Title: METHOD FOR PREPARING FLEXIBLE POLYURETHANE FOAM WITH HYDROLYSABLE SILANE COMPOUNDS

 Number/Link: WO2013/48999

Applicant/Assignee: DOW

Publication date: 4-04-2013

“Gist”: Incorporation of hydrolysable silane compounds into flexible polyurethane foam formulation results in improved mechanical properties.

Why it is interesting: Compounds containing one or more hydrolysable silane groups Si-OR, where R denotes a hydrocarbyl group, and containing preferably at least one isocyanate-reactive group are incorporated into flexible foam formulations to introduce a secondary crosslinking mechanism. The crosslinking can occur by reaction with ambient moisture but preferably about 0.5 mole of water per mole of Si-OR group is added on top of the water used to blow the foam to the desired density. The extra crosslinking is claimed to improve mechanical properties (tear- and tensile strength and elongation-at-break) without adversely affecting the resilience and hysteris loss properties of the foam.