Mitsui Chemicals, Inc.

Mitsui Toatsu Chemicals, Incorporated

Kazuhiko Ohkubo

Tsukuru Izukawa

Tomoki Tsutsui

Yoshitsugu Sakaki

Ariko Nishikawa

Tamotsu Kunihiro

Masahiro Isobe

Seijiro Sakai

Satoshi Yamasaki

Shinsuke Matsumoto

Kaoru Ueno

Usaji Takaki

Tadahito Nobori

Nobuhito Koga

Mikio Matsufuji

Atsushi Miyata

Yasunori Hara

Fumio Yamazaki

Yukichi Tanaka

Masahiro Sasaki

Katsuhisa Nozawa

Highly-functionalized, low-viscosity polyether polyols are obtained by dehydration condensation reaction of alcohols. The polyether polyols are obtained by dehydration condensation of glycerin and monohydric and/or dihydric alcohol with the glycerin percentage being more than 50 mol % relative to 100 mol % of the total of the glycerin and alcohol. The glycerin may be crude glycerin obtained by hydrolysis or alcoholysis of natural fat and oils.

Polyether polyol, rigid polyurethane foam and processes for production thereof

The high-durability flexible polyurethane cold cure molded foam of the invention has an overall density of not less than 35 kg/m and not more than 45 kg/m and a wet heat compression set of not more than 15%, and preferably has a hardness change ratio, as determined in a repeated compression test, of not more than 15%. This foam can be obtained by the process of the invention. The process of the invention is a process for producing a flexible polyurethane cold cure molded foam obtained from a polyol and/or a polymer polyol containing dispersed polymer microparticles obtained by radical polymerizing a compound having an unsaturated bond in the polyol, water, a catalyst and a polyisocyanate, wherein the polyol is a polyol synthesized by the use of a catalyst containing at least one compound selected from the group consisting of a compound having a nitrogen-phosphorus double bond, cesium hydroxide and rubidium hydroxide. The foam of the invention has a low density and is excellent in durability, particularly in hardness change ratio in a repeated compression test and wet heat compression set. According to the process of the invention, such a foam can be obtained.

High-durability flexible polyurethane cold cure molded foam and process for producing the same

The object is to provide a method for producing a polyoxyalkylene polyol and a method for producing a derivative thereof wherein the remaining catalyst compound is efficiently removed from a crude polyoxyalkylene polyol by a simple manner, and a method for producing a polyoxyalkylene polyol wherein a crude polyoxyalkylene polyol is produced by addition polymerization of an epoxide compound to an active hydrogen compound using as a catalyst a compound having a P&boxH;N bond, then, the crude polyoxyalkylene polyol is allowed to contact with a solid acid having a specific surface area of 450 to 1200 m /g and an average pore diameter of 40 to 100 &angst; to control the catalyst-remaining amount in the polyoxyalkylene polyol to 150 ppm or less, and a method for producing a derivative of the-above-described polyol are provided.

Method for producing polyoxyalkylene polyol and derivatives thereof

Propylene oxide is added to an active hydrogen compound in the presence of an alkali metal hydroxide catalyst in an amount of from 0.05 to 0.5 mole per mole of the active hydrogen compound at a reaction temperature of from 60 to 98.degree. C. at a reaction pressure less than or equal to 4 kg/cm.sup.2 to prepare a polyoxyalkylene polyol which has a hydroxyl value of from 10 to 35 mg KOH/g, a monool content less than or equal to 15 mol %, a Head-to-Tail bond selectivity greater than or equal to 96 percent, and low viscosity. A polymer polyol is prepared by polymerizing an ethylenically unsaturated monomer in the polyoxyalkylene polyol. A flexible polyurethane foam is prepared by reacting the polyoxyalkylene polyol or the polymer polyol with an organic polyisocyanate compound in the presence of a foaming agent, a catalyst, a surfactant, a crosslinking agent and other additives. The thus-obtained polyurethane foams have less closed cells and are more excellent in properties such as hardness, humid aged compression set and impact resiliency.

Preparation of flexible polyurethane foams

A flexible polyurethane foam prepared by reacting polyisocyanate with polyol and/or polymer polyol containing dispersed polymer microparticles obtained by polymerizing an unsaturated compound, water, catalyst, surfactant and, when needed, crosslinking agent and other auxiliary agents, wherein a portion or the whole of the polyol and/or the polymer polyol is prepared in the presence of a compound having a nitrogen-phosphorus double bond as a catalyst, have excellent wet compression set, fatigue by constant-load pounding and dynamic durability.

Flexible polyurethane foam with high durability

Propylene oxide is added to an active hydrogen compound in the presence of an alkali metal hydroxide catalyst in an amount of from 0.05 to 0.5 mole per mole of the active hydrogen compound at a reaction temperature of from 60.degree. to 98.degree. C. at a reaction pressure less than or equal to 4 kg/cm.sup.2 to prepare a polyoxyalkylene polyol which has a hydroxyl value of from 10 to 35 mg KOH/g, a monool content less than or equal to 15 mol %, a Head-to-Tail bond selectivity greater than or equal to 96 percent, and low viscosity. A polymer polyol is prepared by polymerizing an ethylenically unsaturated monomer in the polyoxyalkylene polyol. A flexible polyurethane foam is prepared by reacting the polyoxyalkylene polyol or the polymer polyol with an organic polyisocyanate compound in the presence of a foaming agent, a catalyst, a surfactant, a crosslinking agent and other additives. The thus-obtained polyurethane foams have less closed cells and are more excellent in properties such as hardness, humid aged compression set and impact resiliency.

Preparation of polyoxyalkylene polyols, polymer polyols and flexible

An alkali metal compound such as metallic cesium, cesium hydroxide, cesium hydroxide monohydrate, metallic rubidium, rubidium hydroxide or rubidium hydroxide monohydrate is used as a catalyst, crude polyoxyalkylene polyol containing the catalyst is neutralized with a mineral acid or an organic acid, an aqueous solution layer containing an alkali metal salt is brought into contact with an anion exchange resin to adsorb mineral acid anion or organic acid anion, the alkali metal compound catalyst is recovered, alkylene oxide undergoes ring-opening addition polymerization on an active hydrogen compound in the presence of the recovered alkali metal compound catalyst to prepare polyoxyalkylene polyol, the catalyst is thereafter separated, recovered and reused, and such recycle of the alkali metal compound catalyst provides an economical process.

Preparation process for polyoxyalkylene polyol

An alkali metal compound such as metallic cesium, cesium hydroxide, cesium hydroxide monohydrate, metallic rubidium, rubidium hydroxide or rubidium hydroxide monohydrate is used as a catalyst, crude polyoxyalkylene polyol containing the catalyst is neutralized with a mineral acid or an organic acid, an aqueous solution layer containing an alkali metal salt is brought into contact with an anion exchange resin to adsorb mineral acid anion or organic acid anion, the alkali metal compound catalyst is recovered. alkylene oxide undergoes ring-opening addition polymerization on an active hydrogen compound in the presence of the recovered alkali metal compound catalyst to prepare polyoxyalkylene polyol, the catalyst is thereafter separated, recovered and reused, and such recycle of the alkali metal compound catalyst provides an economical process.

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Kanagawa, Japan

Kazuhiko Ohkubo