COMPOSITION THAT IS SUITABLE FOR PRODUCING POLYURETHANE FOAMS AND THAT CONTAINS AT LEAST ONE NUCLEATING AGENT

• US 20160326330A1
• Filed: 12/18/2014
• Published: 11/10/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: BASF SE, Evonik Operations GmbH (Rag-Stiftung)
• Original Assignee: BASF SE, Evonik Degussa GmbH
• Inventors: SCHUETTE, Markus, KLASSEN, Johann, WIEGMANN, Werner, KLOSTERMANN, Michael, VENZMER, Joachim, SCHILLER, Carsten, ELBING, Mark, FECHNER, Frank, EILBRACHT, Christian, GLOS, Martin
• Granted Patent: US 10,988,593 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 18/14 Manufacture of cellular products
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 18/163 covered by C08G18/18 and C08G18/22
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 18/1808 having alkylene polyamine groups
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 18/1816 having carbocyclic groups
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 18/2036 having at least three nitrogen atoms in the ring
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 18/2825 having at least 6 carbon atoms
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 18/4018 Mixtures of compounds of group C08G18/42 with compounds of group C08G18/48
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 18/4804 Two or more polyethers of different physical or chemical nature
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 18/5021 having nitrogen
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 18/7671 containing only one alkylene bisphenyl group
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 2101/00 Manufacture of cellular products
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 2201/022 premixing or pre-blending a part of the components of a foamable composition, e.g. premixing the polyol with the blowing agent, surfactant and catalyst and only adding the isocyanate at the time of foaming
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 2203/14 Saturated hydrocarbons, e.g. butane; Unspecified hydrocarbons
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 2205/046 Unimodal pore distribution
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 2205/10 Rigid foams
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 2375/08 from polyethers
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 9/0004 Use of compounding ingredients, the chemical constitution of which is unknown, broadly defined, or irrelevant
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 9/0019 halogenated
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 9/0023 containing oxygen
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 9/14 organic
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 9/149 : Mixtures of blowing agents covered by more than one of the groups C08J9/141 - C08J9/143

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method of producing polyurethane or polyisocyanurate foams which comprises the step of reacting a composition (Z1), comprising a composition (ZP) at least comprising a polyol and a catalyst that catalyzes the formation of a urethane, urea or isocyanurate bond, and a surfactant TD having an HLB value below 10 and no silicon atom, wherein the sum total of surfactants TD in the composition comprises from 0.05 to 10 parts by mass per 100 parts by mass of the composition (ZP), with at least one polyisocyanate, wherein the step of reacting takes place in the presence of a nucleating agent selected from the group consisting of perfluorinated hydrocarbons, ethers having at least one perfluorinated hydrocarbyl moiety and ketones having at least one perfluorinated hydrocarbyl moiety, and of a blowing agent, wherein the nucleating agent differs from the blowing agent, and wherein the nucleating agent and the blowing agent are mixed to obtain a composition (Z2) and said composition (Z2) is added to said composition (Z1) before the step of reacting with the at least one polyisocyanate. The present invention further relates to a stabilized composition (ZS) and also to a kit for preparing a stabilized composition (ZS) for producing a polyurethane or polyisocyanurate foam, and to methods of producing polyurethane or polyisocyanurate foams by reacting a stabilized composition of the present invention and/or a stabilized composition obtained or obtainable according to a method of the invention.

Claims

1. :

A method of producing polyurethane or polyisocyanurate foams, comprising reacting

(a) a composition (Z1), comprising

(i) a composition (ZP) at least comprising a polyol and a catalyst that catalyzes the formation of a urethane, urea or isocyanurate bond, and

(ii) a surfactant TD having an HLB value below 10 and no silicon atom, wherein the sum total of surfactants TD in the composition comprises from 0.05 to 10 parts by mass per 100 parts by mass of the composition (ZP),

(b) with at least one polyisocyanate,

wherein the reacting takes place in the presence of a nucleating agent selected from the group consisting of perfluorinated hydrocarbons, ethers having at least one perfluorinated hydrocarbyl moiety and ketones having at least one perfluorinated hydrocarbyl moiety, and of a blowing agent, wherein the nucleating agent differs from the blowing agent, and

wherein the nucleating agent and the blowing agent are mixed to obtain a composition (Z2) and said composition (Z2) is added to said composition (Z1) before the reacting with the at least one polyisocyanate.

2. :

The method according to claim 1 wherein said surfactant TD is at least one compound of formula (I),

R—

[C(O)]_x—

Y 

 

(I)

where C(O) is a carbonyl group, x is =0 or 1, R is a linear, branched or cyclic, saturated or unsaturated hydrocarbyl moiety, having at least 4 carbon atoms, and Y is =O—

R¹ or NR¹R² or O—

CH₂—

CH(OR³)—

CH₂OH, each with R¹ and R² being identical or different (C_nH_2nO)_m—

H moieties, where n is =2 to 4, and also m is =0-15, and with R³ being =H or R′

or C(O)R′

, where R′

is a hydrocarbyl moiety as defined for R and may be the same as or different from the R moiety.

3. :

The method according to claim 1, wherein said surfactant TD is isotridecanol or isononanol.

4. :

The method according to claim 1, wherein the nucleating agent is at least one compound selected from the group consisting of perfluorinated hydrocarbons and ethers having at least one perfluorinated hydrocarbyl moiety.

5. :

The method according to claim 1, wherein the nucleating agent is employed in an amount ranging from 0.1 to 10 parts by mass based on 100 parts by mass of composition (ZP).

6. :

The method according to claim 1, wherein the nucleating agent is selected from the group consisting of perfluoropentane C₅F₁₂, perfluorohexane C₆F₁₄, perfluorocyclohexane C₆F₁₂, perfluoroheptane C₇F₁₆, perfluorooctane C₈F₁₈, perfluorinated olefins of the empirical formulae C₅F₁₀, C₆F₁₂, C₇F₁₄, C₈F₁₆, dimers of 1,1,2,3,3,3-hexafluoro-1-propene, methoxyheptafluoropropane, methoxynonafluorobutane and ethoxynonafluorobutane.

7. :

The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one polyol is selected from the group consisting of polyether alcohols and polyester alcohols.

8. :

The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one polyisocyanate is selected from the group consisting of aromatic polyfunctional isocyanates.

11. :

A polyurethane or polyisocyanurate foam obtained by a method according to claim 1.

12. :

A manufacturing method, comprising adding a polyurethane or polyisocyanurate foam according to claim 11 as as an insulation to at least one selected from the group consisting of insulation panels, sandwich elements, hot water storage systems, boilers, cooling apparatus, insulation foams, refrigerators and freezers.

13. :

An insulation panel, a sandwich element, a hot water storage system, a boiler, a cooling apparatus, an insulation foam, a refrigerator or a freezer comprising a polyurethane foam according to claim 11 as insulation material.

9. :

A kit, consisting of

(I) a composition (Z1) at least comprising

a composition (ZP) comprising at least one polyol and at least one catalyst that catalyzes the formation of a urethane, urea or isocyanurate bond, and at least one surfactant TD having an HLB value below 10 and no silicon atom, wherein the sum total of surfactants TD in the composition comprises from 0.05 to 10 parts by mass per 100 parts by mass of the composition (ZP), and

(II) a composition (Z2) at least comprising

a nucleating agent selected from the group consisting of perfluorinated hydrocarbons, ethers having at least one perfluorinated hydrocarbyl moiety and ketones having at least one perfluorinated hydrocarbyl moiety, and

a blowing agent, wherein the nucleating agent differs from the blowing agent.

10. :

A stabilized composition (ZS) comprising

(a) at least one composition (ZP) at least comprising at least one polyol and at least one catalyst that catalyzes the formation of a urethane, urea or isocyanurate bond,

(b) at least one surfactant TD having an HLB value below 10 and no silicon atom, wherein the sum total of surfactants TD in the stabilized composition comprises from 0.05 to 10 parts by mass per 100 parts by mass of the composition (ZP),

(c) at least one nucleating agent selected from the group consisting of perfluorinated hydrocarbons, ethers having at least one perfluorinated hydrocarbyl moiety and ketones having at least one perfluorinated hydrocarbyl moiety, and

(d) at least one blowing agent, wherein the blowing agent differs from the nucleating agent,

wherein said composition (ZS) is a phase-stable liquid in that said composition (ZS) to the naked eye does not consist of two or more phases at an ambient temperature of 20°

C.