September 2008

From September 23 to 26, 2008 in Berlin, Bayer MaterialScience AG is making its debut appearance at InnoTrans, the international trade fair for transport technology, where it is showcasing its portfolio as a raw materials and systems partner for the rail industry.

The company is exhibiting a whole range of rail transport applications for polyurethane systems and thermoplastics on Stand 405b in Hall 26. Among other things, the company’s stand will focus on highly promising polyurethane system developments in track construction, which Bayer MaterialScience has been working on in close cooperation with its partners. Such collaborations offer customers the opportunity to benefit from the extensive experience and know-how that the company has bundled under BaySystems®, the global umbrella brand for polyurethane systems business. “A worldwide network of systems houses and service centers provides customers with local support and ensures greater flexibility and shorter time-to-market for new innovations,” explains Thorsten Eschmeier, stand manager for Bayer MaterialScience. Speaking at a press conference alongside representatives from participating partner companies, he outlined the following track construction developments.

Track superstructure system cuts noise pollution and maintenance costs

Liquid Durflex®, an innovative noise-reduction ballast system that delivers lasting flexibility, is injected into the spaces between the ballast stones. The material, which is based on the BaySystems Bayflex® system, then expands to completely fill the cavities. This prevents the stones from shifting, which occurs as a result of the dynamic forces typically generated when a train passes over them. Impact sound is also effectively insulated at the point of origin. FRENZEL-BAU GmbH & Co. KG, which is based in Freden, Germany, developed Durflex® in cooperation with BaySystems and Hennecke GmbH. The system was also tested this summer on a busy test track operated by the Berlin Transportation Company.

Polyurethane railroad ties have a long service life and are easy to fit

Railroad ties based on the glass fiber reinforced integral skin foam Baydur® have already been in use in Japan for many years, even on high-speed Shinkansen lines. The material that SEKISUI CHEMICAL CO. LTD. manufactures from Baydur® – Eslon Neo Lumber FFU – offers far greater durability and much lower lifecycle costs than timber. Just a few weeks ago, ties made from this material were used in Germany for the first time when they were laid as part of a 74-meter-long switch at the CHEMPARK in Leverkusen. Eslon Neo Lumber FFU is also highly resistant to moisture.

Complete rail grouting system is durable and cuts noise levels

The noise produced by streetcars – the cause of numerous complaints from local residents, particularly in city centers – can be effectively dampened using the complete polyurethane rail grouting system Büfaflex®. This material, which is based on the Bayflex® system, has been developed by Polyplan GmbH, Strasslach (Germany), and the BaySystems BÜFA systems house specifically for this application and boasts a customized pore structure that literally swallows up sound. The material is electrically non-conducting and therefore helps to prevent the corrosion damage that stray current causes to gas and water pipes. Büfaflex® is also more cost-effective to process than conventional rail grouting systems. Rails are simply “floated” in special formwork on site and then encased in the foamed polymeric material.

Furthermore, exposures of a window for railway cars and a noise protection wall, both made from the polycarbonate Makrolon®, are shown at the stand of Bayer MaterialScience, among other things.

About Bayer MaterialScience:
With 2007 sales of EUR 10.4 billion, Bayer MaterialScience is among the world’s largest polymer companies. Business activities are focused on the manufacture of high-tech polymer materials and the development of innovative solutions for products used in many areas of daily life. The main segments served are the automotive, electrical and electronics, construction, and sports and leisure industries. At the end of 2007, Bayer MaterialScience had 30 production sites and employed approximately 15,400 people around the globe. Bayer MaterialScience is a Bayer Group company.


For more information visit www.bayermaterialscience.de, www.bayer-baysystems.com, www.frenzel-bau.de, www.sekisui.de, www.voestalpine.com, www.bmwi.de, www.bmvbs.de and www.fluesterschiene.de.