Dow Automotive Systems Presents Information on a Sustainable Cavity Sealing Solution

Dow Automotive Systems, a business unit of The Dow Chemical Company, will soon introduce a new cavity sealing solution made with 25 percent renewable based materials. BETAFOAM™ Renue is a two-part polyurethane rigid foam system that enhances sustainability while offering the performance advantages of BETAFOAM made with low-emission MDI. Allan James, Performance Systems Marketing Manager for Dow Automotive Systems, will be presenting a paper on this topic at the Applied Market Information Bioplastics Compounding and Processing 2012 Conference on May 9 at the Hilton Miami Downtown Hotel in Miami, Florida.

Currently used on more than 30 vehicles now in production, BETAFOAM offers performance and processing advantages over traditional baffles. BETAFOAM is typically used to seal vehicle cavities to provide advantages in managing noise, vibration and harshness and offers improved acoustical performance of one to five decibels. It also minimizes the resonance build-up within the cavity-filler location. Because the foam is pumped into the cavity, it completely fills complex, three dimensional crevices.

“BETAFOAM™ Renue was developed in part with a grant from the United Soybean Board and offers the same advantages as traditional BETAFOAM,” James said. “It is a lighter weight solution versus baffles and results in a potential mass savings of up to 30 percent, depending on cavity size. Processing benefits include lower material viscosity and faster reactivity for further manufacturing efficiencies.”

James’ presentation, “High renewable content acoustic cavity filling foam for the automotive market,” will be at 9:40 a.m. on Wednesday, May 9, as part of Session 4 – Bioplastic Applications – Automotive.