Main applications of PTMEG

PTMEG is also called Polytetramethylene Ether Glycol or Polytetrahydrofuran.At room temperature, low molecular weight PTMEG is colorless liquid, while higher molecular weight PTMEG is white waxy, easily soluble in alcohols, esters, ketones, aromatic hydrocarbons and chlorinated hydrocarbons, insoluble in ester fatty hydrocarbons and water. 

PTMEG has water absorption, which depends on the size of molecular weight and can absorb up to 2% of water. Compared with the commonly used propylene oxide polyethers, PTMEG has higher flexibility and regularity of chain segments; there is no unsaturated bond in the main chain of PTMEG, so the polyurethane products made have good aging resistance and chemical resistance; compared with polyester polyol, there is no ester group in the main chain of PTMEG, so the products have good resistance to hydrolysis. Among various polyurethane elastomers with aliphatic polyethers as soft segments, PTMEG type polyurethane has the best physical properties and greater mechanical strength.PTMEG is mainly used in the production of polyurethane elastomers, polyurethane elastic fiber and ester-ether copolymer elastomers. The world's largest consumer market of PTMEG is spandex, accounting for about 40%, followed by polyurethane elastic fiber, accounting for about 35%, and ester-ether copolymer elastomer, accounting for about 25%. PTMEG is a very important raw material for polyether polyol in the production of polyurethane elastomer products.