BASF (No. 25 on the Fair360, formerly DiversityInc Top 50 Companies list) has been recently recognized for the innovative development of IrgastabPUR 70 antioxidant for polyurethane foam at the annual event of the European Association of Flexible Polyurethane Foam Manufacturers (EUROPUR & EURO-MOLDERS), held in Milan, Italy. The European Flexible PU Foam Innovation Award was presented by EUROPUR and Urethanes Technology International.
“We are extremely pleased to receive this honor,” said Alberto Giovanzana, Vice President, Plastic Additives Europe, Africa and Middle East. “The committee that bestowed this award comprises all the major players in the polyurethane market. So, this is a global customer recognition of BASF’s continued contribution to the advancement of polyurethane technology and our continuous commitment to increase the sustainability benefits of our products.”
The award recognizes BASF for the development and commercialization of polyurethane foam anti-scorch additive – Irgastab PUR 70 – that prevents thermal-oxidative degradation of polyol and PUR flexible foam during foam manufacture and leads to extremely low emissions.
Foams made with IrgastabPUR 70 can be applied in different vehicle interior applications, including textile trim cover and molded foam seats, and help OEMs and tiers meet continuously tighter requirements on interior vehicle emissions and odor.
This includes not only the more stringent European standards VDA 278 10/11, but also the new regulation GB/T 27630-2018 for interior air pollution assessment of passenger cars in China. The latter outlines stricter limits on eight harmful substances including aldehydes in the interior vehicle air that all new vehicles must meet by 2018.
To enhance air quality, IrgastabPUR 70 antioxidant works to efficiently stabilize free radicals that can degrade PU foam thanks to a synergistic combination of amine-free / aromatic-solvents-free thermal stabilizers providing significant reduction of VOC, FOG and aldehydes.
Furthermore, IrgastabPUR 70 leads to extremely low discoloration during storage and end-use of foams making applicable for applications outside automotive like consumer industry where foam whiteness is important.
