Polymeric foams from transesterified by-product derived from manufacture of dimethyl terephthalate and laminates therefrom

A process for producing a polyisocyanurate foam comprising reacting together under foam-forming conditions an organic polyisocyanate, a blowing agent, a trimerization catalyst, and a minor amount of a polyol mixture prepared by the transesterification, with a glycol of molecular weight from about 60 to 400, of a by-product fraction from the manufacture of dimethyl terephthalate, the major portion of said fraction comprising about 15 to 70 weight percent of dimethyl terephthalate, and about 85 to 30 weight percent of a mixture of monomethyl terephthalate, bi-ring esters and polymeric materials.

A laminate comprising at least one facing sheet adhered to a polyisocyanurate foam which comprises the reaction product of an organic polyisocyanate, a blowing agent, a trimerization catalyst, and a minor amount of a polyol mixture prepared by the transesterification, with a glycol of molecular weight from about 60 to 400, of a by-product fraction from the manufacture of dimethyl terephthalate, the major portion of said fraction comprising about 15 to 70 weight percent of dimethyl terephthalate, and about 85 to 30 weight percent of a mixture of monomethyl terephthalate, bi-ring esters and polymeric materials.

A process for producing a laminate comprising

• (a) contacting a facing sheet with a polyisocyanurate foam-forming mixture comprising an organic polyisocyanate, a blowing agent, a trimerization catalyst, and a minor amount of a polyol mixture prepared by the transesterification, with a glycol of molecular weight from about 60 to 400, of a by-product fraction from the manufacture of dimethyl terephthalate, the major portion of said fraction comprising about 15 to 70 weight percent of dimethyl terephthalate, and about 85 to 30 weight percent of a mixture of monomethyl terephthalate, bi-ring esters and polymeric materials, and
• (b) foaming said foam-forming mixture.

In a polyurethane foam which comprises the reaction product of an organic polyisocyanate, a blowing agent, a catalyst and a polyol, the improvement comprising about 20 to 50 percent of the weight of said polyol being a polyol mixture prepared by the transesterification, with a glycol of molecular weight from about 60 to 400, of a by-product fraction from the manufacture of dimethyl terephthalate, the major portion of said fraction comprising about 15 to 70 weight percent of dimethyl terephthalate, and about 85 to 30 weight percent of a mixture of monomethyl terephthalate, bi-ring esters and polymeric materials.

A polyol mixture comprising the reaction product obtained by transesterifying, with a glycol of molecular weight from about 60 to 400, a by-product fraction from the manufacture of dimethyl terephthalate, the major portion of said fraction comprising about 15 to 70 weight percent of dimethyl terephthalate, and about 85 to 30 weight percent of a mixture of monomethyl terephthalate, bi-ring esters and polymeric materials.