16 · Markets
Healthcare, Pharmaceutical and Medical
49 applications
Primary applications
Wound care foam dressings
Polyurethane foam dressings are medical devices used in the treatment of chronic wounds (pressure ulcers, vascular ulcer…
Hydrophilic PU foamPU foam with silver (antimicrobial)PU foam with activated carbonRead briefTPU catheters
Medical catheters in TPU (Thermoplastic Polyurethane) are devices used for numerous applications — vascular access (cent…
Aromatic medical TPUAliphatic medical TPUPolycarbonate TPU (long-duration applications)Read briefOrthotics and external prosthetics
Orthoses are external devices that support or correct limb or joint function (ankle, knee, wrist, spine orthoses), while…
Flexible foam for cushions and contact interfacesThermoformable PU for custom rigid structureMedical TPU for linersRead briefHospital beds and technical mattresses
Mattresses for hospital beds have requirements very different from residential mattresses (covered in Level A Applicatio…
High-density HR foamMedical viscoelastic foamFoam with antimicrobial treatmentRead briefPressure ulcer prevention mattresses
Anti-decubitus mattresses are specialized medical devices for prevention and treatment of pressure ulcers (bedsores) in…
Low-density viscoelastic foamMulti-layer HR foam with relief zonesAlternating-air systems with TPU cellsRead briefCPAP and BPAP respiratory masks
Respiratory masks for CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) and BPAP (Bilevel Positive Airway Pressure) are medical…
Low-hardness medical flexible foamSoft gel TPU for contact cushionsHybrid silicone-PU for facial interfaceRead briefRespirator and ventilator tubing
Flexible tubing in respiratory medical equipment are critical components: they connect ventilators or CPAP devices to th…
Medical TPU extrusionAntibacterial TPUTransparent medical TPURead briefMedical cutaneous adhesives
Medical skin adhesives are specific formulations for direct adhesion to human skin — in medical adhesive tapes, adhesive…
Medical PU hot-meltHybrid PU-acrylic adhesivesSkin-friendly waterborne PURead briefHospital furniture washable upholstery
Hospital furniture — reception and waiting chairs, companion armchairs, exam beds and couches, gynecological and procedu…
Medical HR flexible foamWaterproof cover in medical vinyl or laminated TPUFoam with antimicrobial treatmentRead briefDiaper and hygiene barrier films
Disposable diapers (baby, geriatric), feminine hygiene pads, urinary incontinence pads and similar products use barrier…
TPU barrier filmMicroporous breathable PU filmHypoallergenic PU filmRead briefEndotracheal tubes
Endotracheal tubes connect the patient's airway to anesthesia and mechanical ventilation equipment. Typical construction…
Medical TPU and TPU/PVC-PU blendsRead briefDisposable medical connectors and valves
Luer-lock connectors, unidirectional valves in IV lines, check valves in respiratory equipment and similar devices use m…
Injected medical TPURead briefCardiovascular implants (balloons, stent covers)
Angioplasty balloons, stent covers in vascular procedures, circulatory assistance pump components use high-performance b…
Biocompatible PU for long-term implantRead briefCoating of implantable medical devices
Pacemakers, neurostimulators, implantable drug delivery devices and other devices with prolonged tissue contact use PU c…
Biocompatible PU coatings with functional propertiesRead briefTechnical cushions for wheelchair users
Wheelchair users spend 12-16 daily hours sitting, which makes the seat cushion a critical component for pressure ulcer p…
Viscoelastic foam with relief zonesRead briefDialysis equipment components
Hemodialysis machines use TPU in multiple components: arterial and venous lines, connectors, internal tubing, seals in d…
Medical TPU + biocompatible PU elastomersRead briefFilms for transparent dressings
Transparent dressings (Tegaderm, Opsite type) allow wound visualization without dressing removal. TPU film offers unique…
Medical TPU film permeable to vaporRead briefMicrospheres for drug delivery
Emerging biopharmaceutical technology uses biodegradable PU microspheres for controlled drug release (anticancer, antibi…
Biodegradable PU in microencapsulationRead briefSurgical instrument coating (soft-touch handles)
Surgical instrument handles (endoscopes, laparoscopic tools, specific instruments) receive soft-touch TPU coating that w…
Autoclavable TPU + medical coatingsRead briefPU medical gloves (latex alternative)
Surgical and examination gloves in PU replace latex in professionals and patients with allergy. Unlike nitrile (dominant…
Hypoallergenic PU for disposable glovesRead briefPackaging for sterile pharmaceutical products
Packaging of vial-ampoules, pre-filled syringes, injectable devices and sterile procedure kits use PU components (protec…
Foams + coatings for primary packagingRead briefDental equipment components
Premium dental chairs, saliva ejectors, panoramic X-ray equipment, laser devices and other equipment use PU in flexible…
PU elastomers + biocompatible coatingsRead briefTemporary dental prostheses and models
Prosthetic laboratories use cast PU — in traditional molding and in rapidly expanding dental 3D printing — for temporary…
Cast PU in dental 3D printingRead briefWalkers, wheelchairs (wheels and upholstery)
Manual and powered wheelchairs, walkers, canes and mobility equipment use TPU in wheels (silent, non-marking on hospital…
TPU in wheels + flexible foam in upholsteryRead briefMedical device packaging (inserts)
Packaging for reusable medical devices (endoscopes, precision surgical tools, portable diagnostic equipment) uses PU fle…
Hypoallergenic custom-cut flexible foamRead brief
See also
Applications where this market appears as secondary.
- Food and Beverage
Industrial cold rooms
Industrial cold rooms are controlled-temperature built environments used for sto…
PIR sandwich panelsHybrid systems with blown-in spray foamSpecialized high-performance PIRRead brief - Consumer Goods and Appliances
Refrigerators and freezers (appliances)
Rigid PU foam in refrigerators and freezers is produced by injection between the…
PUR system with cyclopentanePUR system with HFOHigh-performance PUR systems with specific polyolRead brief - Consumer Goods and Appliances
Residential mattresses
Polyurethane foam mattresses are the largest single-volume segment of the global…
Conventional flexible foamHR (High Resilience) foamViscoelastic foam (memory foam)Read brief - Consumer Goods and Appliances
Residential upholstery (sofas, armchairs)
Residential upholstery — sofas, armchairs, dining chairs, headboards, poufs — us…
Conventional flexible foamHR foamLow-density molded foamRead brief - Consumer Goods and Appliances
Pillows and technical cushions
Pillows and technical cushions represent a specific segment within bedding and d…
Viscoelastic foam (memory foam)HR molded foamConventional foamRead brief - Packaging Materials
Custom-cut protective packaging
Custom-cut protective packaging consists of flexible PU foam pieces cut accordin…
Conventional flexible foam at customized densitySemi-flexible foamReticulated foamRead brief - Footwear
Anatomical insole
The insole is the internal piece of footwear that makes direct contact with the…
Molded HR flexible foamMolded viscoelastic foamPU laminated with fabricsRead brief - Paints, Pigments and Coatings
Industrial PU floors
Industrial polyurethane floors are high-performance floor coating systems applie…
Self-leveling PUPU cementitious (cement + PU)Poured PU floorRead brief - Electronics
PU conformal coatings for electronics
Conformal coatings are thin polymeric coatings (typically 25 to 250 micrometers)…
Solvent-based thin PU coatingWaterborne PU coatingUV-cure PURead brief - Electronics
Electronic device housings in TPU
Housings (external cases) of electronic devices use PU in two main configuration…
Injected TPU (flexible housings)PU reaction injection molding (RIM)TPU over-molding on rigid substrateRead brief - Paints, Pigments and Coatings
Industrial PU flooring
Industrial PU floors cover applications where chemical, mechanical and hygienic…
Cementitious PU (PU/cement hybrid)Self-leveling PUDecorative PURead brief - Food and Beverage
Food-grade floor coatings
Food-grade floors complement the industrial PU floors already covered in detail…
Food-grade PU cementitiousSanitary self-leveling PUHigh-build aliphatic PU coatingsRead brief - Food and Beverage
Laminated multilayer packaging adhesives
Multilayer flexible packaging — those that protect foods in sachets, snack packs…
1K and 2K solventless PU adhesiveSolvent-based PU adhesiveWaterborne PU adhesiveRead brief - Food and Beverage
Refrigerated transport thermal boxes
Thermal boxes for refrigerated transport of food, vaccines and medications are p…
Molded rigid PU foamHigh-density PUR/PIR foamSystems with HFO blowing agentRead brief - Agriculture, Animal Feed and Animal Care
Milking system components
Automatic and semi-automatic milking systems on dairy farms use various food-gra…
Food-grade PU elastomersSanitary-grade TPUCast PU of specific hardnessRead brief - Consumer Goods and Appliances
Office chairs
Ergonomic office chairs are a relevant market for high-quality molded foams — us…
Molded HR foamViscoelastic foam for seats and backrestsIntegral skin foam for armrestsRead brief - Consumer Goods and Appliances
Toys and childcare products
Children's toys and childcare products (car seats, baby carriers, feeding chairs…
Colored integral skin PU foamFlexible foam with toy-safety certificationSoft-touch TPURead brief - Consumer Goods and Appliances
Sports protective equipment
Protective sports equipment — helmets (cycling, motorcycle, skate, ski), protect…
Memory foam PU for impact absorptionHybrid EVA-PU foamTPU for shells and rigid protectionsRead brief - Consumer Goods and Appliances
Headphones and headsets
Headphones (over-ear headphones, earbuds, professional headsets) use PU in multi…
Memory foam for earcupsHigh-quality flexible foam for earpadsTPU for cables and structural componentsRead brief - Films, Tapes and Release Liners
PU films for textile lamination
PU films for fabric lamination are applied in continuous lamination processes wh…
Breathable monolithic TPU filmMicroporous PU filmPU films with integrated heat-activated adhesiveRead brief - Packaging Materials
Vaccine and food thermal shipping boxes
Complements Application B-43 (Thermal boxes for refrigerated transport), focusin…
Molded rigid PU foamVIP (Vacuum Insulated Panels) + PUHybrid foams with phase-change materialsRead brief - Packaging Materials
Flexible packaging lamination adhesives
Complements Application B-42 (Adhesives for food-grade laminated packaging). Whi…
1K and 2K solventless PU adhesiveSolvent-based PU adhesiveWaterborne PU adhesiveRead brief - Home Care, Industrial and Institutional Cleaning
Industrial air and liquid filters
Reticulated PU foams (with fully open cells in controlled structure) are used as…
Controlled-cell reticulated PU foamReticulated foam with activated carbonMultilayer systemsRead brief - Home Care, Industrial and Institutional Cleaning
Cleaning trolley wheels
Complements Level A Application 27 (Industrial wheels for AGVs and forklifts), f…
Medium-hardness cast PU elastomersTire-format injected TPUPU resistant to cleaning chemicalsRead brief