyurethane is a superior material versus other thermosets and thermoplastics for a few key reasons. First, polyurethane is highly resistant to a variety of factors, including erosion, cuts, abrasions, oil, oxygen and radiation. Secondly, the range of hardness allows for a type of foam that alters to the shape of whatever it resting on it while still providing support, and then returns to its original shape when the weight is removed. This memory foam is just one of many textures able to result from a polyurethane molding process. Finally, the substance holds onto dyes well, meaning it is can be very aesthetically pleasing in addition to all its other positive characteristics.

The only major downside to utilizing polyurethane molded products is that they are not able to be recycled in the same way thermoplastic products are. Because they can only be melted down and shaped once, they must be disposed off when they are no longer able to serve their purpose. However, the many traits that make polyurethane popular, including the speed and efficiency of the polyurethane molding process and the very long life-span most of the products enjoy keeps the material relevant in our industrial, commercial and residential contexts today.