TPU Foams

Title: POLYURETHANE FOAMS AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING SAME

Number/Link: US2017/0174818

Applicant/Assignee: Lubrizol

Publication Date: 22-june-2016 (PCT oct. 2015)

“Gist”: TPUs with specific MW and polydispersity are injection moulded together with cellopener and gas in supercritical state

Why it is interesting: The invention relates to injection moulded “flexible foams”, especially useful for footwear applications. Thermoplastic polyurethanes with a Mw of 120,000 to 500,000 and a dispersity index of 1.85 to 2.51 are foamed using a gaseous blowing agent (CO2 or C1 to C6 hydrocarbons etc. ) together with a cellopener (silicone or EO/PO surfactant), such that at least 50% of cells are open.  In the examples the blowing agent is added in supercritical state to the melt before injection moulding. The type of gas used, nor the densities of the foams are mentioned.  Foaming TPU with gas in supercitical has also been file by Nike as discussed before in this blog.

Nike shoe with foamed thermoplastic midsole

 

TPU-Silicone TPVs

Patent Title: THERMOPLASTIC POLYURETHANE COMPOSITE MATERIAL COMPOSITION, THERMOPLASTIC POLYURETHANE COMPOSITE MATERIAL AND MANUFACTURING METHOD THEREOF, SHOE MATERIAL AND WEARABLE APPARATUS

 Number/Link: US2017 /0015825

Applicant/Assignee: Evermore Chem. Ind.

Publication date: 19-jan-2017

Gist”: A blend of TPU and unsaturated silicone gum is dynamically vulcanized

Why it is interesting: A thermoplastic polyurethane is blended (in a kneader) with 1 to 5% w/w of double-unsaturated silicone rubber gum. The blend is then dynamically vulcanized by extruding (and pelletizing) it together with a peroxide curing agent like e.g. 1,3-bis-(t-butylperoxyisopropyl)benzene. The resulting thermoplastic is said to have improved slip resistance without reducing the TPU properties like abrasion resitance and is therefore said to be especially useful for the production of shoe-soles. It is ‘contemplated’ that the resulting material is a semi-IPN, but (i.m.o.) it is more likely that a seperate crosslinked silicone  phase -and therefore a thermoplastic vulcanizate (TPV)- is formed.

perox

1,3-bis-(t-butylperoxyisopropyl)benzene

In Situ Reticulated Viscoelastic Foams

Patent Title: VISCOELASTIC AND RETICULATED POLYURETHANE FOAM AND THE PREPARATION THEREOF

 Number/Link: WO2016/198433

Applicant/Assignee: Covestro

Publication date: 15-dec-2016

Gist”: Composition of 3 semi-miscible polyols and a surfactant

Why it is interesting: This case claims a polyol composition for the preparation of a viscoelastic, reticulated foam without the need for a separate reticulation step. The composition consists of (at least) three polyols and a surfactant:  a low mole-weight all-PO ‘rigid’ triol, a conventional flexible polyol, a high- or all-EO polyol and some off-the-shelf silicone surfactant.  The composition is foamed with water and polymeric MDI or a polymeric MDI/TDI mixture. This is a well-known composition and it is hard to see why this should result in a reticulated foam – unless maybe in some fine-tuned cases.  Apart from the ball rebound being less than 15% the claims do not mention any parameters related to reticulated foam (such as airflow). It is doubtful (in my opinion) that this will get granted.

Cell structure of a reticulated foam

Cell structure of a reticulated foam

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