Hydrolysis of polyurethanes
AssigneeArco Chemical Technology, L.P.
InventorsLau S. Yang, Diane A. Macarevich
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Waste or scrap polyurethane may be conveniently and economically converted to useful active-hydrogen containing polyethers and polyamines by contacting the polyurethane with water, strong base, and an activating agent such as a quaternary ammonium compound containing at least 15 carbon atoms or an organic sulfonate containing at least 7 carbon atoms. The activating agent helps to accelerate the rate of base catalyzed hydrolysis.
Claims22
A method of hydrolyzing a polyurethane produced by reacting an active hydrogen containing polyether and an organic polyisocyanate which comprises contacting said polyurethane with water in the presence of an effective amount of a strong base selected from the group consisting of alkali metal oxides, alkali metal hydroxides, alkaline earth metal oxides, and alkaline earth metal hydroxides and an effective amount of an activating agent selected from the group consisting of quaternary ammonium salts containing at least 15 carbon atoms and organic sulfonates containing at least 7 carbon atoms for a time and at a temperature effective to yield the active hydrogen-containing polyether and an organic polyamine.
A method of hydrolyzing a polyurethane foam produced by reacting an-active hydrogen-containing polyether comprised of oxypropylene units and an organic polyisocyanate which comprises:
- a) contacting 100 parts by weight of said polyurethane
- foam with water in the presence of 0.1 to 25 parts by weight of an alkali metal hydroxide and from 0.05 to 5 parts by weight of an organic sulfonate selected from the group consisting of alkyl aryl sulfonates, alpha-olefin sulfonates, petroleum sulfonates, and naphthalene sulfonates at a temperature of from 80.degree. C. to 225.degree. C. for a time effective to yield the active hydrogen-containing polyether and an organic polyamine;
- and
- b) separating and recovering the active hydrogen-containing polyether and organic polyamine.
A method of hydrolyzing a polyurethane foam produced by reacting an active hydrogen-containing polyether comprised of oxypropylene repeating units and an organic polyisocyanate which comprises:
- a) contacting 100 parts by weight of said polyurethane foam with water in the presence of 0.1 to 25 parts by weight of an alkali metal hydroxide and from 0.05 to 5 parts by weight of a quaternary ammonium salt containing at least 15 carbon atoms and having the general structure
- R.sub.1 R.sub.2 R.sub.3 R.sub.4 NX
- wherein R.sub.1, R.sub.2, R.sub.3, and R.sub.4 are the same or different and are hydrocarbyl groups selected from alkyl, aryl, and arylalkyl and X is halide, hydrogen sulfate, or hydroxide at a temperature of from 80.degree. C. to 225.degree. C. for a time effective to yield the active hydrogen-containing polyether and an organic polyamine;
- and
- b) separating and recovering the active hydrogencontaining polyether and organic polyamine.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.