Technical Paper
The Use of Soy Polyols in Automotive Acoustical Foams
2011-04-12
2011-01-1257
Huntsman is a global leader in polyurethane technology for automotive applications and recognizes the use of bio-based materials as a key element of many OEM's sustainability strategies. The use of soy-based polyols in polyurethane foams was investigated for use in acoustical applications such as dash insulators and carpet underlayment. The base polyol in a typical acoustical foam was replaced with one of several soy-based polyols available on the market and tested for physical and acoustical properties. The foams were also evaluated as to the effect the soy-based polyol had on processing characteristics. The base polyol was replaced with 10% and 20% of the soy-based polyol. These foams showed some degradation of physical properties. The effect of the soy-based polyol on acoustical properties was index and frequency dependent. Some acoustical properties increased while others decreased.