Polyurethane foams are used in construction for insulation, sound absorption, various types of padding, and structural reinforcement. Outside of construction, polyurethane foam is an integral part of household appliances, automobiles, packaging, and footwear. The Teflon™ coating properties that allow for excellent release are non-stick, low coefficient of friction, ease of cleaning, and FDA compliance.

Polyurethane Molds

The polyurethane molding industry has long relied on manually applied release agents on their metal molds for rubber or plastic components during the manufacturing process. The procedure of applying these release agents is both time-consuming and expensive. Teflon™ coatings are now offering long-term solutions that completely replace release agents for a variety of the products used in polyurethane molding.

When maintained properly with regular cleaning, Teflon™ coatings can perform through thousands of molding cycles. Removing release agents offers significant benefits to polyurethane foam manufacturers in the form of enhanced compliance with environmental regulation, improved safety conditions for employees, reductions in product defects, and the complete elimination of dry ice blasting.

Polyurethane Processing

Teflon™ coatings are also now being used to coat polyurethane mixing blades for easy cleaning and extended service life of the blades. Hardened foam quickly builds up on the steel mixing blades, and the processes for removing it can be very time-consuming and labor-intensive. One case study saw polyurethane foam production increase dramatically. By cleaning quickly between mixes with methylene chloride and paper towels, the company was able to accomplish up to 13 mixes in a single day.