Making a Better NOP-based Flexible Foam

Title: Additives For Improving Natural Oil Based Polyurethane Foam Peformance

Number/Link: US2013/0065978

Applicant/Assignee: Air Products

Publication date: 14-03-2013

“Gist”: Incorporating a small amount of cyanoguanidine into a NOP-based flexible foam improves airflow and humid ageing.

Why it is interesting: Now that natural oil polyols (NOPs) are becoming mainstream in flexible polyurethane foams (at least in the patent literature), it is to be expected that specific catalysts, surfactants and other additives will be developed for these systems. Air Products claims to improve air flow and humid ageing properties of NOP-based foams by adding small amounts ( about 0.05 parts per 100 polyol) of solutions (in e.g. DMSO) of guanidine or its derivatives like cyanoguanidine or guanidinehydrochloride salt to the formulation. While it is not immediatly clear why this should work, the effect seems to be real.

2-cyanoguanidine

Polyurethane Elastomer with Greatly Improved Abrasion Resistance

Title: POLYURETHANE WITH IMPROVED ABRASION RESISTANCE, THE METHOD FOR PREPARING THE SAME AND USE THEREOF

Number/Link: US2013059935

Applicant/Assignee: Bayer

Publication date: 7-03-2013

“Gist”: Use of polybutadiene, high in 2,3-trans butene, to improve abrasion resistance of PU elastomers

Why it is interesting: A polybutadiene (not the diol!) with a molecular weight of about 10,000 and containing 10-20% 1,2-cis butene and about 50% of 2,3-trans butene is used in an amount of up to 5% on the total formulation, resulting in a much improved abrasion resistance. It is not clear why the 2,3 trans level has to be so high – it may have to do with crystallinity and/or compatibility with the PU matrix – but no comparative examples are given. While the idea is interesting, it is not new and only a slight variation on a Dow patent of 1996: US5510054.

2,3 trans-, 1,2- and 2,3-cis butene units

2,3 cis-, 1,2- and 2,3-trans butene units

Even more non-isocyanate polyurethanes – this time from Dow!

Title: CYCLIC CARBONATE MONOMERS AND POLYMERS PREPARED THEREFROM

Number/Link: WO2013028292

Applicant/Assignee: Dow

Publication date: 28-02-2013

“Gist”: Preparation of divinylbenzene dicyclic carbonate and its reaction with triethylenetriamine and blowing agent to make poly(hydroxyurethane) foams.

Why it is interesting: There seems to be a growing interest in non-isocyanate production of (hydroxy) polyurethanes based on cyclic carbonates and amines (see also my earlier posts on the subject). This may well be due to an increasing pressure upon system producers to reduce the concentration of free monomeric isocyanates in applications such as spray foams, one component froth foams and coatings. Because the cyclic carbonates – in contrast to isocyanates- are not water-reactive they can also be used to produce water-based coatings e.g.
Dow claims to have improved upon the existing art with new cyclic carbonate monomers, which are liquid and more reactive than prior art monomers. The new monomers are prepared form divinylarene dioxides and CO2.

a divinylbenzenedioxide whcih can be turned into the dicyclocarbonate using CO2

a divinylbenzenedioxide which can be turned into the dicyclocarbonate using CO2

Innovation in Polyurethanes

Making a Better NOP-based Flexible Foam

Polyurethane Elastomer with Greatly Improved Abrasion Resistance

Even more non-isocyanate polyurethanes – this time from Dow!

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