Glossary and Basic Review of Polyurethanes

Polyols:

Hydroxyl Number (OH Number) : expressed in mg KOH/g, represents the relative content of hydroxyl groups in one
gram of polyol as determined by titrating the polyol against KOH. Lower hydroxyl numbers indicate longer polyol
chain lengths and higher molecular weight.
Functionality is based on the initiator used in the polyol manufacture

Equivalent Weight: the mass of a compound per reactive site. In polyols, this number is Pan average since polyols are
polymers with a range of molecular weights, functionalities, and hydroxyl values.

56,100†_
Equivalent Weight =
OH Number
†56,100 represents the molecular weight of KOH in mg/mole

Equivalents (of a polyol): represents the reactive sites available to react with an equal number of isocyanate
Equivalents

Mass of Polyol_
Equivalents of Polyol =
Equivalent Weight

Molecular Weight (MW): (average) of a polyol is determined by multiplying the equivalent

weight by the functionality.

MW = Equivalent Weight x Functionality

Polyol Types offered by Tri-iso:

Polyether Polyols

Polytetramethylene glycol Polyols (PTMEG)

High Performance Polyester Polyols (Polycaprolactones)

High Performance Polyester Polyols (Castor)

Super Hydrophobic Polyols

Polycarbonate Diols
Isocyanates:

Isocyanate Equivalent Weight= number of grams of an isocyanate or prepolymer in order

to have one equivalent of isocyanate groups (NCO). One equivalent of NCO groups = 42.02
grams

%NCO: represents the weight percent of an isocyanate or prepolymer comprised of NCO.

4202†_
%NCO =
NCO Equivalent Weight

†4202 represents the molecular weight of NCO in mg/mole

Functionality : represents the number of NCO groups per isocyanate or prepolymer.

Typically, lower functionality yields less crosslinking, which results in more flexible, softer
products, and higher functionality yields higher crosslinking and resulting stiffer, harder
products.

Types of Isocyanates offered by Tri-iso:

Methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI) and Toluene diisocyanate (TDI)

Hexamethylene diisocyanate Trimer (HDI Trimer)

Please contact your Tri-iso Technical Sales Representative if you would like additional
information or samples of any of the polyols or isocyanates offered by Tri-iso. Alternatively,
please send an email to jscott@tri-iso.com