Safe use of polyurethane-based coatings

 
Due to their versatility and unique performance, polyurethane coating systems have secured an important role in the global coatings market. In order to improve the safe handling of PU crosslinkers, which may contain small quantities of diisocyanates as an unintended impurity, the EU Commission has launched a use restriction for diisocyanates under REACH. The use restriction describes detailed measurements, which will help to further improve safety standards in the professional and industrial use of polyurethane coatings and adhesives. In recent years, the industry has invested heavily into developing crosslinkers that only contain traces of diisocyanates in order to improve occupational hygiene. A new standard of industrial hygiene has been set at a ultra low content of residual monomers of less than 0,1 %. New Ultra low solutions are the latest step in improving occupational hygiene, containing less than 0.1% of residual monomers The presentation provides an overview on polyurethane hardeners with ultra-low monomer content and their impact on the safe handling of PU systems with particular respect to the new EU use restriction.