TOKYO—Mitsui Chemicals is launching a new stereospecific diisocyanate and is showcasing the product in seating that is part of a concept car on display at JEC World 2019, which runs through March 14 in Paris.
The material, branded Fortimo, is described as being a "polyurethane elastomer created from a novel diisocyanate." Mitsui said it is a 1,4,-H6HDI, and is supplied as a trans-rich product designed for use in a range of automotive, clothing, medical tubing, and high durability industrial parts. Fortimo can compete with existing thermoplastic and thermoset polyurethanes, the company said.
The concept vehicle that showcases uses for Fortimo displays a cushion and table top of the concept made from the material, which is elastic, heat resistant and light stable, Mitsui said.
Fortimo, Mitsui said, can be combined with carbon fiber to produce a tactile material that offers functionality, durability and impact resistance.
Separately at JEC, Mitsui will be outlining a new carbon fiber reinforced plastic material with a polyurethane matrix. This offers greater impact resistance lower VOC emissions than traditional epoxy-carbon composites, the company said. Most of the other properties of its material and epoxy-matrix CFRP were similar, the company said. However, polyurethane-matrix materials had greater design freedom than epoxy materials.