Dispersible vinylidene chloride polymer microgel powders as additives for urethane polymer foam
AssigneeThe Dow Chemical Company
InventorsDale S. Gibbs, Jack H. Benson, Reet T. Fernandez
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A crosslinked vinylidene chloride polymer microgel powder is recovered from a latex and dispersed with moderate shear in a nonsolvent for vinylidene chloride polymers, such as a polyol used in the preparation of polyurethane materials. A dispersion of the powder and a polyol is eminently suited for use in the preparation of polyurethane foams to impart enhanced flame-retardancy and load-bearing properties thereto.
Claims14
A composition of matter for use in the preparation of urethane polymer foam having enhanced physical properties comprising (A) a liquid organic reactant which is used in the preparation of said foam, the reactant being a nonsolvent for vinylidene chloride polymers and (B) a crosslinked vinylidene chloride polymer microgel powder which is dispersed in the nonsolvent, said powder being obtained by a method comprising the steps of
- (I) preparing a microgel latex by emulsion polymerizing (a) about 50 to about 90 parts by weight of vinylidene chloride, (b) about 10 to about 50 parts by weight of a copolymerizable ethylenically unsaturated comonomer, and (c) a minor amount of a copolymerizable crosslinking polyfunctional comonomer, wherein the microgels in the resulting latex have a gel content of about 25 to 99 percent and a second order transition temperature of at least about 30.degree. C., and
- (II) recovering the microgel powder from the latex;
- wherein the microgels prior to recovery have a diameter less than about 1 micron.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.