Polyurea
Polyurea is a fast-curing spray elastomer formed from an isocyanate and an amine-terminated resin, chemically related to polyurethane but insensitive to moisture during cure; the default condition gives 18 MPa tensile strength, 380 % elongation, Shore D 50 hardness and 120 °C maximum service temperature.
Reference datasheet — Polyurea is not in the instant-quote catalog. Upload your part and an engineer will quote it in this grade or suggest the closest stocked equivalent.
Values for the AROM condition
Polyurea grades and fills
Polyurea is supplied in 8 conditions, soft to hard. AROM is the default FabDigit quotes; the values on this page are for it.
Compare all 8 grades and fillsHide
| Grade · open for datasheet | Best for | Yield MPa | Tensile MPa | Elong. % | Hardness |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Soft / high-elongation grade | Choose for crack-bridging waterproofing, expansion joints and geomembranes where movement accommodation matters more than hardness. | 12 | 600 | 35 Shore D | |
Polyurea–polyurethane hybrid | Lower-cost blend with slightly longer gel time and better wetting/levelling; accepts modest moisture but is less hydrolysis- and heat-resistant than pure polyurea. | 14 | 320 | 45 Shore D | |
Slow-set hand-applied / cartridge grade | Use for repairs, detail work, joints and small areas where heated plural-component spray equipment is impractical. | 14 | 350 | 45 Shore D | |
Flame-retardant grade | Specify for tunnel, mine, marine and transit linings that must meet UL 94 V-0 or ASTM E84 Class A flame-spread requirements. | 15 | 250 | 52 Shore D | |
AROMDefault Aromatic pure polyurea | Default workhorse for tank, secondary-containment, truck-bed and waterproofing linings where colour stability is not required. | 18 | 380 | 50 Shore D | |
Aliphatic polyurea | Pick for exposed architectural, stadium, deck and topcoat work where gloss and colour must be retained outdoors. | 20 | 300 | 55 Shore D | |
Mineral / glass-flake reinforced lining grade | Filled or glass-flake versions for tank bottoms, FGD and immersion service needing lower permeation, higher stiffness and less shrinkage. | 20 | 80 | 70 Shore D | |
High-hardness / rigid grade | Use for abrasion-dominated service — mining chutes, slurry pipe, hopper and dredge linings — where stiffness beats elongation. | 26 | 120 | 65 Shore D |
Supply forms, finishes and certifications
Ways Polyurea is supplied — form, process route, surface or paperwork — without a datasheet of their own. The property values above apply.
| Option | What it is | Type |
|---|---|---|
POT | Potable-water / NSF-61 certified grade | Certification |
What is Polyurea?
Polyurea is a fast-curing spray elastomer formed from an isocyanate and an amine-terminated resin, chemically related to polyurethane but insensitive to moisture during cure; the default condition gives 18 MPa tensile strength, 380 % elongation, Shore D 50 hardness and 120 °C maximum service temperature. Engineers specify it for abrasion, impact and water resistance, and it is supplied as plural-component spray systems, hand-mix and potting kits, and cast or RIM parts in aromatic, aliphatic, hybrid, flame-retardant, soft (A90), hard (D65) and filled grades. Gel times of 3–15 s require heated proportioning equipment and trained applicators, aromatic films need an aliphatic topcoat to hold colour, and the cured thermoset cannot be re-melted or welded. Polyurea has a density of 1.05 g/cm³ (0.0379 lb/in³), lighter than 90% of polyurethane grades. Its glass-transition temperature is -55°C (-67 °F). Polyurea has a tensile strength of 18 MPa (2.61 ksi), weaker than 76% of polyurethane grades. Elongation at break is 380% and the elastic modulus is 0.06 GPa (0.0087 Msi).
What is Polyurea used for?
- Protective spray coatings
- Truck bed liners
- Waterproofing membranes
- Blast-mitigation linings
Advantages
- High service temperature — 120°C (248 °F), better than 100% of polyurethane grades
- Good corrosion resistance — 90/100, better than 100% of polyurethane grades
- Ductile — tolerates forming and impact — 380%, better than 88% of polyurethane grades
- Good UV / weathering resistance — 35/100, better than 83% of polyurethane grades
Limitations
- Hard to polish — 20/100, worse than 97% of polyurethane grades
- Difficult to machine — 25/100, worse than 90% of polyurethane grades
- Absorbs moisture — dry before molding — 0.7%, worse than 81% of polyurethane grades
- Low stiffness — 0.06 GPa (0.0087 Msi), worse than 76% of polyurethane grades
Polyurea properties
Typical room-temperature values for Polyurea-AROM; bars are the position among polyurethane grades.
Physical4
Polyurea has a density of 1.05 g/cm³ (0.0379 lb/in³), lighter than 90% of polyurethane grades. Its glass-transition temperature is -55°C (-67 °F).
Mechanical11
Polyurea has a tensile strength of 18 MPa (2.61 ksi), weaker than 76% of polyurethane grades. Elongation at break is 380% and the elastic modulus is 0.06 GPa (0.0087 Msi).
Thermal8
Polyurea is rated for continuous service to 120°C (248 °F). It conducts heat at 0.2 W/m·K (0.116 BTU/hr·ft·°F), worse than 60% of polyurethane grades. Thermal expansion is 130 µm/m·K (72.2 µin/in·°F).
Electrical4
Polyurea is an electrical insulator with a dielectric strength of 20 kV/mm (508 V/mil) and a resistivity of 1×10¹¹ Ω·m.
Chemical & Environmental3
Corrosion resistance is excellent (90/100), better than 100% of polyurethane grades. UV resistance is fair.
Sustainability4
Producing a kilogram of Polyurea takes about 105 MJ of energy and emits 5.2 kg of CO₂ — more than 64% of polyurethane grades. Typical recycled content is 0%.
Manufacturability3
Polyurea's machinability is poor (25/100, worse than 90% of polyurethane grades); weldability not recommended (5/100).
Common Calculations4
Values are nominal handbook figures for design screening. Certified mill or lot data ships with every FabDigit order on request.
Strength versus weight in the polyurethane family
Yield strength against density for every polyurethane grade FabDigit runs. Polyurea is highlighted; hover a dot for its name, or open the interactive family chart.
Working with Polyurea
Is Polyurea easy to machine?
Cured film is trimmed with sharp knives, hot knives or water-jet; conventional machining smears and drags, and thermosets cannot be re-melted.
Can Polyurea be welded?
Not weldable — repairs are made by abrading, solvent/tie-coat priming and re-spraying fresh polyurea within the recoat window.
Can Polyurea be formed, bent or molded?
Applied by heated (60–75 °C) plural-component 1:1 impingement spray at 14–24 MPa, gel 3–15 s and tack-free under a minute; also cast or RIM-moulded for parts.
Polyurea chemical composition (wt %)
Limits by weight percent from the governing specification, written the way the spec states them — a single maximum for impurities, a range for alloying elements, and the base element as balance. Nominal is the typical mid-range value.
| Element | Spec limit (wt %) | Nominal |
|---|---|---|
| MDI-based isocyanate quasi-prepolymer (Atypically polymeric/modified MDI, NCO ~15–16% | 40 – 55 | 50 |
| amine-terminated polyether resin (ATPE, polyoxypropylene diamine/triamine, MW 2000–5000 | 30 – 45 | 38 |
| aromatic diamine chain extender (DETDA /sets hard-segment content and hardness | 5 – 15 | 9 |
| pigment, UV stabiliser, adhesion promotegrade-dependent additives | 0 – 8 | 3 |
What surface finishes work on Polyurea?
Surface prep (SSPC-SP10 blast on steel, CSP-3 on concrete) plus epoxy primer governs adhesion; aromatic films need an aliphatic polyurea or PU topcoat for colour retention.
How much does Polyurea cost?
Polyurea is a premium-cost polyurethane ($$$), cheaper than about 51% of the materials FabDigit quotes. Part price depends far more on geometry, tolerance and quantity than on the raw stock — upload a CAD file for a live quote.
Polyurea — frequently asked
What is Polyurea used for?
Polyurea is typically used for protective spray coatings, truck bed liners, waterproofing membranes and blast-mitigation linings. In short: fastest-curing protective lining; tougher than sprayed polyurethane; cures in seconds, walk-on quickly.
What is the tensile strength of Polyurea?
Polyurea has a typical tensile strength of 18 MPa (2.61 ksi) — weaker than 76% of polyurethane grades. Strength varies by condition: see the 8 listed tempers.
Is Polyurea easy to machine?
Not especially — machinability is rated poor (25/100, worse than 90% of polyurethane grades). Cured film is trimmed with sharp knives, hot knives or water-jet; conventional machining smears and drags, and thermosets cannot be re-melted.
Can Polyurea be welded?
Not readily — weldability is rated not recommended (5/100). Not weldable — repairs are made by abrading, solvent/tie-coat priming and re-spraying fresh polyurea within the recoat window.
What surface finishes work on Polyurea?
Surface prep (SSPC-SP10 blast on steel, CSP-3 on concrete) plus epoxy primer governs adhesion; aromatic films need an aliphatic polyurea or PU topcoat for colour retention.
Can Polyurea be formed, bent or molded?
Applied by heated (60–75 °C) plural-component 1:1 impingement spray at 14–24 MPa, gel 3–15 s and tack-free under a minute; also cast or RIM-moulded for parts.
What is the maximum service temperature of Polyurea?
Polyurea is rated for continuous use to about 120°C (248 °F), and briefly to 180°C. Strength falls off well before that limit — check the elevated-temperature data for load-bearing parts.
How much does Polyurea cost?
Polyurea is a premium-cost polyurethane ($$$), cheaper than about 51% of the materials FabDigit quotes. Part price depends far more on geometry, tolerance and quantity than on the raw stock — upload a CAD file for a live quote.
Sources
- ASTM D412 — Tension Properties of Vulcanized Rubber and Thermoplastic Elastomers — ASTM International (2021)
- ASTM D624 — Tear Strength of Conventional Vulcanized Rubber and TPE — ASTM International (2020)
- ASTM D2240 — Rubber Property, Durometer Hardness — ASTM International (2021)
- NSF/ANSI 61 — Drinking Water System Components — NSF International (2023)
- Polyurea Development Association (PDA) technical bulletins and applicator guidance — PDA (2022)
- Aromatic and aliphatic spray polyurea system datasheets (isocyanate prepolymer / ATPE resin suppliers) — Huntsman, Covestro, VersaFlex, SPI (2023)
Property data is compiled from published supplier and standards handbooks and normalised for comparison; hardness values on non-Brinell scales are converted approximately for charting only. Manufacturability limits are FabDigit quote-engine defaults and may be relaxed by engineering review. Nothing on this page is a certification — request mill certs, CoC or material test reports with your order.