Atlantic Richfield Company

Arco Chemical Technology, L.p.

Covestro LLC

Arco Chemical Company

Bayer Materialscience, LLC

Bayer Antwerp, N.v.

Bayer Materialscience Ag

Accella Polyurethane Systems, LLC

Younes, Usama E.

Usama E Younes

James W Rosthauser

Nigel Barksby

Gary L Allen

Stephen D Seneker

James Leonard Lambach

Anthony R Loveday

Richard Raul Romero

Ray Joseph Anderson

Charles R Carpenter

Eloy C Martinez

David M Baily

Timothy J Pike

Kenneth R Riddle

Richard Romero

John H Perry

Disclosed are compositions that comprise water and a polyether polyol derived from sucrose and an alkylene oxide, as well as polyurethane foam systems comprising such compositions, methods for their production, and the resulting polyurethane foams.

Polyether polyol compositions and polyurethane foams formed therefrom

Disclosed are polyurethane foam-forming compositions with a phase stable isocyanate-reactive composition that includes a halogenated olefin blowing agent that has low or no ozone depletion potential and low global warming potential. Such polyurethane foam-forming compositions are suitable for spray application to produce polyurethane foams that are believed to exhibit good fire resistance properties, low smoke generation and low or no scorch due to reduced exotherm, thereby making them particularly suitable for use, for example, as relatively thick wall and/or roof insulation.

Polyurethane foam-forming compositions, methods of making low density foams using such compositions, and foams formed therefrom

A polyurethane-forming system having a viscosity at 25&#xb0; C. of less than 600 mPas for at least 30 minutes, a gel time at ambient temperature of greater than 60 minutes and a water content of less than 0.06% by weight, based on total system weight, is used to produce composites by a vacuum infusion process. This system makes it possible to produce large composites such as wind turbine blades having excellent physical properties.

Polyurethane composites produced by a vacuum infusion process

Microcellular polyurethane flexible foams having densities no greater than 0.3 g/cc which are suitable for use as lightweight shoe sole components are produced with carbon dioxide in an amount such that the polyurethane-forming mixture has a free rise density of from about 0.03 to about 0.3 g/cc. At least a portion of that carbon dioxide is dissolved as a gas into one or both of the reaction components. The amount of dissolved carbon dioxide must be such that the froth density of the isocyanate and/or isocyanate-reactive component(s) in which the carbon dioxide is dissolved will be from about 0.1 to about 0.8 g/cc. Additional carbon dioxide may be formed by the reaction of water and isocyanate during the polyurethane-forming reaction but the total amount of COpresent should be controlled to ensure that the polyurethane-forming mixture has a free rise density of from about 0.03 to 0.3 g/cc. Use of a preferred isocyanate-reactive component in which a specified ratio of diol to triol is satisfied makes it possible to use more water than had been expected. Use of a preferred prepolymer makes it possible to produce microcellular polyurethanes having good physical properties solely with a diol. The product microcellular foams possess a uniform cell structure and enhanced physical properties as compared to all water-blown foams of the same basic formulation and density. The hardness of the foams is more suitable for shoe sole, particularly midsole applications, than that of the water-blown foams, despite the lower urea hard segment content of the COblown foams.

Carbon dioxide blown low density, flexible microcellular polyurethane elastomers

Microcellular polyurethane flexible foams suitable for use as lightweight shoe sole components are produced by dissolving carbon dioxide into one or both of the iso-side or resin-side of an isocyanate-prepolymer-based microcellular polyurethane foam formulation. The resultant foams possess more uniform cell structure and enhanced physical properties as compared to all water-blown foams of the same basic formulation and density. The hardness of the foams is more suitable for shoe sole, particularly midsole applications, than that of the water-blown foams, despite the lower urea hard segment content of the CO blown foams.

Carbon dioxide blown low density, flexible microcellular elastomers suitable for preparing shoe components

Low density microcellular polyurethane foams suitable for athletic shoe midsoles and other applications are prepared by diol chain extension of 12 to 16% free NCO isocyanate-terminated prepolymers prepared by reacting an excess of di- or polyisocyanate with one or more high molecular weight, high functionality polyoxypropylene diols preferably employing water as a reactive blowing agent. The microcellular elastomers exhibit increased hardness despite the higher molecular weight of the polyoxypropylene diol and further exhibit greater tear resistance, lower compression set, and markedly lower shrinkage.

Low density microcellular elastomers based on isocyanate-terminated prepolymers

Microcellular polyurethane elastomers having sharply reduced or virtually no urea linkages may be prepared without resort to organic physical blowing agents by frothing a frothable mixture containing isocyanate reactive polyols and chain extenders, and a frothable isocyanate component. The isocyanate component is derived by reacting a stoichiometric excess of a di- or polyisocyanate with a polyol component containing an ultra-low unsaturation polyol. The froth-produced elastomers surprisingly exhibit greatly improved tear strengths, compression set, and other physical properties as compared to all water-blown microcellular elastomers of the same density.

Permanent gas blown microcellular polyurethane elastomers

Elastomers exhibiting decreased demold times and improved green strength are prepared by reacting a di- or polyisocyanate with a monodisperse polyoxypropylene diol having ultra-low unsaturation, and preferably prepared by the double metal cyanide.t-butyl alcohol catalyzed polymerization of propylene oxide. Further improved demold times and elevated elastomer physical properties are made possible by the use of multidisperse polyoxyalkylene polyether polyol blends having an overall unsaturation of less than 0.010 meq/g and a polydispersity of about 1.4 or greater.

Polyurethane elastomers having improved green strength and demold time,

Elastomers exhibiting decreased demold times and improved green strength are prepared by reacting a di- or polyisocyanate with a monodisperse polyoxypropylene diol having ultra-low unsaturation, and preferably prepared by the double metal cyanide.t-butyl alcohol catalyzed polymerization of propylene oxide. Further improved demold times and elevated elastomer physical properties are made possible bythe use of multidisperse polyoxyalkylene polyether polyol blends having an overall unsaturation of less than 0.010 meq/g and a polydispersity of about 1.4 or greater.

Polyurethane elastomers having improved green strength and demold time

Low-toxicity invert emulsion fluids for well drilling are disclosed. The fluids comprise a non-hydrocarbon, non-mineral oil continuous phase and a dispersed aqueous phase. The continuous phase materials of the invention pass the 48 hour, LC50 Mysidopsis bahia bioassay test protocol.

Low-toxicity invert emulsion fluids for well drilling

Flame retardant reaction injection molded (RIM) or structural RIM (SRIM) resins having improved time retardant properties may be produced by the addition of a halogenated vinyl resin. Suitable halogenated resins include polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and chlorinated PVC (CPVC). A synergist may be present to further enhance the fire retardant properties, which may be antimony trioxide, antimony pentoxide and the like. The resulting RIM resins may also have glass fibers or other materials present therein to provide structural improvements. The physical properties of RIM and SRIM compositions do not suffer from the addition of these flame retardant additives.

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Newtown Square, PA, United States of America

Usama E Younes