Huntsman and Suzhou Shensai New Materials create fully recyclable TPU foam for footwear

Huntsman has developed a new thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) that is fully recyclable, has UV protection and can be extruded into a film and then easily expanded into a foam sheet
.
This special grade of IROGRAN® TPU was developed by Huntsman in conjunction with Shensai New Materials Co.
, Ltd.
, which is using the material to manufacture foam panels, which are then used in insoles, midsoles, and insoles by some of the world's leading footwear brands.
and in the front pad
.

As an alternative to EVA, this new material has high energy return properties and provides long-lasting cushioning properties
.
TPU films can be easily expanded in high-pressure vessels using gas-assisted techniques and do not require the use of additives typically used for foaming or cross-linking
.
This makes the resulting foam board, as well as any post-production scrap and final footwear components, ultra-light and easy to recycle
.

Huntsman developed the grades of IROGRAN® TPU following an in-depth discussion with Shensai New Materials on how to best improve the production of foamed TPU sheets, which are gaining popularity in the footwear sector
.
At a technical briefing, Shensai New Materials revealed that it has several goals: From a manufacturing perspective, he hopes to have a TPU grade that will increase its productivity, help it reduce waste and reduce overall energy consumption
.
Shensai New Materials wanted to specify a TPU that was free of toxic or volatile chemicals and formaldehyde residues; and could be foamed without the use of butane, fluoride and azodicarbonamide blowing agents
.
When it came to performance, he was looking for a combination of comfortable, durable, long-lasting TPU materials that would work in high-performance sneakers, outperform EVA in cushioning settings, and be recyclable
.

Dr.
Jiang Xiulei, founder of Shensai New Materials, said: "As a business, we focus on providing our customers with clean, environmentally friendly, high-performance, lightweight materials
.
When we decided to find a partner to help us improve our foam board sustainability, I knew Huntsman was the company we wanted to
connect with.
My relationship with Huntsman predates the creation of Shensai New Materials
.
Huntsman has always provided me with a high level of support and I know we Strong working relationships and shared core values ​​will allow this project to deliver results quickly and efficiently
.
As always, Huntsman did not disappoint
.
The team came up with a very special product that met all of our requirements
.
We saw this Numerous new applications for this versatile, recyclable material in footwear and beyond
.
”

For footwear applications, Shensai New Materials produces foam panels that customers can then cut into the shape and size they want
.
Since this special grade of IROGRAN® TPU is recyclable, Shensai New Materials can collect any excess or used material from its customers for reuse
.
The collected waste is ground and reconstituted
.
They can also be sold to other customers
.

Li Yi, Huntsman's business development manager, said: "Shensai New Materials presented us with a very clear vision and a series of technical requirements
.
It is very good to collaborate on this project and create such a novel material
.
In fact , which can be scaled without the use of chemicals and is easily recyclable is a game-changer
.
We are sure that its development will be of great interest to users of the material in different parts of the footwear industry
.
”

Shensai New Materials is currently testing new grades of IROGRAN® TPU for other consumer applications and is exploring the possibility of using the material in the automotive industry
.
Other soft grades of the material are also in development
.