Pittsburg State University

Acushnet Company

Certainteed Corporation

Other

Cargill Inc.

Ivan J Javni

Zoran S Petrovic

Andrew Guo

Mihail Ionescu

Alisa Zlatanic

Wei Zhang

Bernie Allen

Murray S Toas

John J Bozek

Kwangjin Song

Ivana Cvetkovic

Nikola Bilic

DooPyo Hong

Neil M Goldman

Timothy Walter Abraham

Jeff J Malsam

Xiuguang A Guo

X Andrew Guo

Milhail Ionescu

Doopyo Hong

A method of producing a foam is disclosed. The method includes providing an epoxy-containing compound, a cationic catalyst, an optional blowing agent, and at least one additive. The method further includes combining the epoxy-containing compound with the cationic catalyst, the optional blowing agent, and the at least one additive, wherein the epoxy-containing compound and the cationic catalyst react to polymerize the epoxy-containing compound to provide the foam having a density from about 0.3 lbs/ftto about 5.0 lbs/ftas measured by ASTM D1622. Further disclosed are the foam and a method for installing the foam.

Foam, composition, and method

A method of making a biobased-petrochemical hybrid polyol is provided. This method includes reacting a cyclic ether with a vegetable oil-based polyol in the presence of a cationic catalyst or a coordinative catalyst that includes a vegetable oil-based polyol ligand to form the biobased-petrochemical hybrid polyol. The biobased-petrochemical hybrid polyol that is created has a number average molecular weight of about 3,000 to about 6,000 and has a structure that is about 22% to about 36% biobased. In one aspect of the present invention, the cyclic ether is propylene oxide, and the propoxylated polyol formed from the propylene oxide and vegetable oil-based polyol is then reacted with ethylene oxide in the presence of a superacid catalyst to create a block copolymer with a terminal polyethylene oxide block having a high percentage of terminal primary hydroxyl groups. If the cyclic ether is a homogeneous mixture of ethylene oxide and propylene oxide, then propylene oxide-ethylene oxide random copolymers are formed by polyaddition to vegetable oil polyols. The biobased-petrochemical hybrid polyol may be reacted with an isocyanate so as to create a flexible polyurethane that has good hydrolytic resistance.

Biobased-petrochemical hybrid polyols

Enhanced oligomeric polyols are reported. The enhanced oligomeric polyols may be prepared by a method comprising the steps of: (a) providing an oligomeric polyol that comprises at least one glycerol fatty acid ester having at least one glycerol fatty acid ester bond; wherein at least 5% of the ethyldenyl groups (*C&#x2550;C*) in the glycerol fatty acid ester are substituted with a bonding structure selected from the group consisting of: C-*C&#x2014;C*-C; O-*C&#x2014;C*-O; C=*C&#x2014;C*-C, and mixtures thereof, where * is used to denote the original carbon atoms in the ethylidenyl group; and (b) cleaving at least a portion of the glycerol fatty acid ester bonds to form the enhanced oligomeric polyol. The enhanced oligomeric polyols are useful in making polymers such as polyurethanes.

Enhanced oligomeric polyols and polymers made therefrom

A soy-based polyol is mixed with an isocyanate and aggregate to produce a soy-based polyurethane having superior mechanical properties. The aggregate composition may be varied to obtain different mechanical properties, as can the amount of resin. The resin may be crosslinked using a low molecular weight polyol, such as glycerine, to also improve structural performance. A catalyst may be added to accelerate curing time without reducing structural performance.

Polymer concrete and method for preparation thereof

Methods of making unsaturated modified vegetable oil-based polyols are described. Also described are methods of making oligomeric modified vegetable oil-based polyols. An oligomeric composition having a modified fatty acid triglyceride structure is also described. Also, methods of making a polyol including hydroformylation and hydrogenation of oils in the presence of a catalyst and support are described.

Modified vegetable oil-based polyols

Method of making natural oil-based polyols and polyurethanes therefrom

A vegetable oil-based polyol is made by adding a peroxyacid to vegetable oil wherein said peroxyacid reacts with said vegetable oil to form epoxidized vegetable oil and adding said epoxidized vegetable oil to a mixture of an alcohol, water, and a catalytic amount of fluoboric acid so as to form a vegetable oil-based polyol. A further embodiment of the present invention involves making a vegetable oil-based polyol using an epoxidized vegetable oil as the starting material. The epoxidized vegetable oil undergoes hydroxylation by the same process as outlined above. According to another aspect of the present invention, the vegetable oil-based polyol formed by the novel methods of this invention may be reacted with an isocyanate to form a polyurethane. Alternatively, a filler such as silica may be combined with the vegetable oil-based polyol before it is reacted with the isocyanate. These polyurethanes made from vegetable oil-based polyols may be used to form electroinsulating casting resins.

Process for the preparation of vegetable oil-based polyols and electroinsulating casting compounds created from vegetable oil-based polyols

An isocyanate prepolymer for application in polyurethanes. The prepolymer is synthesized by combining epoxidized natural oils with isocyanates and a catalyst. The prepolymer contains oxazolidone rings that will react with polyols to form polyurethane. The invention provides a method of using a renewable resource in a fast, simple process to produce substantial amounts of isocyanate prepolymer and a minimum of homopolymers.

Process for the synthesis of epoxidized natural oil-based isocyanate prepolymers for application in polyurethanes

Process for the preparation of vegetable oil-based polyols and

The invention provides a conforming medium containing gels for customized fitting components, such as those used in a shoe. The invention further includes environmentally-responsive gels that are temperature-responsive so that they will react to body heat to transition from a liquid to a gel state or a gel state to a liquid state. Furthermore, the invention is directed to an article for conforming to the contours of an object having isolation means, such as a ladder of a flexible member, to contain the environmentally-responsive gel therein.

Conforming shoe construction and gel compositions therefor

A shoe that conforms to foot contours and provides cushioning is comprised of a shoe sole and a shoe upper attached to the shoe sole. The shoe upper is comprised of an outer layer, an inner layer and a conforming layer therebetween, wherein a first portion of the conforming layer is comprised of environmentally-responsive gel. The environmentally-responsive gel is a temperature-responsive gel that will react to the heat emanating from a foot inserted into the shoe to express a liquid.

Conforming shoe construction using gels and method of making the same

The invention provides a conforming medium containing gels for customized fitting components, such as those used in a shoe. The invention further includes environmentally-responsive gels that are temperature-responsive so that they will react to body heat to transition from a liquid to a gel state or a gel state to a liquid state. The invention optionally includes thermally-sensitive dyes and other colorants in the environmentally-responsive gels. Furthermore, the invention is directed to an article for conforming to the contours of an object having isolation means, such as a bladder of a flexible member, to contain the environmentally-responsive gel therein.

Growing community of inventors

Pittsburg, KS, United States of America

Ivan J Javni