Process for making a polyurethane foam sheet and composites including the sheet

A composite material comprising the following adjacent layers;

• a. a woven or knitted textile layer or nonwoven web of a fibrous material,
• b. a foam layer having a density of about 0.04 to about 0.40 g/cm.sup.3 obtained by mechanically frothing a nonionogenic aqueous polyurethane dispersion having
• i. a solids content of more than about 45% by weight of polyurethane,
• ii. a viscosity of about 10 to about 70 seconds outflow time from a Ford cup with 4 mm nozzle and
• iii. a particle diameter of less than 1.0.mu., and
• c. a plastics sheet.

A composite material comprising the following adjacent layers:

• a. a foam layer having a density of about 0.04 to about 0.40 g/cm.sup.3 obtained by mechanically frothing a nonionic aqueous polyurethane dispersion having
• i. a solids content of more than about 45% by weight of polyurethane,
• ii. a viscosity of about 10 to about 70 seconds outflow time from a Ford cup with 4 mm nozzle and
• iii. a particle diameter of less than 1.0.mu., and
• b. a fibrous textile layer.

In a process for producing a composite material from

• a. a homogeneous or microporous plastics sheet and
• b. a polyurethane foam,
• the improvement which comprises applying a homogeneous or microporous plastic sheet to a release support, spread-coating on the sheet a polyurethane foam having a density of about 0.04 to about 0.40 g/cm.sup.3, which has been produced by mechanically frothing a nonionogenic aqueous polyurethane dispersion having
• i. a solids content of more than about 45% by weight polyurethane,
• ii. a viscosity of about 10 to about 70 seconds outflow time from a Ford cup with 4 mm nozzle and
• iii. a particle diameter of less than 1.0 .mu.,
• and drying the coating and thereafter removing the release support.

A process for producing a composite material from

• a. a homogeneous or microporous plastics sheet and
• b. a polyurethane foam, which comprises spread coating on a release support a polyurethane foam having a density of about 0.04 to about 0.40 g/cm.sup.3 which has been produced by mechanically frothing a nonionogenic aqueous polyurethane dispersion having
• i. a solids content of more than about 45% by weight of polyurethane,
• ii. a viscosity of about 10 to about 70 seconds outflow time from a Ford cup with 4 mm nozzle and
• iii. a particle diameter of less than 1.0 .mu.,
• applying and lightly pressing a solid, self-supporting homogeneous or microporous plastics sheet to the still liquid foam, drying and removing the release support.

A process for producing a composite material from

• a. a homogeneous or microporous plastics sheet and
• b. a polyurethane foam,
• which comprises spread coating on a release support a polyurethane foam having a density of about 0.04 to about 0.40 g/cm.sup.3, which has been produced by mechanically frothing a nonionogenic aqueous polyurethane dispersion having
• i. a solids content of more than about 45% by weight of polyurethane,
• ii. a viscosity of about 10 to about 70 seconds outflow time from a Ford cup with 4 mm nozzle and
• iii. a particle diameter of less than 1.0 .mu.,
• drying the coating, applying a liquid plastics coating compound on the coating, solidifying the liquid plastics coating compound on the layer of foam to produce a homogeneous or microporous plastics sheet and removing the release support.

A process for producing a composite material from

• a. a plastics sheet,
• b. a polyurethane foam and
• c. a textile material
• which comprises applying a homogeneous or microporous plastics sheet to a release support, spread coating on the sheet a polyurethane foam having a density of from about 0.04 to about 0.40 g/cm.sup.3, which has been produced by mechanically frothing a nonionogenic aqueous polyurethane dispersion having
• i. a solids content of more than about 45% by weight of polyurethane,
• ii. a viscosity of about 10 to about 70 seconds outflow time from a Ford cup with 4 mm nozzle and
• iii. a particle diameter of less than 1.0 .mu.,
• applying a textile material to the foam while the foam is still liquid, drying and removing the release support.

A process for producing a composite material consisting of a polyurethane foam and a woven or knitted textile material or consisting of a polyurethane foam and a non-woven web, which comprises spreadcoating a polyurethane foam having a density of from about 0.04 to about 0.40 g/cm.sup.3 which has been produced by mechanically frothing a nonionogenic aqueous polyurethane dispersion having

• i. a solids content of more than about 45% by weight of polyurethane,
• ii. a viscosity of about 10 to about 70 seconds outflow time from a Ford cup with 4 mm nozzle and
• iii. a particle diameter of less than 1.0 .mu.,
• on a release support and then laminating the coating to the textile material or to the non-woven web, drying the laminate and removing the release support.

A process for producing a self-supporting polyurethane foam sheet which comprises preparing a spread-coatable polyurethane foam from a nonionic aqueous polyurethane dispersion having

• a. a solids content of more than 45% by weight of polyurethane,
• b. a viscosity of 10-70 seconds outflow time from a Ford cup with 4 mm nozzle,
• c. a particle diameter of less than 1.0.mu., and
• d. 0.1-10% by weight of thickener, based on the polyurethane solids content by the churning process, applying the foam to a release support, drying, and removing the release support.