Foams, Solvents & Aerosols Market

Arkema is the world's largest supplier of fluorochemical blowing agents for the rigid foam and other industries.

Spray Foam
Sprayed polyurethane foam (SPF) is used in many applications and is one of the largest growing foam markets. SPF is mainly used for insulation in construction and roofing industry, the aerospace industry, as pipeline insulation, and in hot tubs and spas. Because of its superior thermal properties, SPF is among the leading insulating materials used for these applications. Additional benefits of SPF include creation of barriers to air, moisture, and dust; savings on heating and cooling costs; seamless surfaces; and improved structural support. SPF can also be used as an adhesive in roofing, adding an additional layer of insulation while adhering boardstock insulation to the roof. 

Appliance Foam
Many of today's household and commercial appliances require the use of polyurethane-based foams for its excellent insulating quality and structural rigidity. Recently revised Department of Energy (DOE) standards require minimum energy efficiency ratings to be maintained. Polyurethane foam enables manufacturers of appliances to provide consumers with the features and performance they desire while satisfying these DOE requirements, economically and practically.

Polyurethane Foam Systems
Developing the appropriate formulation to meet product expectations, reproducibility, homogeneous mixing, time/temperature profiles for curing and cost containment can be a complex endeavor. Several system houses provide their expertise to end-users to assist them with satisfying their product requirements. Arkema has technical relationships with all of the major formulators and can offer a broad range of blowing agents suitable for customers' partial or fully compounded systems.

Polyisocyanurate Boardstock Foam
Polyisocyanurate boardstock foam is an energy efficient and cost-effective insulation material. The three main applications for polyisocyanurate boardstock in construction are roof insulation, wall insulation and residential air barrier applications. According to The Polyisocyanurate Insulation Manufacturers Association's website (PIMA), polyiso foam insulation represents over 60% of all insulation used in new roof construction and at least 40% of all insulation used in re-roofing applications.

Extruded Polystyrene Foam
Extruded polystyrene (XPS) foam is a closed-cell foam used in construction insulation materials. Its resistance to moisture, in conjunction with its strength, durability, and long-term R-value, make it an excellent insulation material in both roofing and sheathing applications. Because polystyrene is a thermoplastic material, it can be remelted and re-inserted into the manufacture of new XPS insulation, thus reducing waste. In addition to being recyclable, XPS foam is re-usable in reroofing situations. Both are good news for the environment.

Phenolic & Other
Phenolic foam is a lightweight foam created from phenolic resins. It is used in a large range of applications, such as flower foam blocks, building thermal insulation, fire protection, damping and civil engineering in a wide variety of shapes: blocks, sheets, and sprayed foams. While pentane hyrdrocarbons are the preferred blowing agent for flower foam blocks, Forane® 141b has been mainly used as a phenolic foam blowing agent for its insulating properties as well as its non-flammability. Due to the recent phase out of HFCF-141b, various new foam blowing agents have been identified as replacements for its applications. 

Solvent
As a result of the recent HCFC-141b phase-out in North America, the solvent market is again facing many new challenges. With no universal solvent replacement available for HCFC-141b, the market is realizing an introduction of a variety of solvents, including fluorinated, chlorinated, and brominated chemicals. Due to the complexity of the wide range of solvent applications, a majority of the market has moved towards blends of these solvents. Forane®141b is still available for sale to developing countries and those countries that still have available uses.

Aerosol
By definition, aerosols are suspensions of fine solid or liquid particles in a gas or a substance packaged under pressure with a propellant for release as a spray of fine particles. Today the aerosol industry contributes hundreds of different consumer products that are used as household and industrial cleaners, disinfectant, deodorants, insect repellant, paints, perfumes, and hair products, to name a few. Since 1978, aerosol products made in the US, except for some necessary medical applications, have not contained CFC's, which are known to deplete the ozone layer.