Learn More About Uses of Polyurethane Made With Diisocyanates

The business of chemistry touches more than 96 percent of the products that we all use every day and accounts for thousands of new products and innovations each year. For example, the products of diisocyanates (DII) chemistry—from impact-absorbing vehicle parts, to bike helmets, to insulation used in refrigerators to preserve food—contribute to the safety of modern conveniences. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) states that “[c]ompletely cured products are fully reacted and therefore are considered to be inert and non-toxic.”

The chemical industry makes the safety and responsible use of its products a priority. While certain parts of America’s chemical management system require modernization, a robust system of laws and industry initiatives oversees the development and use of chemical products, enhances scientific understanding and makes safety information available to the public.

Policies to Promote Innovation and Safety

Americans must feel confident that the federal regulatory system is keeping pace with the applications of chemistry, including the use of diisocyanates. Our nation’s primary chemicals management law must be updated to keep pace with scientific advancements while the agencies work to determine that chemical products are safe for their intended use—while also encouraging innovation and protecting American jobs. Learn more about policies that can help American chemistry continue innovating, creating jobs and enhancing safety.

To learn more about chemical safety, including the more than a dozen federal laws that create a safety net to oversee the safe use of chemical products, visit the Consumer Safety, Product Safety and Workplace Safety pages on the ACC website.

How are consumers protected from potential exposures to diisocyanates?

The vast majority of diisocyanates manufactured are for industrial use. Aromatic diisocyanates are known to cause respiratory sensitization at airborne concentrations above the allowable workplace limits; however, exposure to such airborne concentrations is highly unlikely during the use of consumer products.

Consumer products containing uncured aromatic diisocyanates are very limited (e.g., certain adhesives and glues) and are accompanied by product safety information such as warning labels, the characteristics of the chemicals, their approximate cure time, and how to properly protect yourself while handling the product. Thus, overall, consumer exposures to unreacted diisocyantes are expected to be of very low magnitude and frequency.

How does “curing” take place during formation of a polyurethane product?

This can be explained by looking at how diisocyanates are among the building blocks used to make polyurethanes (PU) products. Curing refers to the reaction that occurs between the two primary chemicals used to form a PU product. These primary chemicals are commonly referred to as a diisocyanate (A-side material) and a polyol (B-side material). The A-side material, or diisocyanate, is highly reactive and curing begins immediately upon mixing with the B-side material. The cure time varies depending on the type of polyurethane product being produced, the ingredient formulations and other factors in the manufacturing process.

Many PU products are completely cured and therefore considered “inert” before they are sold, such as mattresses, pillows, furniture cushions, car seating, refrigerator insulation, footwear, ski bindings or inline skates. This means that the original reactive ingredients, the diisocyanates and the polyols, in the fully cured polyurethane product are no longer present in their original form. As a result of the reaction, they were transformed during production into the finished polyurethane product.

For more answers to questions about diisocyanates, visit the Frequently Asked Questions section.

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