TPU with Anti-Biofouling Surface

Patent Title: ANTIFOULING COMPOSITION

Number/Link: WO2017/007899

Applicant/Assignee: BASF

Publication date: 12-jan-2017

“Gist”: TPU containing silicone diol and having microstructured surface

Why it is interesting: Biofouling of surfaces e.g. in the marine environment or of medical implants is a problem. For example the growth of barnacles on the hulls of vessels, subsea cables, pipes and energy generating structures has a significant economic impact. According to this invention, thermoplastic polyurethane articles with a surface energy of about 20 mN/m and a microstructered surface topography show an improved resistance to biofouling. The TPU is produced by incorporating 5-15% on the total composition of a PDMS diol with a OH value of 15 to 150, and by pressing onto the surface a 3D topology with ‘peaks’ and ‘valleys’ of an order of magnitude of 10μm.

Microstructured surface according to the invention

Flexible PU Foams Containing Latent Aldehydes

Patent Title: IMPROVEMENTS RELATING TO POLYURETHANES

Number/Link: WO2017/001543

Applicant/Assignee: Shell

Publication date: 5 january 2017

“Gist”: Flex foams from polyether polyols containing latent aldehydes show improved compression set

Why it is interesting: Aldehydes are a by-product of the alkylene oxide production. These aldehydes need to be removed before the alkylene oxide can be used in the manufacture of polyether polyols because even minor amounts of these impurities are considered undesirable and detrimental for polyol and foam properties. According to this invention, omitting the extra purification step of the alkylene oxide results in polyols with a certain amount of free- and latent aldehydes. (‘latent aldehyde’ being an aldehyde incorporated in the polyether polyol with a labile bond). After removal of the free aldehyde, the polyols with (pref) >150ppm latent aldehydes (mostly propionaldehyde and acetaldehyde) can be used in the preparation of flexible foam with improved wet and dry compression set properties. While the examples indeed show some (but not a dramatic) improvement of compression set, no mention is made of eventual release of the aldehydes in the atmosphere, which (in my opinion) is a much bigger problem than compression set.

Propionaldehyde

Liquid Crystalline Polyurethane Elastomers

Patent Title: LIQUID CRYSTALLINE POLYURETHANE ELASTOMER AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING SAME

Number/Link: US 2016/0376396

Applicant/Assignee: Toyo Tire & Rubber

Publication date: 29-dec-2016

“Gist”: Specific mesogenic diols are used together with high MW polyols and high functionality isocyanate

Why it is interesting: The invention is about thermotropic liquid crystalline PU elastomers, where the liquid crystalline (LC) phase is formed at relatively low temperatures (e.g. near room temperature). This is accomplished by preventing the mesogen to crystallize, such that it shows no melting point between its Tg and Ti (LC phase -to- isotropic phase transition temperature). This, in turn, is accomplished by using a high molecular weight polyol together with a high functionality isocyanate and a mesogenic diol of the structure shown below where Y represents -N=N-, -CO-, -CO-O- or -CH=N- and X represents a C3 to C20 alkylene. Under stress the elastomer extends in the orientation direction by increasing the LC content and shrinks by reducing LC content. It can therefore be used as a temperature-controlled actuator.

General structure of the mesogenic diol of the invention

Innovation in Polyurethanes

TPU with Anti-Biofouling Surface

Flexible PU Foams Containing Latent Aldehydes

Liquid Crystalline Polyurethane Elastomers

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