Scalable manufacturing method of property-tailorable polyurea foam

A process of making a hybrid polyurea foam having a semi-closed cell microstructure, comprising

• 1) removing crystallization in a sample of methylene diphenyl diisocyanate by heating the methylene diphenyl diisocyanate to about 98 degrees Fahrenheit and holding at 98 degrees Fahrenheit for about 45 minutes, then immediately stirring vigorously for 2 minutes, and allowing the methylene diphenyl diisocyanate to return to room temperature;
• 2) mixing a sample of deionized water and a sample of polytetramethyleneoxide-di-p-aminobenzoate with a mixer in a mixing container for about 45 seconds at about 10,000 rpm;
• 3) with the mixer turned off and suspended above the mixing container, adding the methylene diphenyl diisocyanate to the mixing container to form a solution and then mixing the solution for 45 seconds at roughly 10,000 RPM while moving the mixer around the mixing container during mixing;
• and wherein the mass ratio of polytetramethyleneoxide-di-p-aminobenzoate to methylene diphenyl diisocyanate in the solution is 4:1 and the mass ratio of polytetramethyleneoxide-di-p-aminobenzoate and methylene diphenyl diisocyanate to deionized water in the solution is 8:3;
• and,
• 4) letting the solution sit for 45 seconds after mixing, allowing time for reaction of the methylene diphenyl diisocyanate, deionized water, and polytetramethyleneoxide-di-p-aminobenzoate to occur, and then, after draining excess deionized water from the mixing container, pouring the solution into a mold.

A method of preparing a polyurea component in a pre-treated non-stick mold, comprising the following steps in order:

• 1) measuring out 429.9 g polytetramethyleneoxide-di-p-aminobenzoate, 107.5 g methylene diphenyl diisocyanate, and 1,433.0 g deionized water;
• 2) heating the methylene diphenyl diisocyanate to 98 degrees Fahrenheit and holding at 98 degrees Fahrenheit for 45 minutes, immediately followed by stirring vigorously for 2 minutes and then allowing the methylene diphenyl diisocyanate to return to room temperature, thereby breaking up any crystallization in the methylene diphenyl diisocyanate;
• 3) adding the deionized water and then the polytetramethyleneoxide-di-p-aminobenzoate to a mixing container to form a first solution, followed by using a homogenizer to mix the first solution for 45 seconds at roughly 10,000 RPM while moving the homogenizer around the mixing container;
• 4) with the homogenizer turned off and suspended above the mixing container, adding the methylene diphenyl diisocyanate to the mixing container to form a second solution, using the homogenizer to mix the second solution for 45 seconds at 10,000 RPM while moving the homogenizer around the mixing container;
• 5) letting the second solution sit for a 45 second waiting period seconds after mixing allowing time for reaction of the methylene diphenyl diisocyanate, deionized water, and polytetramethyleneoxide-di-p-aminobenzoate to occur;
• 6) immediately after the waiting period, draining excess deionized water from the bottom of the mixing container;
• 7) evenly pouring the second solution into a mold having four sides;
• 8) draining excess deionized water by tilting the mold in multiple directions;
• 9) placing a mold lid on the mold, and attaching a bar clamp to each of four sides of the mold to limit expansion of the second solution as it foams and inhibit the mold lid from rising or becoming uneven;
• and
• 10) leaving the foam in the mold for 24 hours and then removing the mold from a polyurea component which is foamed.