Supercritical foaming TPU for lightweight, high-rebound footwear
Supercritical physical foaming with CO2 or N2 turns TPU into a lightweight, high-rebound closed-cell microfoam — overcoming the density and uniformity limits of chemical foaming.
Physical foaming vs chemical foaming
Supercritical physical foaming uses CO2 or N2 as the blowing agent to produce a lightweight, high-rebound closed-cell microfoam. It breaks through the limits of conventional chemical foaming in density control and structural uniformity — raising mechanical performance while staying environmentally compliant.
Core advantages
- Green — organic-tin-free catalyst, zero VOC during production, no chemical residue; compliant with RoHS and REACH; the material is 100% recyclable.
- Lightweight, high rebound, yellowing-resistant — density far below conventional materials, high energy return, low compression set, long service life without collapse.
- Customisable — hardness, rebound and foam density can be tuned; supports bead foaming, sheet foaming and "small-to-large" foaming.
- Stable supply — fine thickness control and micron-level, industry-leading cell uniformity for downstream processors.
The supercritical foaming series
Eleven grades span 60 Shore A soft-touch to 97 Shore A low-density high-hardness, on ester and ether backbones, plus a productivity-tuned HP series built for yield.
| Grade | Hardness (Shore A) | Density (g/cm³) | Backbone / notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| NL9193A | 92 | 1.16 | Polyester — broad application range |
| NLDRS93A | 93 | 1.17 | Polyester — high layer-tear strength |
| NL9095 | 93 | 1.17 | Polyester — suitable for blend foaming |
| NLLTE93A | 93 | 1.06 | Polyether, low melting point |
| NLLTE97A | 96 | 1.11 | Polyether, ultra-hard |
| NL9293A | 93 | 1.10 | Polyether, high melting point |
| NLHP93A | 93 | 1.06 | Easy foaming, high yield |
| NLHP97A | 97 | 1.11 | Easy foaming, high yield |
| NL9393A | 94 | 1.14 | Low density, high rebound |
| NL1260L | 60 | 1.16 | Extremely low hardness |
| NL1280L | 81 | 1.10 | Broad application range |
Applications
The series covers the main footwear foaming routes: small-to-large foaming, carbon-fibre / glass-fibre composite sheets, extruded sheets, popcorn (ETPU) forming, 3D-printed footwear components, and anti-slip outsoles.
For safety and outdoor footwear outsoles, the Qingdi™ series integrates slip resistance, wear resistance and softness at 60–65 Shore A — wet and dry grip comparable to rubber, better wear, and full recyclability.