Title: Process For Producing Flexible Polyurethane Foam Using Natural Oil Polyols

Patent Number & Link: US2013/197114

Applicant/Assignee: Air Products

Publication date: 1-08-2013

“Gist”: Use of 2-cyanoacetamide as cellopener together with a dipolar aprotic liquid as “cellopening aide” in moulded flexible foams.

Why it is interesting: The use of compounds with an active (acidic) methylene group like 2-cyanoacetamide as cellopener for flexible foam is known (US6136876) but has some disadvantages like low solubility in polyol and low reproducibility when dissolved in water. The use of these cellopeners together with dipolar aprotic solvents like dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) or glycols like PEG200 supposedly solves these problems and allows for the use of a lower amount of the cellopener.  In the examples 0.03 pphp of cyanoacetamide is used together with 0.12pphp of DMSO. Strangely claim 1 expressly states the use of at least one NOP (natural oil based polyol) while this does not seem relevant to the invention.

2-cyanoacetamide