Patent Title: ORGANIC AEROGELS BASED ON ISOCYANATE AND CYCLIC ETHER POLYMER NETWORKS

 Number/Link: WO2017016755

Applicant/Assignee: Henkel

Publication date: 2-feb-2017

“Gist”: Isocyanate and epoxy are reacted in solvent and supercritically dried

Why it is interesting: While most ‘conventional’ aerogels are based on silica, organic aerogels, especially isocyanate-based aerogels, are also well known: polyurethane-, polyurea-, polyamide-, polyimide-, polycarbodiimide- and polyisocyanurate aerogels have all been reported. This invention adds another type of aerogel based on the reaction of isocyanates and cyclic ethers, esp. oxetanes and oxiranes. The isocyanate with a functionality of (pref.) 2 to 3, (e.g. 4,4′-MDI or methylidynetri-p-phenyletriisocyanate) is reacted with a cyclic ether  of (pref.) functionality of 2 to 3, (e.g. N,N-diglycidyl-4-glycidyloxianiline) in a suitable solvent (e.g. DMAc). After washing, the gel is dried with supercritical carbon dioxide. The materials are useful for thermal insulation and are said to have better mechanical properties compared to other organic aerogels.

N,N-Diglycidyl-4-glycidyloxyaniline