Polyurethane

Polyurethanes (PU or PUR) are plastics or synthetic resins which are formed by polyaddition of bi- or higher-functional alkanols and isocyanates.

This chemically produced plastic is widespread and popular because it is very well insulated and flexible: in spacesuits it protects astronauts from the cold, for example, or in the mattress it adapts to the shape of the body. No other group of plastics opens up such diverse areas of application.

Depending on the raw material used, linear or cross-linked polyurethanes can be obtained that have a wide range of applications, e.g. in mattresses, shoe soles, clothing, hoses, adhesives, car seats, running tracks in stadiums and much more.

In 1937 a research group around Otto Bayer synthesized in the laboratories of the I.G. Farben-Werk Leverkusen polyurethane for the first time.