Arco Chemical Technology, L.p.

Union Carbide Corporation

Bayer Antwerp, N.v.

Bayer Antwerpen N.v.

Donald W Simroth

Frank E Critchfield

Xinhua Zhou

Russell Van Cleve

Edgar G Shook

Charles V Rose

Stuart L Watson

George H Armstrong

Richard C Myerly

John E Hayes

Siusun K Leung

Ulrich B Holeschovsky

John F Timberlake

Edmund C Steinle, Jr

Polymer polyols and polymer-modified polyols having substantially no transition metal content in the polyol continuous phase may be prepared from encapsulative double metal cyanide complex-catalyzed polyoxyalkylene polyether base polyols without substantial removal of double metal cyanide complex catalyst residues from the base polyol and subsequent in situ polymerization of one or more polymerizable monomers.

Process for the preparation of polyol polymer dispersions

Stabilizer precursors and preformed stabilizers having induced unsaturation, and prepared from low intrinsic unsaturation-containing polyoxyalkylene polyether polyols may be used to form polymer polyols of higher solids content, lower viscosity, and superior filterability and particle size than polymer polyols prepared from stabilizers derived from polyols having higher intrinsic unsaturation, even when the latter are coupled to form high molecular weight stabilizers.

Stabilizer based on high molecular weight polyols having low monol

Polymer polyols and polymer-modified polyols having substantially no transition metal content in the polyol continuous phase may be prepared from encapsulative double metal cyanide complex-catalyzed polyoxy-alkylene polyether base polyols without substantial removal of double metal cyanide complex catalyst residues from the base polyol and subsequent in situ polymerization of one or more polymerizable monomers.

Process for the preparation of polymer polyol dispersions

The present invention provides polymer polyols and a method for preparing polymer polyols which have (1) exceptional dispersion stability, especially at high styrene contents, and (2) substantially smaller particle sizes than polymer polyols having equivalent viscosity. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a first reaction product is obtained by feeding the following materials to a first continuous reactor in the presence of a free radical initiator or catalyst: (a) less than about 50 wt. % of a total monomer proportion or monomer mixture, preferably comprising styrene/acrylonitrile at a ratio preferably greater than about 50/50 wt. %; (b) at least about 50 wt. % of a total base polyol proportion; (c) a majority of a precursor stabilizer; and, (d) a polymer control agent (PCA). The product from this first reaction then is again fed through a continuous reactor, which may be the same as the first reactor, along with additional initiator, at least about 50% of the total monomer proportion, and, optionally, any balance of the total base polyol proportion, precursor stabilizer, and PCA. The product from this second reactor is a high stability, low viscosity polymer polyol.

Low viscosity polymer polyols with improved dispersion stability

Polymer polyols prepared by a semi-batch process using a small amount of a seed polymer polyol are disclosed. The final polymer polyol has a broader particle size distribution as compared to an identically prepared polymer polyol prepared in the absence of the seed polymer polyol. The polymer polyols are suitable for use in producing polyurethanes, particularly polyurethane foams.

Semi-batch process for producing polymer polyols

The present invention provides polymer polyols and a method for preparing polymer polyols which have (1) exceptional dispersion stability, especially at high styrene contents, and (2) substantially smaller particle sizes than polymer polyols having equivalent viscosity. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a first reaction product is obtained by feeding the following materials to a first continuous reactor in the presence of a free radical initiator or catalyst: (a) less than about 50 wt % of a total monomer proportion or monomer mixture, preferably comprising styrene/acrylonitrile at a ratio preferably greater than about 50/50 wt %; (b) at least about 50 wt % of a total base polyol proportion; (c) a majority of a precursor stabilizer; and, (d) a polymer control agent (PCA). The product from this first reaction then is again fed through a continuous reactor, which may be the same as the first reactor, along with additional initiator, at least about 50% of the total monomer proportion, and, optionally, any balance of the total base polyol proportion, precursor stabilizer, and PCA. The product from this second reactor is a high stability, low viscosity polymer polyol.

Improved polymer/polyol compositions and processes for making them; high potency preformed stabilizers used to make the polymer/polyol compositions and processes for making them; and improved polyurethane products made from the polymer/polyols compositions; characterized by a material reduction in polymer/polyol viscosity while raising the polymer solids content.

Polymer/polyol and preformed stabilizer systems

A stabilizer for polymer/polyols characterized by four key features: (1) prepared from a starting polyol having a functionality greater than 4; (2) having at least 60% retained unsaturation; (3) having a viscosity greater than 2000 cSt; and (4) prepared where the starting polyol is capped with alkylene oxide and/or the adduct formed between the starting polyol and the reactive unsaturated compound is capped with ethylene oxide.

Stabilizers for polymer/polyols

A normally liquid, stable polymer/polyol composition which imparts improved combustion resistance to polyurethane foams prepared therefrom while retaining satisfactory foam tensile properties are formed by polymerizing in the presence of a free radical catalyst and in the essential absence of an alkyl mercaptan, (1) from about 25 to about 60 weight percent of an ethylenically unsaturated monomer or monomers, for example, a mixture of acrylonitrile and styrene in a weight ratio respectively of 25:75 to 0:100, dissolved or dispersed in (2) from about 40 to about 75 weight percent of a polyol comprising a base polyol having a hydroxyl number of less than about 150, wherein the polymer is characterized by a crosslinking coefficient of less than 55 and an intrinsic viscosity of at least 0.30. A process for treating the resulting polymer/polyol composition to reduce the product viscosity to essentially the indigenous system viscosity in polymer/polyol compositions of this type is disclosed, as is a stabilizer precursor which assists in stabilizing the resulting polymer/polyol compositions.

Polymer/polyols having improved combustion resistance and intrinsic

A stable dispersion of a polymer in a polyol which imparts improved combustion resistance to polyurethane foams prepared therefrom wherein the polymer is a free-radical initiated copolymer containing from about 0.5 to 75 weight percent, based on the copolymer, of acrylonitrile and from about 25 to 99.5 weight percent, based on the copolymer, of at least one other polymerizible ethylenically unsaturated monomer and wherein the copolymer is characterized by a crosslinking coefficient of less than 55.

Polymer/polyol compositions having improved combustion resistance

This invention relates to polymer/polyols prepared from an ethylenically unsaturated monomer or a mixture of such monomers and characterized by the utilization, in the preparation thereof, of certain preformed stabilizers tailored to the monomer system employed, a method of preparing such polymer/polyols, and to the preformed stabilizers themselves. In general, the stabilizer, compatible with the polyol portion of the polymer/polyol, comprises a copolymer of an anchor portion consisting of an ethylenically unsaturated monomer or mixture of such monomers and a solvatable portion consisting of a propylene oxide polymer having a number average molecular weight of at least 800. The resulting polymer/polyols are stable, fluid, essentially free from scrap and seeds as produced and contain relatively small polymer particles. In accordance with one aspect of this invention, the polymer particles are essentially spherical in shape.

Polyurethanes made with polymer/polyols prepared via preformed

Polymer/polyols via non-aqueous dispersion stabilizers

This invention relates to a novel process for producing polymer/polyols characterized by the use of specific combinations of acrylonitrile and styrene and by utilizing certain peroxyester catalysts. Methacrylonitrile and/or alpha-methyl styrene may optionally be used as substitutes for the acrylonitrile and styrene, respectively. The process produces novel polymer/polyols characterized by relatively high polymer contents and increased stability. These polymer/polyols are stable, fluid, essentially free from scrap and seeds as produced and contain relatively small polymer particles such that, in the preferred embodiment, essentially all are less than about 30 microns in diameter.

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Charleston, WV, United States of America

Donald W Simroth