The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jun. 22, 1982
Filed:
Feb. 24, 1981
John L Gerlock, Dearborn, MI (US);
Jacob Braslaw, Southfield, MI (US);
William E Stevens, Long Valley, NJ (US);
Ford Motor Company, Dearborn, MI (US);
Abstract
Polyol is recovered from polyurethane based polyurethane foam by a process which includes first dissolving the foam in a saturated alcohol, preferably diethylene glycol, having a boiling point between about 225.degree. C. and 280.degree. C. at a temperature between about 185.degree. C. and 220.degree. C. under a non-oxidizing atmosphere. The solution is reacted with water in the presence of an alkali hydroxide catalyst, preferably sodium hydroxide, under a non-oxidizing atmosphere, such as nitrogen. This may be done by refluxing the solution at a temperature between about 175.degree. C. and 220.degree. C. until all the carbamates produced during dissolution have been hydrolyzed to amines and alcohol. Water remaining in solution after hydrolysis is removed. A high boiling alkane is used to extract the polyol from the solution still under a non-oxidizing atmosphere and then the extracted polyol is subjected to vacuum purification at a temperature of less than about 230.degree. C. Substantially pure polyol is recovered which can be used to make new foam.