Breathable TPU Membranes

Patent Title: POROUS THERMOPLASTIC MEMBRANES

 Number/Link: WO2017/178482

Applicant/Assignee:  BASF

Publication date: 19-october-2017

Gist”: Semi-permeable membranes are made by phase inversion of all-hardblock TPU solutions

Why it is interesting: ‘Breathable” membranes show a high resistance to liquid water permeation (LEP) combined with a high water vapour permeability (WDD). According to this invention breathable polyurethane membranes can be prepared by dissolving an all-hardblock thermoplastic polyurethane in a polar, aprotic solvent (like N-methyl pyrrolidone) together with a water soluble compound, casting a film and coagulating the film with water. In the examples diisocyanates (MDI, TDI and HDI) are stoichiometrically reacted with chain extenders (MEG, BDO and HDO).  The resulting materials were schredded and dissolved in NMP together with some glycerol. 150 μm thick films were cast on glass and coagulated in water, resulting in membranes with an average pore size ranging between 4 and 500 nm.  The membranes are said to be useful to make breathable fabrics for outdoor wear e.g. (“Gore Tex” (TM) – type materials)

N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone

 

 

 

 

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Polythiourethanes for 3D Printing

Patent Title:  THIOURETHANE POLYMERS, METHOD OF SYNTHESIS THEREOF AND USE IN ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGIES

 Number/Link: WO2017/160810

Applicant/Assignee:  Univ. Texas

Publication date: 21-September-2017

Gist”: Photolatent bases are used to catalyse the polythiol-polyisocyanate reaction

Why it is interesting: According to this invention reactive systems useful for additive manufacturing processes can be prepared from polythiols, diisocyanates and a photolatent base.  When irradiated the photolatent base will split off a non-nucleophilic base which will catalyse the thiol-isocyanate reaction. The systems can be prepared such that the resulting materials show improved mechanical properties over current 3D printed materials.  In an example 2,2′-(ethylenedioxy)diethanethiol and pentaerithritol tetrakis(3-mercaptopropionate) are reacted with HDI using 1,1-dimethyl-1-(2-hydroxypropyl)amine-p-nitrobenzimide (DANBA) as a photolatent base.

Example of pholatent base (DANBA)

Viscoelastic Polyurethane Elastomers

Title:  IMPACT PROTECTION FOAM

Number/Link: US2017/0233519

Applicant/Assignee: Dow

Publication Date: 17 august 2017

“Gist”: Viscoelastic foams are prepared from MDI, castor oil and a hydrophilic polyether polyol.

Why it is interesting: According to this invention energy absorbing foams with relatively low density and a low hardness and resilience in the temperature range from about -10 to +40°C, can be produced by reacting a blend of hydrophilic and hydrophobic polyols containing castor oil, about 0.5 pbw water and some catalyst and chain extender with MDI.  The examples show foams of about 500 kg/m³ with hardness below shore 50A and ball rebound below 15% at both -10 and +23°C. The foams are said to be useful for impact-protective garments.

Castor oil

Castor oil component

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