Polyurethane-Polyamides from Dimer Diacids

Title: A POLYOL BASED ON DIMER FATTY ACID RESIDUES AND THE CORRESPONDING POLYURETHANES

 Number/Link:WO2015/097433

Applicant/Assignee: Croda

Publication date: 2-07-2015

Gist”: Polyurethane/polyamide elastomers based on dimer diacids and long chain dicarboxylic acids

Why it is interesting: Polyurethane elastomers (and thermoplastic elastomers) based on dimer diacids or dimer diols are very hydrophobic and hydrolysis resistant but are relatively soft with lowish mechanical properties. According to this invention, using a blend of a dimer diacid (or -diol) and a (semi-) crystalline C17 to C32 dicarboxilic acid (or -diol) results in elastomers with greatly improved hardness and tensile strength while retaining flexibility and hydrolysis resistance. The C17 to C32 dicarboxylic acids can be prepared by a self-metathesis reaction of unsaturated fatty acid esters.  In the examples a C36 dimer diacid is used together with 1,18-octadodecanoic acid (prepared by metathesis from methyl oleate).  This is reacted ‘one shot’ with 4,4′ MDI and hexanediol or DEG, resulting in 85 shore A elastomers with high elongation and hydrolysis resistance.

A C36 dimer diacid

A C36 dimer diacid

Flexible Foams with Improved Thermal Comfort

Title: IN-SITU GELATINOUS TRIBLOCK COPOLYMER ELASTOMERS IN POLYURETHANE FLEXIBLE FOAMS

 Number/Link:US2015/0166756

Applicant/Assignee: Peterson Chemical Technology

Publication date: 18-06-2015

Gist”: Gelatinous styrenic block copolymers are incorporated in flexible foams to increase thermal conductivity.

Why it is interesting: High viscosity styrenic triblock copolymer resins (like SBS, SEBS, SIS etc), plasticized with mineral oils, are added to flexible foam-forming compositions. The heat of the foam-forming reaction is said to be sufficient to further polymerize the resins and melt the styrene-block such that the block copolymers get integrated into the polyurethane matrix. The resulting foams show increased load bearing and improved thermal conductivity. These systems could improve the thermal comfort properties of cushioning materials, especially those of viscoelastic foams.

Poly(styrene-butadiene-styrene) or SBS.

Poly(styrene-butadiene-styrene) or SBS.

Polyols from Epoxies and Cardanol

Title: CARDANOL MODIFIED EPOXY POLYOL

 Number/Link: WO2015/077944  WO2015/077945 WO2015/078178

Applicant/Assignee: Dow

Publication date: 4-06-2015

Gist”: Polyols are prepared by reacting an epoxy resin with  cashew nutshell liquid.

Why it is interesting: Cardanol is the main component of  cashew nutshell liquid which is a by-product of cashew nut processing. It is a “surfactant-like” phenolic compound which, when reacted with a polyepoxide, will result in a polyol with sec-OH groups. When used in polyurethane formulations these polyols will (unsurprisingly) be slow-reacting, highly hydrophobic and show compatibilizing properties vs apolar compounds. Dow have therefore filed three patent applications on PU systems containing these polyols: one on slowly-reacting PU systems for filament winding, one on highly hydrophobic PU elastomers and one on asphalt-PU compositions.
These are interesting polyols but they could be hard to process in my opinion.

Cardanol is reacted with bisphenol-A diglycidylether resulting in a diol according to the invention

Cardanol is reacted with bisphenol-A diglycidylether resulting in a diol according to the invention

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