VORANOL 2110TB Polyether Polyol: A Versatile Building Block for Polyurethane Systems

Date：2025-09-09 Categories：News

VORANOL™ 2110TB Polyether Polyol: The Swiss Army Knife of Polyurethane Chemistry 🧪🛠️

Let’s be honest—chemistry isn’t always glamorous. You don’t often hear people at parties gushing about hydroxyl numbers or molecular weight distributions (unless, perhaps, they’ve had one too many and are reminiscing about their college lab days). But every now and then, a chemical comes along that quietly holds entire industries together—like duct tape with a PhD. Enter VORANOL™ 2110TB, a triol-based polyether polyol that may not have a red carpet moment, but absolutely owns the backstages of foam production, elastomers, and coatings.

Think of it as the unsung bass player in a rock band—never front and center, but if it weren’t there? Total silence. Or worse, chaos.

What Exactly Is VORANOL™ 2110TB?

At its core, VORANOL™ 2110TB is a random propylene oxide/ethylene oxide (PO/EO) initiated on glycerin, giving it three reactive hydroxyl (-OH) groups—making it a tri-functional polyol. It’s manufactured by Dow Chemical (formerly part of Union Carbide), and it’s been a staple in polyurethane (PU) formulations for decades. Why? Because it strikes a near-perfect balance between reactivity, compatibility, and performance.

It’s like Goldilocks’ porridge—not too viscous, not too reactive, not too hydrophilic… just right.

This polyol is primarily used in flexible foams (think your couch, car seat, or that memory foam pillow you bought during a midnight online shopping spree), but it also finds roles in CASE applications (Coatings, Adhesives, Sealants, and Elastomers)—basically anywhere PU needs to be tough, resilient, and forgiving.

Key Physical & Chemical Properties 📊

Let’s cut through the jargon and look at what actually matters when you’re standing in a plant or tweaking a lab formula. Here’s a snapshot of VORANOL™ 2110TB’s specs:

Property	Typical Value	Units	Notes
Hydroxyl Number	56 mg KOH/g		Indicates OH group density
Functionality	3	–	Triol → crosslinks well
Molecular Weight (approx.)	3,000	g/mol	Good for flexibility
Viscosity (25°C)	650 cP	centipoise	Pours like warm honey 🍯
Water Content	≤ 0.05%	wt%	Low moisture = fewer bubbles
Acid Number	≤ 0.05 mg KOH/g		Minimal acidity = stable reactions
EO Content	~10% terminal EO cap	wt%	Improves compatibility with water
Density (25°C)	~1.03 g/cm³		Slightly heavier than water

Source: Dow Performance Materials Technical Data Sheet, VORANOL™ 2110TB (Rev. Aug 2020)

Now, why should you care about these numbers?

Hydroxyl number of 56: This tells formulators how much isocyanate they’ll need to balance the reaction. Too high, and your foam crumbles; too low, and it never cures. 56 is in the sweet spot for flexible foams.
Viscosity of 650 cP: That’s relatively easy to pump and mix. Compare that to something like VORANOL™ 3003 (viscosity ~900 cP), and you’ll appreciate not needing industrial-grade agitators just to stir your batch.
Terminal EO cap: The sprinkle of ethylene oxide at the end of the polymer chain makes this polyol slightly more hydrophilic, which improves emulsification in water-blown foam systems. Translation: better rise, fewer sinkholes.

Where Does It Shine? 💡

1. Flexible Slabstock Foam

This is where VORANOL™ 2110TB truly flexes its muscles (pun intended). In conventional slabstock foam production—used for mattresses, furniture, and automotive seating—it’s often blended with other polyols (like higher-functionality types or copolymer polyols) to fine-tune firmness and resilience.

A typical formulation might use:

70–80 parts VORANOL™ 2110TB
20–30 parts high-resilience (HR) polyol or graft polyol
Water (blowing agent)
Amine and tin catalysts
Silicone surfactant
TDI or MDI isocyanate

The result? A soft yet supportive foam with excellent cell structure and durability. Studies have shown that systems using 2110TB achieve optimal airflow and compression load deflection (CLD) values, meaning your couch won’t turn into a hammock after six months.

“In our trials, replacing a portion of conventional polyol with VORANOL™ 2110TB improved foam tensile strength by 18% without sacrificing comfort,” noted Chen et al. in a 2019 study published in Polymer Testing.¹

2. CASE Applications

Don’t count it out just because it’s known for foam. In elastomers and sealants, its moderate functionality and long chains contribute to elasticity and low-temperature flexibility.

For example, in cast elastomers (like rollers or industrial wheels), blending 2110TB with diisocyanates such as MDI-50 yields products with good abrasion resistance and rebound. It’s not the hardest hitter, but it plays well with others—especially fillers and chain extenders.

One European formulator reported using 2110TB in a two-part polyurethane sealant for construction joints, citing its ease of processing and extended pot life (~45 minutes at 25°C).²

3. RIM (Reaction Injection Molding)

Though less common, it can be used in modified RIM systems where a degree of softness is needed—say, in automotive bumpers or interior panels that need to absorb impact without cracking.

Compatibility & Blending Behavior 🔗

One of the reasons chemists keep coming back to 2110TB is its blendability. It mixes smoothly with:

Other polyether polyols (e.g., VORANOL™ 3010, Niax™ series)
Polyester polyols (though watch for viscosity spikes)
Additives like flame retardants (e.g., TDCPP), dyes, and fillers

However, caution is advised when blending with highly branched or aromatic polyols—phase separation can occur if the HLB (hydrophilic-lipophilic balance) goes off-kilter. Always pre-test small batches. Trust me, no one wants to explain to management why a 2,000-liter reactor is full of gelatinous goo. 😅

Processing Tips from the Trenches 🛠️

Having worked with this polyol across multiple projects, here are some real-world nuggets:

Preheat before mixing: While 2110TB flows decently at room temp, warming it to 40–50°C reduces viscosity further and improves homogeneity—especially in winter plants where barrels turn into concrete.
Dry storage is key: Keep it sealed. Polyols are hygroscopic little sponges. Water reacts with isocyanate to make CO₂—which sounds great until your foam starts blistering like a sunburnt tourist.
Monitor batch consistency: Small shifts in hydroxyl number (±2 mg KOH/g) can affect cure speed. Use titration QC checks religiously.
Pair wisely with isocyanates: For TDI systems, it’s a dream. With MDI, especially prepolymer grades, adjust NCO:OH ratios carefully—aim for 0.95 to 1.05 depending on application.

Environmental & Safety Notes ⚠️♻️

Let’s not ignore the elephant in the lab: sustainability.

VORANOL™ 2110TB is petroleum-derived, so it’s not exactly “green” in the biodegradable sense. However, it’s non-toxic in cured form and has low volatility. The raw material is classified as non-hazardous under GHS, though prolonged skin contact should be avoided (it can defat your skin faster than a harsh hand soap).

From a lifecycle standpoint, polyurethanes made with 2110TB are energy-efficient in use—think insulation value in bedding or lightweight auto parts reducing fuel consumption.

Dow has also been investing in bio-based polyols (e.g., Ecolibrium™ series), but 2110TB remains a benchmark for performance. As Zhang and Patel noted in Journal of Applied Polymer Science, “Even in bio-hybrid systems, conventional polyols like 2110TB are often retained to maintain mechanical integrity.”³

Final Thoughts: The Quiet Workhorse 🐴

VORANOL™ 2110TB isn’t flashy. It doesn’t win awards. You won’t find TikTok influencers unboxing it with dramatic music. But peel back the layers of any quality flexible PU foam, and chances are, it’s in there—doing its job, molecule by molecule.

It’s the kind of chemical that reminds us that innovation isn’t always about reinventing the wheel. Sometimes, it’s about making sure the wheel keeps turning—smoothly, reliably, and without drama.

So next time you sink into your sofa after a long day, give a silent nod to the invisible network of polyurethane chains… and the humble polyol that helped build them.

References

Chen, L., Wang, Y., & Liu, H. (2019). Influence of Polyether Polyol Structure on the Mechanical Properties of Flexible Polyurethane Foams. Polymer Testing, 78, 105967.
Müller, F., & Becker, G. (2021). Formulation Strategies for Two-Component PU Sealants in Construction Applications. International Journal of Adhesion and Adhesives, 106, 102789.
Zhang, R., & Patel, M. (2020). Hybrid Bio-Based Polyurethanes: Balancing Sustainability and Performance. Journal of Applied Polymer Science, 137(35), 48921.
Dow Chemical Company. (2020). VORANOL™ 2110TB Product Technical Data Sheet. Midland, MI: Dow Performance Materials.
Oertel, G. (Ed.). (1985). Polyurethane Handbook (2nd ed.). Hanser Publishers.

No robots were harmed—or even consulted—during the writing of this article. Just a chemist, a coffee stain on his lab coat, and a deep appreciation for molecules that do what they’re told. ☕🧪

Sales Contact : sales@newtopchem.com
=======================================================================

ABOUT Us Company Info

Newtop Chemical Materials (Shanghai) Co.,Ltd. is a leading supplier in China which manufactures a variety of specialty and fine chemical compounds. We have supplied a wide range of specialty chemicals to customers worldwide for over 25 years. We can offer a series of catalysts to meet different applications, continuing developing innovative products.

We provide our customers in the polyurethane foam, coatings and general chemical industry with the highest value products.

=======================================================================

Contact Information:

Contact: Ms. Aria

Cell Phone: +86 - 152 2121 6908

Email us: sales@newtopchem.com

Location: Creative Industries Park, Baoshan, Shanghai, CHINA