General Electric Company

Monica A Ferrero-Heredia

James Alfred Day

William J Ward, Iii

Edward J McInerney

George L Gaines, Jr

Closed cell polyurethane foams, useful as thermal insulation for refrigerators and the like, are prepared by blending a polyisocyanate, a polyol and a suspension of at least one solid alkaline reagent, preferably sodium hydroxide, in an inert carrier liquid having a suitable viscosity. Preferred carrier liquids include polyepoxides and polyoxyalkylenediamines. The alkaline reagent reacts with and removes the carbon dioxide employed as a blowing agent, thus decreasing the thermal conductivity of the foam.

Method of preparing polyurethane foam of low thermal conductivity

Polyurethane foam of low thermal conductivity is prepared by employing carbon dioxide as a blowing agent, preferably in combination with a halogenated compound, typically a halocarbon or halohydrocarbon such as monofluorotrichloromethane or 1,1-dichloro-1-fluoroethane, and incorporating in the foam a carbon dioxide-reactive reagent. Sodium hydroxide and soda lime are illustrative carbon dioxide-reactive reagents. The carbon dioxide is preferably formed in situ by the reaction of water with the diisocyanate precursor of the polyurethane, and the carbon dioxide-reactivereagent is preferably introduced in admixture with a portion of the polyol precursor.

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East Greenbush, NY, United States of America

Monica A Ferrero-Heredia