Process for making a flexible polyurethane foam
AssigneeHuntsman International LLC
InventorsJohan Antoine Macken, Thomas Julien Joncheray, Jan Vandenbroeck
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Abstract
Process for making a flexible polyurethane foam by reacting a polyisocyanate and a polyol composition in the presence of water, a reactive amine catalyst and a specific metal salt. The foams have a low level of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and a desirable combination of mechanical and durability properties.
Claims10
A flexible polyurethane foam prepared using a reactive amine catalyst and a zinc carboxylate catalyst having a hardness of >80 N measured as Indentation Load Deflection ILD according to ISO 2439 at 40% compression, a humid compression set value at 70% and 50° C. of less than 5% measured according to HPU-FT-010, a tear strength higher than 200 N/m measured according to ISO 8067, a hardness loss ILD 40% after dynamic fatigue of less than 20% measured according to ISO 3385 and a VOC emission value <100 μg/g measured according to VDA 278;
- and wherein the reactive amine catalyst is a tertiary amine that is incorporated into a polyurethane matrix of the polyurethane foam.
A process for making a flexible polyurethane foam comprising reacting a polyisocyanate and a polyol composition at an index of 95-125 wherein the polyol composition comprises a polyoxyethylene polyoxypropylene polyol (a1) having an oxyethylene content of 50-95% by weight, calculated on the weight of this polyol (a1), and a polyoxypropylene polyol (a2), optionally comprising oxyethylene groups, the polyol having an oxyethylene content of 0-49% by weight, calculated on the weight of this polyol (a2), wherein the weight ratio of polyol (a1) and (a2) is in the range of 90:10 to 50:50 and wherein the reaction is conducted in the presence of 1) 1-4 parts by weight of water, 2) 0.2-2 parts by weight of a reactive amine catalyst which is a tertiary amine that is incorporated into a polyurethane matrix of the polyurethane foam, 3) 0.05-0.5 parts by weight of a zinc carboxylate catalyst having 5-18 carbon atoms, 4) 0.1-5 parts by weight of a surfactant and 5) optionally up to 10 parts by weight of an isocyanate-reactive chain extender having 2-8 reactive hydrogen atoms and a molecular weight of up to 999, the amounts of the water, the reactive amine catalyst, the zinc carboxylate, the surfactant and the chain extender being calculated per 100 parts by weight of the polyol composition comprising polyol (a1) and polyol (a2).
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.