Polyvinyl chloride/polyurethane hybrid foams
AssigneeLee H. Ambrose
InventorWilliam Michaelson
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Abstract
Disclosed is a foamed polymeric material comprising a continuous phase of polyurethane having solid polyvinyl chloride particles dispersed therein. The material preferably comprises about 100 parts of a foamable urethane, and 10 to 50 parts polyvinyl chloride particles having a particle size below 200 microns. The material has a microcellular structure with cells preferably on the order of 0.1 mm in average diameter or less. The walls comprise a matrix of polyurethane reinforced with PVC particles. The material may be used as a wood substitute.
Claims21
A foamed rigid polymeric material comprising a continuous phase of polyurethane defining a multiplicity of microcells no greater than about 1 millimeter in diameter, said continuous phase containing integral, substantially uniformly dispersed solid polyvinyl chloride particles having surface features effective to provide a multiplicity of seed bubble sites and serving to stabilize and reinforce said mircocellular structure of said foamed polymeric material to produce a rigid structure approximating the mechanical properties of woods.
A composition for producing a rigid microcellular polyvinylchloride-reinforced polyurethane foam consisting essentially of:
- 100 parts of a foamable polyurethane prepolymer mixture including a polyol, a multifunctional isocyanate and a blowing agent in relative amounts sufficient to produce a polyurethane foam polymer;
- and
- 10 to 50 parts of polyvinylchloride particles having a particle size range below about 200 microns, and having surface features effective to provide a multiplicity of seed bubble sites, the relative amounts of the polyurethane prepolymer mixture, blowing agent and particles being sufficient to produce upon reaction a rigid microcellular foam structure which approximates the mechanical properties of wood.
A method of manufacturing a rigid structural element having a predetermined density, tensile strength and compressive strength approximating those of wood comprising:
- providing a composition comprising:
- 100 parts of a foamable polyurethane prepolymer mixture comprising a polyol, a multifunctional isocyanate, and a blowing agent in relative amounts sufficient to produce a polyurethane foam polymer, and
- 10 to 50 parts of polyvinyl chloride particles having a particle size range below about 200 microns, said particles having surface features effective to provide a multiplicity of seed bubble sites;
- introducing the composition into a mold defining the shape of the structural element, and
- reacting the polyol and the multifunctional isocyanate in the presence of the blowing agent and the polyvinyl chloride particles to fill the mold with a continuous phase of rigid polyurethane defining a multiplicity of cells produced at said seed bubble sites, smaller than about 1 millimeter in diameter, and containing said solid polyvinyl chloride particles dispersed substantially uniformly throughout the continuous phase, said continuous phase having an integral surface layer consisting essentially of an unexpanded continuous phase of polyurethane having said polyvinyl chloride particles dispersed therein.
A foamed rigid polymeric material comprising:
- a. a continuous phase of polyurethane defining a multiplicity of microcells having a diameter of about 1 millimeter or less, wherein the polyurethane is the product of a reaction between methylene diisocyante and a polyol;
- and
- b. solid polyvinylchloride particles substantially uniformly dispersed in the continuous phase, wherein the particles have surface features effective to provide a multiplicity of seed bubble sites and which serve to stabilize and reinforce the microcellular structure of the foamed polymeric material.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.