Polyurethane (PU) foam systems

Pentanes act as blowing agents in the production of Polyurethane (PU) foams. These PU foams are used in household appliances, such as refrigerators and freezers, and in the construction industry, such as thermal insulation or pipe insulation. 

Because the width and depth of a refrigerator or freezer arestandardised,the insulation cannot be as thick as desired, because the usable volume should naturally be as large as possible. The insulation therefore usually consists of Polyurethane foam, which fills all the remaining space between the walls and the interior, thus also contributing to the stability of the appliance. Cyclopentane has a special role here. Part of the Cyclopentane remains in the cells of the PU foam and thus actively contributes to the insulation. Thus, the refrigerator is particularly efficient, although the thickness of the insulation layer is thin. 

In the field of facade insulation, materials made of Polyurethane foam can be used. They are an excellent alternative to foamed Polystyrene, because the insulation performance is much higher due to the Cyclopentane used as a blowing agent in most cases.

The structure of the insulating materials varies depending on the type or blend of Pentane used. Each of these blowing agents must meet strict environmental requirements, ensure high insulating performance of the PU foams and be usable under various processing conditions. At the same time, the requirements for the foams in terms of dimensional stability and resistance of technical parameters must be met.

To meet these market requirements, Haltermann Carless offers tailor-made Pentane formulations for individual Polyurethane systems and individual applications.

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Extruded Polystyrene (XPS)

Extruded Polystyrene (XPS), is made from polymer granules and Pentane as blowing agent. These are melted and mixed in an extruder. When it emerges from the nozzle, it expands abruptly due to the pressure drop. This is how the familiar packaging chips can be produced, or sheets for insulation purposes. Unlike other foamed Polystyrene, these products have a closed surface. 

Our Pentane S is a versatile product formulation and is used in the Extruded Polystyrene (XPS) and Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) industries as a blowing agent for insulation in the construction and packaging industries.

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Foaming gels

In the cosmetics industry, iso-Pentane is used in self-foaming shower gels and shaving foams. The iso-Pentane dissolved in the material is activated by the heat of the water and the hands and produces a particularly fine-pored and stable foam. This can be distributed particularly well. 

Such a Pentane must of course meet particularly stringent cosmetic requirements. Specially selected batches of iso-Pentane are therefore intensively tested for undesirable aromatics and other components. A final odour control guarantees a neutral propellant without any disturbing influence on the cosmetic product.

Catalytic processes

The chemical industry uses Pentanes as special hydrocarbon-based solvents in various catalytic processes, mainly for the production of LLDPE, Linear Low Density Polyethylene. Low impurities and consistent quality are important criteria to ensure sustainable and stable production processes.