All posts by Gerhard Bleys

Flexible Foams Containing Plant Seeds

Title: SOFT POLYURETHANE FOAMS CONTAINING PLANT SEEDS

Number/Link: WO2014/076077

Applicant/Assignee: BASF

Publication date: 22-05-2014

“Gist”: Plants seeds can be added to flexible foam formulations and will still germinate if the temperature during foaming does not exceed 80°C

Why it is interesting: In this invention flexible foams containing superabsorbent polymers, fertilizers , (preferably) a (biodegradable) fiber reinforcement and plant seeds is described. It was found that the temperature of the foaming mixture must not exceed 80°C for the seeds to survive. The temperature can be controlled by prepolymerization, sec. OH content of the polyol and thickness of the foamed part or slab. The flexible foam sheets can be used for green walls, roofs and the like.
Foaming plant seeds in flexible foam has been done before using ‘Hypol(TM)’ technology. The temperature is then kept low by using a ‘full’ prepolymer and a large surplus of water. See my blogpost on Hypol and US3812619.

Example of a ‘green wall’

Classic PU Patent of the Month: Upjohn’s “Isoplast®” (1981)

Title: Polyurethane prepared by reaction of an organic polyisocyanate, a chain extender and an isocyanate-reactive material of m.w. 500-20,000 characterized by the use of only 2-25 percent by weight of the latter material

Number/Link: US4376834

Applicant/Assignee: Upjohn

Publication date: 15-03-1983

“Gist”: Very high hardblock TPU from MDI and chain extenders.

Why it is interesting: “Isoplast” is a so-called engineering thermoplastic useful in niche applications where high impact strength and high chemical resistance are required. The material can be clear or reinforced and can also be used in fiber-reinforced composites. Currently the trademark is owned by Lubrizol who acquired it from Dow who in turn bought it from Upjohn in the 1980s. Isoplast is made from 4,4′ MDI and a mixture of chain extenders selected from MEG,DEG, neopentyl glycol, 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol etc. The choice of chain extenders controls the crystallinity/glassiness of the polymer. A few percent of high mole weight polyol may be added to improve impact resistance. A very interesting material with interesting melt-flow characteristics because of its depolymerization and repolymerization behaviour during processing.

Screw from reinforced Isoplast

2 Comments

by Gerhard Bleys on May 23, 2014 • Permalink

Posted in Classic PU Patent of the month, Thermoplastics

Tagged automotive, chain extender, composites, Engineering thermoplastic, ETP, glass fiber, glass transition, TPE, TPU

Posted by Gerhard Bleys on May 23, 2014

https://purpatents.com/2014/05/23/classic-pu-patent-of-the-month-upjohns-isoplast-1981/

Flexible- and Viscoelastic Foams from CO2-Based Polyols

Title: HIGH STRENGTH POLYURETHANE FOAM COMPOSITIONS AND METHODS

Number/Link: WO2014/074706

Applicant/Assignee: Novomer

Publication date: 15-05-2014

“Gist”: The mechanical properties of flexible foams can be improved by replacing up to 50% of the polyol with CO2-based polycarbonate polyols.

Why it is interesting: Novomer (http://www.novomer.com) is a ‘sustainable chemistry company’ which produces aliphatic polycarbonate polyols from CO2 and epoxides. In this 215 page patent application they claim that hardness and mechanical properties viz. tensile- and tear strength of flexible and VE foams are improved by replacing between 2 and 50% of the polyol by their polycarbonate polyol. Other properties are supposedly not affected much, although resilience (e.g.) clearly drops for HR foams.
While the first claim may be technically new, it is – in my opinion- not patentable because not surprising to “a person skilled in the art”.

Reaction of CO2 and PO showing various ‘head-to-tail’ orientations

Innovation in Polyurethanes

All posts by Gerhard Bleys

Flexible Foams Containing Plant Seeds

Classic PU Patent of the Month: Upjohn’s “Isoplast®” (1981)

Flexible- and Viscoelastic Foams from CO2-Based Polyols

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