Title: REACTIVE CELL OPENER COMPOSITION, POLYOL COMPOSITION, AND OPEN-CELLED POLYURETHANE FOAM

 Number/Link: US2014/0231708

Applicant/Assignee: LG Electronics

Publication date: 21-08-2014

“Gist”:  A silicon oil together with the lithium-salt of 12-hydroxystearic acid is used as cellopener for rigid VIP foams.

Why it is interesting: While coventional rigid insulation foams are closed-celled, rigid foams for use in vacuum insulation panels (VIPs) need to have a very high open cell content together with a cell size which is as small as possible. The current invention relates to reactive cellopeners comprising a silicone ‘base’ oil and the metal salt of a fatty acid having a (isocyanate-reactive) hydroxy group.  In an example the Li-salt of of 12-hydroxystearic acid is produced from LiOH and the fatty acid using a silicone oil as reaction medium. The composition, having a 30% solids content, is then used as a cellopener in a rigid foam formulation resulting in a cell size of about 90μm and 98% open cell content at a density of about 50 kg/m³. A perfluoroalkane nucleating agent was used as well.

12-hydroxystearic acid