Polyisocyanurate based polymers and fiber reinforced composites

A method of making an isocyanurate based polymer, consisting essentially of the steps of:

• providing a liquid aromatic polyisocyanate;
• providing a trimerization catalyst;
• said aromatic polyisocyanate comprising of a combination of methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI) and polymeric methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (pMDI) providing said aromatic polyisocyanate with an average functionality of greater than 2;
• forming a reaction mixture being substantially free of reactive hydrogen by mixing a catalytic amount of at least one epoxide with said aromatic polyisocyanate and mixing said trimerization catalyst with said reaction mixture;
• said trimerization catalyst consisting essentially of at least one of amine catalysts, organometallic compounds, imidazole compounds, said at least one epoxide being monofunctional or polyfunctional;
• providing an aliphatic polyisocyanate of hexamethylene diisocyanate to said reaction mixture including at least one of uretidione, isocyanurate, biuret, allophanate or iminooxadiazinedione;
• and
• curing said reaction mixture to produce a polymer composition being substantially free of urethane and amide groups and including a reaction product of two or more isocyanates.

A method of making an isocyanurate based polymer, consisting essentially of the steps of:

• providing a liquid aromatic polyisocyanate;
• providing a trimerization catalyst;
• said aromatic polyisocyanate comprising of a combination of methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI) and polymeric methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (pMDI) providing said aromatic polyisocyanate with an average functionality of greater than 2;
• forming a reaction mixture being substantially free of reactive hydrogen by mixing a catalytic amount of at least one epoxide with said aromatic polyisocyanate and mixing said trimerization catalyst with said reaction mixture;
• said trimerization catalyst consisting essentially of at least one of amine catalysts, organometallic compounds, imidazole compounds, said at least one epoxide being monofunctional or polyfunctional;
• curing said reaction mixture to produce a polymer composition being substantially free of urethane and amide groups and including a reaction product of two or more isocyanates;
• and
• wherein said polymer composition is post cured in one of a humid environment, or an aqueous solution or aged at an ambient temperature and pressure in an environment including atmospheric moisture.

A method of making an isocyanurate based polymer, consisting essentially of the steps of:

• providing a liquid aromatic polyisocyanate;
• providing a trimerization catalyst;
• said aromatic polyisocyanate comprising of a combination of methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI) and polymeric methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (pMDI) providing said aromatic polyisocyanate with an average functionality of greater than 2;
• forming a reaction mixture being substantially free of reactive hydrogen by mixing a catalytic amount of at least one epoxide with said aromatic polyisocyanate and mixing said trimerization catalyst with said reaction mixture;
• said trimerization catalyst consisting essentially of at least one of amine catalysts, organometallic compounds, imidazole compounds, said at least one epoxide being monofunctional or polyfunctional;
• curing said reaction mixture to produce a polymer composition being substantially free of urethane and amide groups and including a reaction product of two or more isocyanates;
• and
• infusing a fibrous material with said reaction mixture after catalyzing said reaction mixture and prior to heating said reaction mixture for curing a fiber reinforced composite reaction mixture.