Covestro Enhances Product Lifecycle with Recyclable TPU for SCF Foaming
Covestro has announced the launch of Desmopan FLY, an advanced Thermoplastic Polyurethane (TPU) series specifically engineered for supercritical fluid (SCF) foaming technology. This high-performance material solution addresses the growing demand for lightweight, performance, and sustainable footwear design while expanding possibilities across sport gears, furniture and electronic products.
Desmopan FLY features an advanced formulation that enables superior supercritical fluid dispersion during the molding process, resulting in uniform fine-cell structured foams with outstanding mechanical properties. For footwear applications, this translates into midsoles with superior cushioning and energy return properties, and long-lasting comfort performance. The absence of chemical blowing agents and crosslinking additives ensures recyclability of the midsole; when combined with soft TPU outsole, the whole sole system supports circular economy initiatives.
“Leading sports brands are driving unprecedented demand for materials that combine elite performance with strong environmental credentials,” says Wilson Chan, Head of Business Development TPU Asia Pacific at Covestro. “Desmopan FLY brings exceptional lightweight and resilience properties while maintaining dimensional stability and durability throughout the product lifecycle. Its optimized processing enables efficient production through automated injection molding, allowing brands to create high-performance, recyclable footwear that meets demanding consumer expectations.”
In a pioneering industry move, they have installed the advanced SCF injection foaming system at its TPU Asia-Pacific R&D Center in Taiwan. This state-of-the-art facility enables them to provide comprehensive R&D support and rapid application services for customers’ specific requirements, demonstrating their ongoing commitment to advancing footwear material solutions and supporting the industry’s evolution.
“Our investment in the SCF injection foaming system marks another milestone in Covestro’s continuous innovation journey,” explains Dr. Christian Haessler, Head of Global Innovation TPU at Covestro. “This in-house capability enables us to optimize TPU material properties with precise SCF processing parameters. By being among the first in the industry to integrate this advanced technology within our R&D center, we can effectively combine TPU material and SCF injection expertise to accelerate customers’ development from concepts to commercial production.”
The combination of SCF foaming technology and Desmopan FLY delivers an energy-efficient manufacturing process that reduces the overall carbon footprint. The automated injection process integrates multiple components in a single step, enabling substantial production efficiency while maintaining consistent, high-quality output.
Desmopan FLY is now commercially available, supported by their comprehensive technical expertise and advanced in-house facilities. This integrated material and technology platform empowers sports brands in their journey toward advanced footwear solutions, combining performance, sustainability and production efficiency.
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