Flokser Chemical Soft PU Slipper, Extremely Light Slipper and Double Density Safety Shoes Polyurethane Systems

  Shoes and slippers are an indispensable part of our daily life that are needed to be designed for adapting elegance and fashion, and also considering durability, flexibility, lightness, and comfort. Polyurethane has become a highly preferred material in slipper and shoe sole applications in recent years due to its significant advantages such as being formulated for application in many different properties and fields. Flokser Chemical produces polyurethane systems with different density and hardness values which can be applied with injection and low-pressure casting machines for the production of summer, winter, spring type or sports soles, slippers, single and double density safety shoes and boots systems.

Soft PU Slipper System

Our company has many firsts in the slippers industry with innovative solutions for Turkey market. It aims to make a difference in the market with its new polyurethane system with superior elasticity at low hardness and low-density values. Slipper samples cast with our new polyurethane system introduced to the market can be seen in the Figure 1.

Figure 1. Polyurethane system with low hardness and density

The reaction conditions and mechanical properties of the slippers produced with the new polyurethane system which we believe will make a significant difference for the industry are given in Table 1. While polyurethane systems which generally provide high hardness value are used in slippers products, the search of the producers has shifted towards low hardness values due to the increasing comfort and comfort expectations of consumers in recent years. For this reason, our company has created a significant difference in the industry in customer-oriented studies with the new system developed 40-45 shore A hardness value of slippers aimed at providing high flexibility value. The flex-resistance test carried out according to TS EN ISO 17707 standard, the growth in the notch opened after 30,000 steps was found to be <4 mm and a very superior performance was obtained compared to the systems used in this market.

ELD Slipper: Extremely Light Slipper

It is now possible to produce slippers around 50 Shore A at 200kg/m3 mold density by changing mold models! Flokser Chemical is leading the industry by understanding the needs of the manufacturers with its wide range of products. One of the most important requirements in recent times is the development of slipper systems which have the same properties but can be applied at lower molding densities. We are introducing an ultra-lightweight slippers system to satisfy the user’s interest in ergonomics and to enable the manufacturer to produce slippers with the same features but less weight. The reaction conditions and mechanical properties of the slipper samples that produced using low pressure machine were examined and the results obtained are given in Table 2. Ultra-Lightweight PU Slipper system provides application possibility at 200kg/m3 mold density while keeping lightness at the forefront and providing safe usage with its superior dimensional stability. Compared to the standard slipper products available in the industry, it offers a 35% weight advantage in different mold models.

Double Density Polyurethane Safety Shoes

Safety shoes developed on the basis of easy application of polyurethane consist of 2 layers as outsole and midsole. While the outsole provides durability, the midsole offers comfort to the consumer. The outsole, which resists heat, cold, water, pressure, rust and oil, and midsole with a breathable structure allows you to stand firm against life with comfort. In addition to the Flokser Chemical’s innovations in the slippers and soles market, new safety shoes polyurethane system aims to protect human health, intends to make a difference in this area. Our new product has shown in Figure 2, it is possible to produce both the outsole and midsole by replacing only the catalyst component within the three-component polyurethane system.

Figure 2. Image of double density safety shoes

Component properties, reaction conditions and mechanical properties of the new polyurethane system with the mentioned advantages are examined and the results are given in Table 3.  

Table 4 shows the results of tests carried out to our products within the scope of EN ISO 20344 applicable to safety shoes found among personal protective equipment.

    With our new polyurethane system developed in Flokser Chemical R&D Center, double density safety shoe system which can be used in midsole and outsole applications has been added to the market. * Reaction and working conditions were obtained as a result of measurements made with a low-pressure casting machine operating at 6000rpm. ** According to TS EN 12222 standard for 24 hours at 23±2 temperature and P relative humidity, the test results of the samples are given. Kübra Sarper - Ar-Ge Uzmanı - R&D Specialist - Flokser Kimya Kerim Can Ünlü - Ar-Ge Uzmanı - R&D Specialist - Flokser Kimya