Resin for composite structures

• US 7,875,675 B2
• Filed: 11/23/2005
• Issued: 01/25/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/23/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Milgard Manufacturing Incorporated (MI Windows & Doors LLC)
• Original Assignee: Milgard Manufacturing Incorporated (MI Windows & Doors LLC)
• Inventors: Huang, Icheng, Coffee, Harry D., Kharchenko, Semen, Brown, Randall Jay
• Primary Examiner(s): Zimmer; Marc S
• Assistant Examiner(s): Frank; Noah
• Application Number:
  US11/287,141
• Publication Number:
  US 20070117921A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,889 Days
• Field of Search: 524/589, 524/425, 524/445
• US Class Current: 524/589
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 70/523 and impregnating the reinforcement in the die
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2075/00 Use of PU, i.e. polyureas or polyurethanes or derivatives thereof, as moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 18/4804 Two or more polyethers of different physical or chemical nature
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 18/7657 containing two or more aromatic rings
• CPC Class Codes: C08K 3/013 Fillers, pigments or reinforcing additives

Abstract

A resin precursor composition for use in the production of composite components includes an isocyanate component comprising a material selected from the group consisting of diphenylmethane diisocyanate, a polymeric isomer of diphenylmethane diisocyanate, and combinations thereof. The resin precursor composition also includes at least one polyether polyol having a functionality of three in an amount such that the ratio of the isocyanate component to the at least one polyol is between approximately 80% and 115% of stoichiometric. The resin precursor composition also includes a mold release material and a filler material.

Claims

1. A resin precursor composition for use in the production of composite components comprising:

a mold release material;

a filler material;

an isocyanate component comprising a material selected from the group consisting of diphenylmethane diisocyanate, a polymeric isomer of diphenylmethane diisocyanate, and combinations thereof; and

a blend of three polyether polyols, each of the polyols having a functionality of three in an amount such that the ratio of the isocyanate component to the polyol blend is between approximately 80% and 115% of stoichiometric, the polyether blend comprising;

(a) between approximately 20% and 50% of a first polyol having a molecular weight of between approximately 600 and 800;

(b) between approximately 20% and 40% of a second polyol having a molecular weight of between approximately 200 and 300; and

(c) between approximately 20% and 50% of a third polyol having a molecular weight of between approximately 100 and 300.

2. The resin precursor composition of claim 1, wherein the first polyol has an OH index of between approximately 200 and 300 mgOH/g, the second polyol has an OH index of between approximately 500 and 700 mgOH/g, and the third polyol has an OH index of between approximately 800 and 1200 mgOH/g.

3. The resin precursor composition of claim 1, wherein the first polyol has an OH index of between approximately 230 and 250 mgOH/g, the second polyol has an OH index of between approximately 600 and 700 mgOH/g, and the third polyol has an OH index of between approximately 900 and 1100 mgOH/g.

4. The resin precursor composition of claim 1, wherein the first polyol has a viscosity of less than approximately 500 cps, the second polyol has a viscosity of less than approximately 1000 cps, and the third polyol has a viscosity of less than approximately 2000 cps.

5. The resin precursor composition of claim 1, wherein the first polyol has a viscosity of less than approximately 400 cps, the second polyol has a viscosity of less than approximately 900 cps, and the third polyol has a viscosity of less than approximately 1500 cps.

6. The resin precursor composition of claim 1, wherein the first polyol has a molecular weight of between approximately 650 and 750, the second polyol has a molecular weight of between approximately 225 and 275, and the third polyol has a molecular weight of between approximately 125 and 200.

7. The resin precursor composition of claim 1, wherein the polyether blend has an OH index between approximately 350 and 750 mgOH/g.

8. The resin precursor composition of claim 1, wherein the polyether blend has an OH index between approximately 625 and 725 mgOH/g.

9. The resin precursor composition of claim 1, wherein the first polyol has an OH index between approximately 200 and 300 mgOH/g.

10. The resin precursor composition of claim 1, wherein the second polyol has an OH index between approximately 500 and 700 mgOH/g.

11. The resin precursor composition of claim 1, wherein the third polyol has an OH index between approximately 800 and 1200 mgOH/g.

12. The resin precursor composition of claim 1, wherein the first polyol has an OH index of between approximately 200 and 300 mgOH/g and a viscosity of less than approximately 500 cps, the second polyol has an OH index of between approximately 500 and 700 mgOH/g and a viscosity of less than approximately 1000 cps, and the third polyol has an OH index of between approximately 800 and 1200 mgOH/g and a viscosity of less than approximately 2000 cps.

13. The resin precursor composition of claim 1, wherein the blend comprises between approximately 25% and 35% of the first polyol, between approximately 25% and 35% of the second polyol, and between approximately 30% and 45% of the third polyol.

14. The resin precursor composition of claim 1, wherein the mold release material is provided in an amount of between approximately 0.5% and 5% of the total mass of the resin precursor composition.

15. The resin precursor composition of claim 1, wherein the filler is provided in an amount of between approximately 0.5% and 10% of the total mass of the resin precursor composition.

16. The resin precursor composition of claim 1, wherein the filler comprises at least one material selected from the group consisting of caolin clay, calcium carbonate, and combinations thereof.

17. The resin precursor composition of claim 1, wherein the resin precursor composition has an elongation-to-failure of between approximately 6% and 15% after curing.

18. The resin precursor composition of claim 1, wherein the resin precursor composition has an elastic modulus of between approximately 350,000 and 500,000 psi after curing.

19. The resin precursor composition of claim 1, further comprising a polymeric additive configured to counteract shrinkage of the resin precursor composition during polymerization.

20. A polyurethane resin precursor composition for use in a pultrusion process comprising:

a mold release material;

a filler material;

an isocyanate material comprising a material selected from the group consisting of diphenylmethane diisocyanate, a polymeric isomer of diphenylmethane diisocyanate, and combinations thereof; and

a polyol component comprising;

(a) a first polyether polyol having a functionality of three and a molecular weight of between approximately 600 and 800 and an OH index of between approximately 200 and 300 mgOH/g;

(b) a second polyether polyol having a functionality of three and a molecular weight of between approximately 200 and 300 and an OH index of between approximately 500 and 700 mgOH/g; and

(c) a third polyether polyol having a functionality of three and a molecular weight of between approximately 100 and 300 and an OH index of between approximately 800 and 1200 mgOH/g;

wherein the polyol component comprises between approximately 20% and 50% of the first polyether polyol, between approximately 20 and 40% of the second polyether polyol, and between approximately 20 and 50% of the third polyether polyol.

21. The resin precursor composition of claim 20, wherein the first polyether polyol has an OH index of between approximately 230 and 250 mgOH/g, the second polyether polyol has an OH index of between approximately 600 and 700 mgOH/g, and the third polyether polyol has an OH index of between approximately 900 and 1100 mgOH/g.

22. The resin precursor composition of claim 20, wherein the first polyether polyol has a viscosity of less than approximately 500 cps, the second polyether polyol has a viscosity of less than approximately 1000 cps, and the third polyether polyol has a viscosity of less than approximately 2000 cps.

23. The resin precursor composition of claim 20, wherein the first polyether polyol has a viscosity of less than approximately 400 cps, the second polyether polyol has a viscosity of less than approximately 900 cps, and the third polyether polyol has a viscosity of less than approximately 1500 cps.

24. The polyurethane resin precursor composition of claim 20, wherein the first polyether polyol has a viscosity below approximately 500 cps and the third polyether polyol has a viscosity below approximately 2,000 cps.

25. The polyurethane resin precursor composition of claim 20, wherein the polyol component has an OH index of between approximately 350 and 750 mgOH/g.

26. The polyurethane resin precursor of claim 20, wherein the polyol component has an OH index of between approximately 625 and 725 mgOH/g.

27. The polyurethane resin precursor of claim 20, wherein the third polyether polyol has a viscosity of below approximately 1,500 cps.

28. The polyurethane resin precursor composition of claim 20, wherein the filler comprises at least one material selected from the group consisting of caolin clay, calcium carbonate, and combinations thereof.

29. The polyurethane resin precursor composition of claim 20, further comprising a polymeric additive configured to counteract shrinkage of the resin precursor composition during polymerization.

30. The polyurethane resin precursor composition of claim 20, wherein the resin precursor composition has an elongation-to-failure of between approximately 6% and 15% after curing.

31. The polyurethane resin precursor composition of claim 20, wherein the resin precursor composition has an elastic modulus of between approximately 350,000 and 500,000 psi after curing.

32. A method for producing a resin precursor composition comprising:

mixing a polyol blend with a mold release material and a filler material to form a first resin precursor component, the polyol blend comprising between approximately 20% and 50% of a first polyol having a molecular weight of between approximately 600 and 800, between approximately 20% and 40% of a second polyol having a molecular weight of between approximately 200 and 300, and between approximately 20% and 50% of a third polyol having a molecular weight of between approximately 100 and 300;

mixing a second component with the first component to form a resin precursor composition, the second component comprising an isocyanate comprising a material selected from the group consisting of diphenylmethane diisocyanate, a polymeric isomer of diphenylmethane diisocyanate, and combinations thereof;

wherein the step of mixing the second component with the first component is performed less than approximately five minutes before the resin precursor composition is to be provided to an impregnation die of a pultrusion process.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the step of mixing the second component with the first component is performed at a rate that matches the rate of consumption of the resin precursor composition in a pultrusion process.

34. The method of claim 32, further comprising curing the resin precursor composition such that it has an elastic modulus of between approximately 350,000 and 500,000 psi and an elongation-to-failure of between approximately 6% and 15%.

35. The method of claim 32, wherein the polyol blend comprises between approximately 25% and 35% of the first polyol, between approximately 25% and 35% of the second polyol, and between approximately 30% and 45% of the third polyol.

36. The method of claim 32, wherein the first polyol has an OH index of between approximately 200 and 300 mgOH/g, the second polyol has an OH index of between approximately 500 and 700 mgOH/g, and the third polyol has an OH index of between approximately 800 and 1200 mgOH/g.

37. The method of claim 32, wherein the first polyol has an OH index of between approximately 230 and 250 mgOH/g, the second polyol has an OH index of between approximately 600 and 700 mgOH/g, and the third polyol has an OH index of between approximately 900 and 1100 mgOH/g.

38. The method of claim 32, wherein the first polyol has a viscosity of less than approximately 500 cps, the second polyol has a viscosity of less than approximately 1000 cps, and the third polyol has a viscosity of less than approximately 2000 cps.

39. The resin precursor composition of claim 32, wherein the first polyol has a viscosity of less than approximately 400 cps, the second polyol has a viscosity of less than approximately 900 cps, and the third polyol has a viscosity of less than approximately 1500 cps.

40. The resin precursor composition of claim 32, wherein the first polyol has a molecular weight of between approximately 650 and 750, the second polyol has a molecular weight of between approximately 225 and 275, and the third polyol has a molecular weight of between approximately 125 and 200.

41. The method of claim 32, further comprising providing the resin precursor composition into an impregnation die of a pultrusion process.

42. The method of claim 41, wherein the mold release material comprises an acid that is attracted to walls of the impregnation die.

43. The method of claim 41, wherein a portion of the mold release material reacts with the filler material to form a metal soap.