Thermoplastic Polyurea Elastomers

Title: MELT PROCESSIBLE POLYUREAS AND POLYUREA-URETHANES, METHOD FOR THE PRODUCTION THEREOF AND PRODUCTS MADE THEREFROM

 Number/Link: US2013/0331538

Applicant/Assignee: University of Akron

Publication date: 12-12-2013 (priority PCT)

Gist”: Polyurea is made melt-processable by incorporating hydrogen-bond accepting chain extenders (HACE)

Why it is interesting: It is well known that polyurea elastomers with a decent hardblock content (of e.g. 30-35%) are not melt-processable. Because of very strong (bi-dentate) H-bond formation in the hard domains the material will degrade sooner than flow when heated. In this invention it is proposed to incorporate a relatively small amount of HACE to disrupt the hard domain structure and reduce flow temperature.  In an example a few parts of OH-ended pentamethylenepolycarbonate with a MW of 500 to 800 was used next to the conventional 1,6-hexamethylene chain extender to drop the flow temperature by 50°C while not affecting the tensile strength. (I suppose a NH2-ended polycarbonate could have been used as well to make an all-polyurea material).

Bi-dentate H-bonds between polurea molecules (left) disrupted by a polycarbonate group (right)

Bi-dentate H-bonds between polurea molecules (left) dusrupted by a carbonate group (right)

Hybrid Polyurethane-Epoxy Pultrusion System

Title: REINFORCED PULTRUDED POLYURETHANE AND PRODUCTION THEREOF

 Number/Link: US2013/0309924

Applicant/Assignee: Bayer

Publication date: 21-11-2013 (priority PCT/DE)

Gist”: A pultrusion matrix material is formulated from of an immiscible polyol blend together with one or more epoxides and MDI

Why it is interesting: Pultrusion matrix systems need a decent pot-life and, after curing, a high glass transition temperature and modulus. According to the invention this can be achieved by using an immiscible polyol mixture prepared from a) a relatively high MW PO polyol (e.g. PPG4000) and b) a blend of low MW polyols and chain extenders/crosslinkers, where the amount of a) is about 10-30% on the total polyol. This polyol system together with an epoxide (e.g. bisphenol A or the triglycidylether of trimethylolpropane) an  isocyanate (e.g polymeric MDI) and optional additives results in a system useful for a pultrusion process. The examples show a pot-life of about 30 minutes and a Tg of about 150°C. The immiscible high MW PO polyol probably forms a seperate phase, thus increasing the Tg of the hard phase.

Diagram of the Putrusion Process (Wikipedia)

Diagram of the Putrusion Process (Wikipedia)

Flexible Foams containing Polyurethane Phase Change Gels

Title: Polyurethane Gel-Like Polymers, Methods and Use in Flexible Foams  

 Number/Link: US2013/0296449

Applicant/Assignee: PETERSON CHEMICAL TECHNOLOGY

Publication date: 07-11-2013

Gist”:   “Polyurethane phase change gels” prepared from polyurethane gels and conventional PCMs are incorporated into polyurethane or latex flexible foams to improve thermal comfort.

Why it is interesting: This application is closely related to the application discussed in the previous post but instead of a plasticized styrenic triblock copolymer, now a polyurethane gel is used. The PU gel is produced from conventional raw materials at low NCO-index (about 60%) together with plasticizers.

A Polyurethane Gel

A Polyurethane Gel

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