Term amine polyurethane catalyst BL-17: Creating a healthier indoor environment

Introduction

In today’s society, with the continuous improvement of people’s requirements for quality of life, health and environmental protection have become the core topics of people’s attention. As one of the important factors affecting health, indoor air quality is self-evident. According to statistics from the World Health Organization (WHO), about 40% of the world’s population faces health risks due to indoor air pollution. Especially in modern buildings, although the design of confined space improves energy efficiency, it also leads to the accumulation of pollutants. Therefore, it is particularly important to choose the right materials and technologies to improve indoor air quality.

Term amine polyurethane catalyst BL-17, as a new functional catalyst, can effectively reduce the release of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) while improving the performance of polyurethane products, thereby significantly improving indoor air quality. This article will introduce the basic characteristics, application scenarios, technical parameters, and domestic and foreign research progress of BL-17, and discuss how to achieve a healthier indoor environment through this catalyst.

1. What is tertiary amine polyurethane catalyst BL-17?

(I) Definition and mechanism of action

Term amine polyurethane catalyst BL-17 is a highly efficient and environmentally friendly catalyst, mainly used to accelerate the reaction between isocyanate and polyol, and promote the formation and curing process of polyurethane foam. It is a type of tertiary amine catalyst, with high activity and selectivity, and can achieve ideal catalytic effects at lower dosages.

Its core mechanism of action is to reduce the activation energy in the reaction system by providing the function of a proton donor or acceptor, thereby accelerating the rate of chemical reaction. Specifically, BL-17 can significantly increase foaming speed, increase foam density, and optimize the physical properties of the final product, such as hardness, flexibility and durability.

In addition, BL-17 has excellent anti-yellowing properties and low odor characteristics, which makes it an ideal choice for manufacturing high environmentally friendly and standard polyurethane products.

Features	Description
High-efficiency catalytic performance	Reaction rate can be significantly improved at very low concentrations
Environmentally friendly	VOC emissions are low and comply with international environmental protection regulations
Anti-yellowing performance	The color is stable after long-term use and it is not easy to aging
ApplicableWide range	Can be used in the production of soft, hard and semi-rigid polyurethane foams

(II) Differences from other catalysts

Compared with traditional catalysts (such as tin-based catalysts), BL-17 shows the following advantages:

Lower toxicity: Traditional tin-based catalysts may pose a potential threat to human health, while BL-17 completely avoids heavy metal components.
Less by-product generation: BL-17 can accurately control the reaction path and reduce unnecessary side reactions.
Best odor management: Traditional catalysts may cause the product to emit a pungent odor, while BL-17 significantly reduces such problems.

2. Technical parameters and application fields of BL-17

(I) Technical Parameters

The following are the main technical parameters of BL-17:

Parameter name	Numerical Range	Remarks
Appearance	Light yellow transparent liquid	No suspended objects
Density (g/cm³)	0.95 ~ 1.05	Measurement under 25℃
Water content (wt%)	≤0.1	Control moisture content to prevent side reactions
Active ingredient (wt%)	≥98	High purity, few impurities
Viscosity (mPa·s)	10 ~ 20	Measurement under 25℃
pH value	7.0 ~ 9.0	Neutral to weakly alkaline

(II) Application Fields

BL-17 is widely used in various types of polyurethane products, including but not limited to the following fields:

1. Furniture Industry

Sofa cushion: Foam cushion made of BL-17 has better resilience and comfort while reducing the release of harmful gases.
Mattress: High-density foam mattresses not only have strong support, but also ensure a fresh odor after long-term use.

2. Construction Industry

Insulation Material: Using BL-17 in wall insulation panels and roof insulation layers can significantly improve thermal resistance performance while reducing the impact on the environment.
Sealant: Polyurethane sealant used for filling gaps in doors and windows, is both waterproof and environmentally friendly.

3. Automotive Industry

Seat Cushion: Car seats need to take into account both comfort and durability, and the BL-17 just meets this need.
Interior parts: Polyurethane coating on dashboards, door panels, etc. is not only beautiful, but also healthy and safe.

4. Medical Industry

Medical Mattress: Anti-bedsore mattresses used in hospital wards are required to be soft and breathable. BL-17 provides technical support for it.
Prosthetic pads: Prosthetic components customized for patients must ensure a good fit and comfort.

3. How to improve indoor air quality in BL-17?

(I) Reduce VOCs emissions

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are one of the main sources of indoor air pollution. Common VOCs include formaldehyde, benzene and so on. These substances not only irritate the respiratory tract, but may also cause serious diseases such as headaches, nausea and even cancer.

Study shows that BL-17 can significantly reduce the release of VOCs by optimizing the molecular structure of polyurethane foam. For example, in a study funded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), found that polyurethane foams produced using BL-17 have reduced VOCs emissions by nearly 60% compared to traditional processes.

Test items	Traditional catalyst	BL-17	ReduceSmall proportion
Total VOCs emissions (mg/m³)	350	140	60%
Formaldehyde content (mg/m³)	0.12	0.05	58%
Benzene content (mg/m³)	0.08	0.03	62%

(II) Inhibiting bacterial growth

In addition to reducing VOCs emissions, BL-17 can also reduce the growth space of bacteria and mold by regulating the micropore structure inside the foam. This is especially important for furniture or building materials that are in humid environments for a long time.

For example, in an experiment at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, researchers placed polyurethane foams produced by two different catalysts under the same humidity conditions, and the results showed that the number of bacteria on the surface of the sample in the BL-17 group was only 1/3 of that in the traditional group.

(III) Improve material stability

Aging of materials is often an important cause of secondary pollution. With its excellent anti-yellowing properties, BL-17 can extend the service life of polyurethane products, thereby reducing resource waste and environmental pollution caused by frequent replacement.

4. Current status and development trends of domestic and foreign research

(I) Progress in foreign research

In recent years, European and American countries have been paying more and more attention to green chemistry and sustainable development, which has also promoted the rapid development of the field of polyurethane catalysts. For example, BASF, Germany has developed a new catalyst based on an improved version of BL-17, claiming that it can further reduce VOCs emissions without sacrificing performance.

In addition, a study by DuPont in the United States pointed out that by combining nanotechnology with BL-17, a more uniform foam structure can be created, thereby better adapting to complex working conditions.

(II) Domestic research trends

In China, with the introduction of the “dual carbon” goal, the research and development of environmentally friendly catalysts has become a hot topic. A paper published by the Chemical Engineering team of Tsinghua University mentioned that they successfully used BL-17 to achieve a full life cycle assessment of polyurethane foam, proving that its environmental impact on the entire use process is much lower than that of traditional products.

In addition, a project carried out by Zhejiang University and a well-known company shows that BL-17 can not only be used in ordinary consumer goods, but can also be expanded to aerospace, military industry and other fields, showing broad application prospects.

5. Conclusion

Term amine polyurethane catalyst BL-17 is gradually changing our lives with its excellent performance and environmentally friendly properties. Whether it is home decoration or industrial production, it can provide us with healthier and safer options. As an old saying goes, “If you want to do a good job, you must first sharpen your tools.” BL-17 is such a powerful tool, let us look forward to it creating more miracles in the future!

After

, I hope that every reader will realize the importance of indoor air quality and start from themselves and choose products and services that are truly beneficial to health. After all, only by breathing the fresh air can we have a better tomorrow!