BASF offers overview of Elastoskin polyurethane system
21 Feb '06
3 min read
Chemical BASF has launched a new website to provide design engineers responsible for automotive interiors and other end uses with the latest technical and application information on the company's Elastoskin polyurethane system technology.
The new website, www.basf.com/elastoskin, provides a thorough overview on the Elastoskin polyurethane system, which produces soft skins used in automotive interior components such as instrument panels, door trim, headrests, seats and integrated air bags, as well as comparable applications for boats, tractors and other end uses.
“Market studies show that American car buyers are increasingly asking for higher quality 'soft touch points' and a luxurious appearance on instrument panels and other areas of new car interiors,” said Todd Green, Automotive Market Development Manager for BASF's Polyurethane Systems business in North America.
“They created this website to inform design engineers of this important technology that BASF offers to help their customers meet this need.”
According to Green, the Elastoskin polyurethane system offers unmatched grain definition, unlimited grain styles and an almost endless choice of colors to automotive interior designers, and provides a soft, exquisite and leather-like feel.
“The material is also very durable, delivering excellent UV (ultraviolet) stability, abrasion and tear resistance, and a long-lasting consistency of gloss and color,” he said.
Originally developed as a more high-performance, cost-effective solution to aliphatic-isocyanate-based spray polyurethane skins, Elastoskin polyurethane is an aromatic-isocyanate-based system that also offers advantages over other materials used for automotive skins, such as polyvinyl chloride (PVC), thermoplastic olefin (TPO), thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) and vacuum-formed plastics.
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