# US 11,993,689 B2 · Foamed thermoplastic polyurethane and microwave molded body thereof

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- Number: US 11,993,689 B2
- Document ID: US11993689B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/251,171
- Filed: 2018-06-13
- Published: 2021-07-15
- Granted: 2024-05-28
- Earliest claimed: 2018-06-13
- Assignees: Sunko Ink Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: Sunko Ink Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Ting-Kai Huang; Yi-Jung Huang; Hsin-Hung Lin; Hong-Yi Lin; Ya-Chi Wang
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11993689B2

## CPC

- C08G 18/7621: {being toluene diisocyanate including isomer mixtures}
- C08J 9/141: {Hydrocarbons}
- B29C 35/0805: {using electromagnetic radiation}
- B29C 44/02: for articles of definite length, i.e. discrete articles
- B29C 44/3415: {Heating or cooling}
- B29C 44/3461: {Making or treating expandable particles}
- B29C 44/445: {in the form of expandable granules, particles or beads}
- C08G 18/3203: {Polyhydroxy compounds}
- C08G 18/4238: {derived from dicarboxylic acids and dialcohols}
- C08G 18/7671: {containing only one alkylene bisphenyl group}
- C08J 9/0023: {containing oxygen}
- C08J 9/0066: {Use of inorganic compounding ingredients}
- C08J 9/122: {Hydrogen, oxygen, CO2, nitrogen or noble gases}
- C08J 9/16: Making expandable particles
- C08J 9/32: from compositions containing microballoons, e.g. syntactic foams
- C08K 3/34: Silicon-containing compounds
- C08K 3/346: {Clay}
- C08K 5/14: Peroxides
- C08L 75/04: Polyurethanes
- B29C 2035/0855: {using microwave}
- B29K 2075/00: Use of {PU, i.e.} polyureas or polyurethanes {or derivatives thereof}, as moulding material
- C08G 2110/0066: ≥ 150kg/m3
- C08J 2201/026: Crosslinking before of after foaming
- C08J 2203/06: CO2, N2 or noble gases
- C08J 2203/14: Saturated hydrocarbons, e.g. butane; Unspecified hydrocarbons
- C08J 2203/22: Expandable microspheres, e.g. Expancel®
- C08J 2375/04: Polyurethanes
- C08G: MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS OBTAINED OTHERWISE THAN BY REACTIONS ONLY INVOLVING UNSATURATED CARBON-TO-CARBON BONDS
- C08J: WORKING-UP; GENERAL PROCESSES OF COMPOUNDING; AFTER-TREATMENT NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES C08B, C08C, C08F, C08G or C08H (working, e.g. shaping, of plastics B29)
- B29C: SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING (making preforms B29B11/00; making laminated products by combining previously unconnected layers which become one product whose layers will remain together B32B37/00 - B32B41/00)
- C08K: Use of inorganic or non-macromolecular organic substances as compounding ingredients (paints, inks, varnishes, dyes, polishes, adhesives C09)
- C08L: COMPOSITIONS OF MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS (compositions based on polymerisable monomers C08F, C08G; artificial filaments or fibres D01F; textile treating compositions D06)
- B29K: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES B29B, B29C OR B29D, RELATING TO MOULDING MATERIALS OR TO MATERIALS FOR {MOULDS, } REINFORCEMENTS, FILLERS OR PREFORMED PARTS, e.g. INSERTS

## Abstract

The present invention relates to a foamable composition used to prepare foamed thermoplastic polyurethane and a microwave molded body thereof. The foamable composition includes unfoamed thermoplastic polyurethane particles, a thickener or a bridging agent, and a foaming agent, wherein the unfoamed thermoplastic polyurethane particles have a viscosity of 1,000 poise to 9,000 poise measured at 170° C. according to JISK 7311 test method.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A microwave molded body, wherein the microwave molded body is formed by placing particles of foamed thermoplastic polyurethane in a mold and subjecting the particles of foamed thermoplastic polyurethane to microwave at a second foaming stage, the particles of the foamed thermoplastic polyurethane are prepared through foaming and pelletizing of a foamable composition in a screw pelletizer at a first foaming stage, and the foamable composition comprises: 100 parts by weight of unfoamed thermoplastic polyurethane particles, 5 to 25 parts by weight of a foaming agent, and 0.5 to 5 parts by weight of a thickener or a bridging agent, wherein the thickener is selected from an inorganic thickener or a cellulose thickener, wherein the unfoamed thermoplastic polyurethane particles have a viscosity of 1,000 poise to 9,000 poise measured at 170° C. according to JISK 7311 test method.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The microwave molded body of claim 1, wherein a density of the microwave molded body is 0.15 g/cm3 to 0.6 g/cm3.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The microwave molded body of claim 1, wherein a hardness of the microwave molded body is 40 Shore C scale to 80 Shore C scale.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The microwave molded body of claim 1, wherein the bridging agent is selected from dicumyl peroxide (DCP), benzoyl peroxide, di-tert-butyl peroxide, or dicumyl hydrogen peroxide 2,5-dimethyl-2,5-di-tert-butylperoxy hexane.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The microwave molded body of claim 1, wherein the inorganic thickener is selected from bentonite or aluminum silicate, and the cellulose thickener is selected from a thickener formed by methyl cellulose, carboxymethyl cellulose, hydroxyethyl cellulose, or hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The microwave molded body of claim 1, wherein the unfoamed thermoplastic polyurethane particles have a particle size of 2.5 mm to 4.5 mm.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The microwave molded body of claim 1, wherein a hardness of the unfoamed thermoplastic polyurethane particles is 40 Shore A scale to 64 Shore D scale.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The microwave molded body of claim 1, wherein a density of the unfoamed thermoplastic polyurethane particles is 1.0 g/cm3 to 1.25 g/cm3.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The microwave molded body of claim 1, comprising 100 parts by weight of the unfoamed thermoplastic polyurethane particles and 5 to 20 parts by weight of the foaming agent.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The microwave molded body of claim 1, wherein the foaming agent is expandable microspheres, carbon dioxide (CO2), or a hydrocarbon compound with a carbon number of 4 to 10.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The microwave molded body of claim 1, wherein the foamable composition further comprises 0.1 to 5 parts by weight of talc powder.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The microwave molded body of claim 1, wherein the foamable composition further comprises 1 to 20 parts by weight of a plasticizer, wherein the plasticizer is a benzoate or a derivative thereof.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The microwave molded body of claim 1, wherein the foamable composition further comprises 0.1 to 5 parts by weight of a pigment powder, based on 100 parts by weight of the unfoamed thermoplastic polyurethane particles.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The microwave molded body of claim 1, wherein the foamable composition comprises 1 to 5 parts by weight of the thickener or the bridging agent.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

The microwave molded body of claim 1, wherein the microwave molded body is made with a microwave power of 500 W to 30,000 W.

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

The microwave molded body of claim 1, wherein no water is added during treatment of microwave.

### Claim 17 (depends on 1)

The microwave molded body of claim 1, wherein 1 to 10 parts by weight of water or an alcohol is added during treatment of microwave, based on 100 parts by weight of the particles of the foamed thermoplastic polyurethane.

### Claim 18

A method of manufacturing a microwave molded body, comprising:
providing a foamable composition comprising:
100 parts by weight of unfoamed thermoplastic polyurethane particles, the unfoamed thermoplastic polyurethane particles have a viscosity of 1,000 poise to 9,000 poise measured at 170° C. according to JISK 7311 test method;
5 to 25 parts by weight of a foaming agent; and
0.5 to 5 parts by weight of a thickener or a bridging agent, wherein the thickener is selected from an inorganic thickener or a cellulose thickener;
foaming and pelletizing of the foamable composition in a screw pelletizer at a first foaming stage to obtain particles of foamed thermoplastic polyurethane; and
placing the particles of foamed thermoplastic polyurethane in a mold and subjecting the particles of foamed thermoplastic polyurethane to microwave at a second foaming stage to obtain the microwave molded body.