CLEVELAND—Lubrizol Corp. has been named as a preferred thermoplastic polyurethane supplier for Trexel Inc.'s MuCell microcellular foaming technology.
The firms said that the MuCell foaming technology, coupled with Lubrizol's Estane TPU, provides a cost-effective, efficient elastic microcellular parts for energy absorption and cushioning applications. Estate microcellular foams have strong compression properties and molds quickly, while offering resistance to abrasion and cuts, the companies said.
Lubrizol Engineered Polymers sports and recreation segment will collaborate with Trexel and modify existing lines or offer suggestions of which TPU grades to use for foam parts. A company official said Lubrizol's strategy is to provide solutions to the sports and recreation industries.
Lubrizol, a specialty chemical company headquartered in Wickliffe, Ohio, produces and supplies technologies to customers in the global transportation, industrial and consumer markets, and has manufacturing facilities in 17 countries,
Trexel has developed the MuCell microcellular foam technology, which involves using nitrogen or carbon dioxide in precise quantities in the plasticizing unit of an injection molding machine to create microcellular structure in the product. The firm said the technology produces high quality parts with improved dimensional stability, lower weight and reduced cycle time.