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On 2026-03-13

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Application of Polyurethane Materials in Cold Chain Logistics

Polyurethane Material Properties

Polyurethane foam is a thermosetting flame-retardant foam mainly formed by mixing and foaturing polymethylene polyphenylene isocyanate (commonly known as black material) and combined polyether (commonly known as white material) under suitable process conditions. It has many excellent physical and chemical properties.

Polyurethane foam reaction schematic diagram:

The Best Thermal Insulation Material

Rigid polyurethane foam has a thermal conductivity of 0.024 W/(m·K), and a thinner thickness can meet the thermal insulation design requirements.

Comparison of Wall Material Thickness with the Same Thermal Insulation Effect

Long-lasting thermal insulation performance

The closed-cell ratio of polyurethane is as high as 92%–96%.

Three major ways of heat transfer:

Convection: The closed-cell structure of rigid polyurethane foam prevents convection;
Conduction: The foaming gas enclosed in the cells has an extremely low thermal conductivity;
Radiation: The honeycomb structure effectively reflects and absorbs various forms of energy.

The figure below shows the cell structure of polyurethane under a microscope:

The microscopic structure of polyurethane bubbles

Good fire resistance

Polyurethane is a thermosetting material. When exposed to fire, it forms a carbonized layer on the surface, preventing the fire from spreading inward. Its fire rating can reach B1 (oxygen index ≥ 30%).

Class B1 polyurethane

Class B1 polystyrene board

Good fire resistance

As a thermosetting material, it self-extinguishes when removed from the fire and does not produce molten droplets. A carbonized layer forms on the surface of the board, which can effectively stop flame spread and prevent the fire from spreading further.

Excellent Adhesion Performance

Polyurethane itself is an excellent adhesive.

During World War II, polyurethane was used to bond the tracks and rubber of German tanks during retreats.
"Micro-pore penetration" foaming enables 100% full adhesion to various base layers. (As shown in the figure on the right)

Excellent aging resistance

Long service life

In environments ranging from -50℃ to 150℃, polyurethane has a service life of up to 70 years and can maintain energy-saving and thermal insulation effects for a long time. Under normal operating conditions, the thermal insulation performance of rigid foam can meet application requirements throughout its service life.

Quality of Wanhua

① The world's largest supplier of MDI with an annual output of 2.1 million tons.
② The only polyurethane manufacturer in China with independent intellectual property rights for MDI.
③ The only supplier of two-component polyurethane raw materials (black material + white material) in China.

Wanhua Energy Saving Technology - Black Material Wannate 2208

Product Introduction:

Wannate 2208 is mainly composed of polymeric polymethylene polyphenylene isocyanate, and contains no water. It is used together with the white material Wanefoam series, with excellent matching performance, and can produce solid foam with outstanding properties.

Packaging Specification:Red iron drum, 250 kg per drum.

Storage Notice:

Wannate 2208 easily reacts with air and water to form urea crystals. Please store it in a sealed, light-proof environment at 20–25 °C.

Wannate2208 Product Ingredient List
Project	Indicators	Execution standard number
Appearance	Dark brown liquid	Judging by appearance
Viscosity at 25℃, mPa.s	150~250	GB12009.3
-NCO（Wt）	30.2~32.0	GB12009.4
Density, g/cm3	1.22~1.25	GB4472
Acid content (% as measured by HCl)	≤0.05	GB12009.5
Hydrolyzed chlorine (%)	≤0.2	GB12009.2

Comparison of Product Chroma (APHA) Among Global Major MDI Manufacturers

Wanhua Energy Saving Technology - White Material Wanefoam Cold Chain Series

Product Description:

Wanefoam series is a fast-curing system, mainly composed of polyether and polyester polyols, flame retardants, foaming agents, etc. When used in combination with Wannate 2208, it can produce solid foam with excellent performance and can be applied on most substrates.

Packaging Specification:Green iron drum, 200 kg per drum.

Wanefoam Product Series Ingredient List
Component names	%（w/w）	CAS No
Polyether/Polyester Polyol	30-60	9082-00-2/32472-85-8
Flame Retardant	10-40	13674-84-5
Emulsifier	1-3	--
Tertiary Amine Catalyst	1-5	Mixture
Other Additives	1-10	Mixture

Composition Comparison of Polyurethane White Material

White base material main raw materials	Wanhua Energy Saving Technology		Other small manufacturers
Main components	Source of raw materials	Price range	Source of raw materials	Price range
Polyether/Polyester polyol	Produced by Wanhua/ Nanjing Stepan	19,000–22,000 RMB/ton	Small manufacturers Recycled polyether	7,000–8,000
Foaming agent	Zhejiang Sanmei (141b system)	23,000–24,000 RMB/ton	Small factory 141b, Freon F1	11,000–13,000
Flame retardant	Zhejiang Wansheng / Yangzhou Chenhua	19,000–21,000 RMB/ton	Small manufacturers, additive flame retardants	8,000–9,000 RMB/ton
Blending agent (silicone oil)	Evonik, Mita	50,000–60,000 RMB/ton	Small manufacturer	20,000–25,000 RMB/ton
Catalyst	Evonik	30,000–40,000 RMB/ton	Small manufacturer	10,000–15,000 RMB/ton

Total price difference: ￥2,000–4,000 per ton

Polyester/Polyether Polyol

Hydroxyl groups are the main reactive groups and affect the chemical structure of the foam.

The spray-applied rigid polyurethane system material for cold chain applications by Wanhua has been optimized in formulation to achieve the optimal ratio of cross-linking polyether, backbone polyether, and polyester. The resulting polyurethane foam exhibits excellent dimensional stability, with no shrinkage or cracking even under long-term low-temperature conditions.

If the quality of polyether/polyester is not up to standard, problems such as foam aging, embrittlement, poor adhesion, and cracking may occur.

Blowing agents: environmentally friendly (141b) and non-environmentally friendly (F11, etc.)

Function: adjust reaction rate and promote foam expansion.

Wanhua uses environmentally friendly blowing agents and eliminates the use of Freon, which is explicitly banned by the state, as a blowing agent, ensuring the purity and environmental performance of products from the source.

Non-environmentally friendly blowing agents damage the ozone layer; non-standard formulas can cause abnormal foam performance.

Flame Retardants

Classified into additive type and reactive type.

Function: The main component to improve the flame retardant grade of polyurethane.

Additive flame retardants are relatively unstable, resulting in a short storage life of the premix.

The polyurethane system materials for cold chain applications by Wanhua adopt reactive flame-retardant polyether and part of additive flame retardants, which endow the polyurethane foam with excellent performance and good stability.

Tested by authoritative institutions (in accordance with GB50016-2014), the product has outstanding flame retardant performance, ensuring compliance with the flame retardant requirements of the construction and cold chain industries.

Flame retardancy of polyurethane is critical to the safety of cold storage.

Poor flame retardancy of the white material results in: substandard oxygen index and poor fire performance.

June 3 Jilin Dehui Poultry Company Fire Accident

Shandong Shouguang Cold Storage Fire

Fire broke out at the construction site of Harbin Yulongwan Community

2010 Shanghai Teachers' Apartment Fire

Silicone Oil (Foam Stabilizer)

Function: A versatile additive that improves the miscibility of raw materials and enhances the stability of foam formation.

Reduces the surface tension of raw material components;
Enhances miscibility between raw materials;
Stabilizes the foaming process;
Foam stabilizers play a crucial role in producing fine and uniform foam cells.

Insufficient dosage of silicone oil will result in foam collapse, shrinkage, and inconsistent hardness.

The field of cold chain logistics

Wanhua Product Features	Other small manufacturers:
Custom-made (tailored to the specific needs of different customers)	Single formula
Dimensional stability	Only pursue high yield volume to save costs
No secondary on-site operation required	On-site secondary addition (unstable product quality)
High flame retardancy and low-temperature construction applicability	Poor flame retardant effect

Grade / Physical Property Index	Wanefoam 6000 Series
Applicable Cold Storage Type	Suitable for temperatures from 25℃ to -45℃, customized according to different types of cold storages and customer requirements.
Molded Foam Core Density, kg/m³	35–60, customized according to different types of cold storages and customer requirements.
Ambient Service Temperature, ℃	＞10
Shelf Life, months	6
Oxygen Index, %	≥26/≥30
Foam Thermal Conductivity, W/(m·K)	0.017——0.024
Foam Compressive Strength, kPa	150——550
Foam Water Absorption, %	≤1
Dimensional Stability at -30℃, %	≤1
Closed Cell Content	≥95%
Flame Retardancy	National Standard Class B2/B1

Note: Some specifications of this product can be adjusted according to actual requirements. The values provided herein are typical experimental data; actual data may vary slightly due to environmental conditions. For our products, the listed data shall not be legally binding.

R&D Strength

China's only national-level polyurethane research laboratory.

Large‑scale Automatic Production

Long Storage Life

All Wanhua polyurethane cold chain system materials are produced via large‑scale automatic production. They feature good batch stability, accurate formulation, stable product quality and traceable raw materials. With excellent raw material compatibility and long storage life, the materials will not stratify even after long‑term standing.

Customized Product Service

Wanhua owns the most authoritative research center in China's polyurethane industry. We provide different formulations for temperature ranges from 10℃ fresh-keeping to -60℃ cold storage, and can also offer customized formulations according to customer requirements.

We can meet your personalized needs for different regions, seasons, projects and customers!

Professional Construction Technical Team

Wanhua has a professional service team that provides one-stop services ranging from preliminary project planning and design to later construction.

Wanhua’s engineering company has undertaken insulation projects for many large-scale projects at home and abroad.

Combined with first-class insulation materials and a first-class construction technical team, we will bring you satisfaction beyond expectations.

Professional Construction Technical Team

Introduction to Wanhua Engineering

List of Partial Project Achievements of Wanhua

Project Name	Construction Scale	Contract Amount	Construction Time
Cold Storage Insulation Project of Foshan Puying Cold Chain Co., Ltd.	200,000 tons	29.81 million	2021.6
Jiangxi Supply and Marketing (Xinfeng) Cold Chain Logistics Park	60,000 square meters	39.96 million	2021.3
Guangdong Jinbang Cold Chain Logistics and Warehousing Co., Ltd.	210,000 tons	31.22 million	2020.5
Henan Wanbang Phase IV Beef & Mutton Trading Area	200,000 tons	28.76 million	2019.9
No.5 Low-temperature Warehouse, Supply Chain Logistics Standard Warehouse, Linyi Comprehensive Bonded Zone	30,000 square meters	14.16 million	2018.6
No.2 & No.3 Single Insulation Project of Cold Chain Workshop, Kunming Baoxiang 10,000-ton Cold Storage Logistics Co., Ltd.	60,000 square meters	20.40 million	2018.6

Project Name	Construction Scale	Contract Amount	Construction Time
Cold Storage of Yantai Huada Agricultural Products Cold Chain Logistics Co., Ltd.	37,055 square meters	11.90 million	2021.5
Comprehensive Treatment (Reconstruction) Project of Fengman Hydropower Station	101,134 square meters	73.49 million	2015.9
Yunneng Industrial Park Project of Hunan Yunneng Investment Management Co., Ltd.	81,134 square meters	16.24 million	2017.12
Zhangjiajie Ice & Snow World Ski Hall	63,322 square meters	20.00 million	2018.4
Phase I Construction of Changsha Red Star Global Agricultural Products Wholesale Center	42,546 square meters	11.80 million	2017.11
Cold Storage Project of Jiangjunshi Operation Area, Zhuanghe Port Area	59,913 square meters	10.03 million	2017.9
Quzhou Agricultural Commercial City	25,987 square meters	7.38 million	2016.12
Phase IV of Changsha Red Star Cold Storage	18,653 square meters	11.80 million	2014.9

Project Name	Construction Scale	Contract Amount	Construction Time
Zhejiang Aozhou Cattle Industry Imported Beef Slaughter Cold Storage Project	30,000 square meters	12.90 million	2020.5
Xinxiang Qianwei Yangchu Cold Storage Spraying Insulation Project	30,000 square meters	12.50 million	2019.5
West Chongqing International Trade & Logistics Port Insulation Project	26,886 square meters	10.11 million	2019.3
Wanji Refrigeration Co., Ltd. Renovation Project	35,000 square meters	12.09 million	2019.4
Hengyang Baishazhou Logistics Park Cold Storage	22,546 square meters	7.84 million	2015.2
Quzhou Urban Logistics Complex Phase II	29,913 square meters	7.38 million	2016.12
Suzhou Urban Public Distribution Hub Phase II	57,226 square meters	22.48 million	2018.8
Qingdao Huitong Fengyuan Supply Chain Cold Storage Insulation Project	30,000 square meters	4.70 million	2020.6
Hainan Koweidong Ao Base Cold Storage Insulation Project	28065平米28,065 square meters	6.80 million	2015.9