Recticel Automobilsysteme Gmbh

Recticel N.v.

Ascorium Gmbh

Koen Vanlandschoot

Hugo De Winter

Yvan Vanluchene

Kristof Benoit

Geert Van Houcke

Peter De Wilde

Geert Snellings

Jean-Christophe Bouckaert

Jurgen Mispelon

Geert Trossaert

Mario Genetello

Bart Haelterman

Laura Jonckheere

Peter Spanhove

Peter DeWilde

Rudi Farinon

An elastomeric composite polyurethane skin having an average flexural modulus, measured in accordance with ASTM D790-03, smaller than 35 MPa is disclosed. The elastomeric composite polyurethane skin includes a first aliphatic polyurethane layer made from a first polyurethane reaction mixture having at least one isocyanate compound with at least two NCO-groups which are not directly attached to an aromatic group, at least one isocyanate-reactive component (B1), and at least one catalyst component (C1) substantially free of lead, and a second aromatic polyurethane layer made from a second polyurethane reaction mixture having at least one aromatic isocyanate compound (A2), and at least one isocyanate-reactive component (B2).

Elastomeric composite polyurethane skins

The thermoset, phase-separated polyurethane material of the flexible skin layer is produced from a reactive mixture which is made of one or more isocyanate compounds and isocyanate reactive compounds which include one or more polyol compounds, flexibilizers, chain extenders and/or crosslinkers and amine-initiators. Apart from at least one crosslinking amine-initiator, these amine-initiators further include at least one extender amine-initiator.

Method for producing a skin layer of a flexible, elastomeric, thermoset, phase-separated polyurethane material

The present invention relates to a method for producing a flexible elastomeric composite polyurethane skin wherein a polyurethane reaction mixture is sprayed onto a mold surface and the polyurethane reaction mixture is allowed to cure to produce the skin layer. The polyurethane reaction mixture is composed of components comprising at least an isocyanate component, isocyanate-reactive components and a catalyst component and the isocyanate component is composed of at least one isocyanate having at least two NCO-groups which are not directly attached to an aromatic group. The catalyst component is substantially free of lead, which leads to a lower flexibility. In accordance with the invention, the flexibility of the polyurethane skin is increased by means of at least one flexibiliser which reduces the flexural modulus of the skin and which comprises at least one isocyanate-reactive group. The flexibiliser is preferably a monofunctional flexibiliser which comprises only one isocyanate-reactive group.

Method for producing a flexible composite elastomeric polyurethane skin

The present invention relates to a method for producing a flexible elastomeric composite polyurethane skin comprising a first and a second flexible polyurethane layer obtained by spraying a first and a second polyurethane reaction mixture onto one another. The first reaction mixture is an aliphatic polyurethane reaction mixture which is free of lead and formulated to produce a polyurethane elastomer having a flexural modulus smaller than 35 MPa. The second reaction mixture is an aromatic polyurethane reaction mixture producing a polyurethane elastomer having a smaller flexural modulus. The thickness of the aliphatic polyurethane layer could be made so small with respect to the thickness of the aromatic polyurethane layer that the composite skin has an average flexural modulus smaller than 30 MPa. Notwithstanding the lower reactivity of the aliphatic polyurethane reaction mixture, especially when using a higher NCO-index to reduce the 'rubbery feel' and the emission of VOCs and/or a flexibiliser to achieve a higher flexibility, sufficiently short cycle times can be achieved due to the accelerated curing observed when spraying the aromatic polyurethane sufficiently early against the aliphatic polyurethane layer.

Growing community of inventors

Wetteren, Belgium

Koen Vanlandschoot