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Method for continuous curing of hipe into hipe foams

  • US 6,525,106 B1
  • Filed: 08/07/2001
  • Issued: 02/25/2003
  • Est. Priority Date: 02/22/1999
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. A method of continuously curing a HIPE into a HIPE foam, the method comprising the steps of:

  • A) continuously providing a HIPE, said HIPE comprising;

    1) an oil phase comprising;

    a) from about 85 to about 99% by weight of a monomer component capable of forming a copolymer having a Tg value of below about 90°

    C. or lower, the monomer component comprising;

    i) from about 5 to about 80% by weight of a substantially water-insoluble, monofunctional monomer capable of forming a polymer having a Tg of about 35°

    C. or less;

    ii) from about 0 to about 70% by weight of a substantially water-insoluble, monofunctional comonomer capable of imparting other desired properties to the foam;

    iii) about 5 to about 80% by weight of at least one substantially water-insoluble, polyfunctional crosslinking agent; and

    b) from about 1 to about 20% by weight of an emulsifier component which is soluble in the oil phase and which is suitable for forming a stable water-in-oil emulsion; and

    2) a water phase comprising an aqueous solution containing;

    (a) from about 0.2 to about 40% by weight of a water-soluble electrolyte; and

    (b) an effective amount of a polymerization initiator;

    wherein the emulsion has a volume to weight ratio of water phase to oil phase in the range of from about 8;

    1 to about 140;

    1;

    B) transferring said HIPE into a curing chamber, wherein said curing chamber is provided with means to maintain said HIPE at a curing temperature, suitable for polymerizing and crosslinking said monomer, comonomer, and crosslinking agent;

    C) maintaining said HIPE in said curing chamber for a residence time sufficient for at least partial curing of said HIPE into a nascent HIPE foam;

    D) characterized in that said nascent HIPE foam is continuously withdrawn from said curing chamber; and

    E) further processing said nascent HIPE foam into a cured HIPE foam.

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