Polyurethane and polyurethane-urea elastomers from polytrimethylene ether glycol

1. A polyurethane or polyurethane-urea prepared from a reaction mixture consisting essentially of:

(a) polytrimethylene ether glycol having a number average molecular weight in the range of about 1,000 to about 4,000 and unsaturated end groups in the range of about 0.003 to about 0.015 meq/g;

(b) diisocyanate; and

(c) diol or diamine chain extender.

2. A polyurethane as claimed in claim 1 wherein the chain extender is the diol chain extender.

3. A polyurethane-urea as claimed in claim 1 wherein the chain extender is the diamine chain extender.

4. The polyurethane or polyurethane-urea of claim 1 wherein the polytrimethylene ether glycol has the unsaturated end groups in the range of about 0.005 to about 0.014 meq/g.

5. The polyurethane or polyurethane-urea of claim 1 wherein the polytrimethylene ether glycol has the unsaturated end groups in the range of about 0.005 to about 0.012 meq/g.

6. The polyurethane or polyurethane-urea of claim 1 wherein the polytrimethylene ether glycol has greater than 0.005 meq/g of the unsaturated end groups.

7. The polyurethane or polyurethane-urea of claim 1 wherein the polytrimethylene ether glycol has at least 0.006 meq/g of the unsaturated end groups.

8. The polyurethane or polyurethane-urea of claim 1 wherein the polytrimethylene ether glycol contains from 0 to about 0.005 meq/g of end groups from acid catalyst.

9. The polyurethane or polyurethane-urea of claim 1 wherein the polytrimethylene ether glycol contains from 0 to about 0.005 meq/g of iodide or sulfur containing end groups.

10. The polyurethane or polyurethane-urea of claim 1 in which the ratio of total reactive groups contained in the polytrimethylene ether glycol and chain extender components to the isocyanate groups is greater than 1:1.

11. The polyurethane or polyurethane-urea of claim 1 in which the ratio of total reactive groups contained in the polytrimethylene ether glycol and extender groups to the isocyanate groups is from 0.8:1 to 1:1.

12. The polyurethane or polyurethane-urea of claim 1 , wherein the polytrimethylene ether glycol is blended with other polyether glycol.

13. The polyurethane or polyurethane-urea of claim 1 , wherein the polytrimethylene ether glycol is blended with up to 50 weight % of other polyether glycol based on the total combined weight of the polyether glycols.

14. The polyurethane or polyurethane-urea of claim 13 , wherein the other polyether glycol is selected from the group consisting of polyethylene glycol, poly(1,2-propylene glycol), polytetramethylene glycol and combinations thereof.

15. The polyurethane or polyurethane-urea of claim 1 , wherein the polytrimethylene ether glycol is not blended with another polyether glycol.

16. The polyurethane or polyurethane-urea of claim 1 , wherein the polytrimethylene ether glycol comprises a blend of a first polytrimethylene ether glycol and a second polytrimethylene ether glycol, said first polytrimethylene ether glycol and said second polytrimethylene ether glycol having different molecular weights.

17. The polyurethane or polyurethane-urea of claim 16 wherein said first polytrimethylene ether glycol has a number average molecular weight of about 2,000 to about 4,000 and said second polytrimethylene ether glycol has a number average molecular weight of about 150 to about 500.

18. A diisocyanate-terminated polytrimethyleneether-urethane prepolymer prepared from a reaction mixture consisting essentially of:

(a) polytrimethylene ether glycol having a number average molecular weight in the range of about 1,000 to about 4,000 and unsaturated end groups in the range of about 0.003 to about 0.015 meq/g, and

(b) diisocyanate.

19. A process of producing diisocyanate-terminated polytrimethyleneether-urethane prepolymer, said process consisting essentially of:

(a) providing (i) diisocyanate and (ii) polytrimethylene ether glycol having a number average molecular weight in the range of about 1,000 to about 4,000 and unsaturated end groups in the range of about 0.003 to about 0.015 meq/g; and

(b) reacting the diisocyanate and the polytrimethylene ether glycol while maintaining an NCO:OH equivalent ratio of about 1.1:1 to about 10:1 to form the diisocyanate-terminated polytrimethyleneether-urethane prepolymer.

20. A process of producing polyurethane or polyurethane-urea, said process consisting essentially of:

(a) reacting (i) diisocyanate and (ii) polytrimethylene ether glycol having a number average molecular weight in the range of about 1,000 to about 4,000 and unsaturated end groups in the range of about 0.003 to about 0.015 meq/g while maintaining an NCO:OH equivalent ratio of about 1.1:1 to about 10:1 to form diisocyanate-terminated polytrimethyleneether-urethane prepolymer;

(b) reacting the diisocyanate-terminated polytrimethyleneether-urethane prepolymer with diol chain extender at an OH:NCO mole ratio of about 0.75:1 to about 1.15:1, or with diamine chain extender at NH 2 :NCO mole ratio of about 0.85:1 to about 1.10:1, to form the polyurethane or the polyurethane-urea.

21. The process of claim 20 further comprising curing the polyurethane or polyurethane-urea.

22. A process of producing polyurethane or polyurethane-urea, said process consisting essentially of:

(a) providing (i) diisocyanate, (ii) polytrimethylene ether glycol having a number average molecular weight in the range of about 1,000 to about 4,000 and unsaturated end groups in the range of about 0.003 to about 0.015 meq/g, and (iii) diol or diamine chain extender; and

(b) reacting the diisocyanate, the polytrimethylene ether glycol, and the diol or diamine chain extender to form the polyurethane or polyurethane-urea.

23. A process of producing polyurethane or polyurethane-urea, said process consisting essentially of:

(a) providing (i) diisocyanate-terminated polytrimethylenether-urethane prepolymer prepared from polytrimethylene ether glycol having a number average molecular weight in the range of about 1,000 to about 4,000 and unsaturated end groups in the range of about 0.003 to about 0.015 meq/g; and (ii) diol or diamine chain extender; and

(b) reacting the diisocyanate-terminated polytrimethyleneether-urethane prepolymer with the diol chain extender at an OH:NCO mole ratio of about 0.75:1 to about 1.15:1, or with diamine chain extender at extender at NH 2 :NCO mole ratio of about 0.85:1 to about 1.10:1, to form the polyurethane or the polyurethane-urea.

24. A shaped article comprising the polyurethane or polyurethane-urea of claim 1 .

25. A polyurethane as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the diol chain extender is selected from ethylene glycol, 1,2-propylene glycol, 1,3-propanediol, 1,4-butanediol, 1,6-hexanediol, diethylene glycol, 2-methyl-1,3-propanediol, 3-methyl-1,5-pentanediol, 2,2-dimethyl-1,3-propanediol, 2,2,4-trimethyl-1,5-pentanediol, 2-methyl-2-ethyl-1,3-propanediol, 1,4-bis(hydroxyethoxy)benzene, bis(hydroxyethylene)terephthalate, hydroquinone bis(2-hydroxyethyl)ether, and combinations thereof, and the diisocyanate is selected from 2,4-toluene diisocyanate, 2,6-toluene diisocyanate, 4,4′-diphenylmethane diisocyanate, 4,4′-dicyclohexylmethane diisocyanate, 3,3′-dimethyl-4,4′-biphenyl diisocyanate, 1,4-benzene diisocyanate, trans-cyclohexane-1,4-diisocyanate, 1,5-naphthalene diisocyanate, 1,6-hexamethylene diisocyanate, 4,6-xylene diisocyanate, isophorone diisocyanate, and combinations thereof.

26. A polyurethane as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the diamine chain extender is selected from 1,2-ethylenediamine, 1,6-hexanediamine, 1,2-propanediamine, 4,4′-methylene-bis(3-chloroaniline), dimethylthiotoluenediamine, 4,4′diaminodiphenylmethane, 1,3-diaminobenzene, 1,4-diaminobenzene, 3,3′dimethoxy-4,4′-diamino biphenyl, 3,3′-dichloro-4,4′-diamino biphenyl, and combinations thereof, and the diisocyanate is selected from 2,4-toluene diisocyanate, 2,6-toluene diisocyanate, 4,4′-diphenylmethane diisocyanate, 4,4′-dicyclohexylmethane diisocyanate, 3,3′-dimethyl-4,4′-biphenyl diisocyanate, 1,4-benzene diisocyanate, trans-cyclohexane-1,4-diisocyanate, 1,5-naphthalene diisocyanate, 1,6-hexamethylene diisocyanate, 4,6-xylene diisocyanate, isophorone diisocyanate, and combinations thereof.

27. A polyurethane or polyurethane-urea as claimed in claim 1 , further incorporating at least one functional additive.

28. A polyurethane or polyurethane as claimed in claim 27 , wherein said functional additive is selected from polyhydroxy functional branching agents, delusterants, colorants, stabilizers, fillers, flame retardants, pigments, antimicrobial agents, antistatic agents, optical brightners, extenders, and viscosity boosters.

29. A molded article comprising a polyurethane or polyurethane-urea prepared in a mold from:

(a) polytrimethylene ether glycol having a number average molecular weight in the range of about 1,000 to about 4,000 and unsaturated end groups in the range of about 0.003 to about 0.015 meq/g;

(b) diisocyanate; and

(c) diol or diamine chain extender.

30. An article comprising polyurethane or polyurethane-urea prepared from:

(a) polytrimethylene ether glycol having a number average molecular weight in the range of about 1,000 to about 4,000 and unsaturated end groups in the range of about 0.003 to about 0.015 meq/g;

(b) diisocyanate; and

(c) a diol or diamine chain extender;

said article selected from foams, adhesives and coatings.

31. A polyurethane or polyurethane-urea prepared from:

(a) polytrimethylene ether glycol having a number average molecular weight in the range of about 1,000 to about 4,000 and unsaturated end groups in the range of about 0.003 to about 0.015 meq/g;

(b) diisocyanate; and

(c) diol or diamine chain extender;

said polyurethane or polyurethane-urea being thermoplastic.

32. The thermoplastic polyurethane or polyurethane-urea of claim 31 wherein the ratio of isocyanate groups to total reactive groups contained in the polytrimethylene ether glycol and chain extender is 1.1:1 or less.

33. The thermoplastic polyurethane or polyurethane-urea of claim 31 wherein the ratio of isocyanate groups to total reactive groups contained in the polytrimethylene ether glycol and chain extender is from about 0.98:1 to 1.02:1.

34. A thermoplastic polyurethane as claimed in claim 31 wherein the chain extender is a diol chain extender.

35. A thermoplastic polyurethane-urea as claimed in claim 31 wherein the chain extender is a diamine chain extender.

36. The thermoplastic polyurethane or polyurethane-urea of claim 31 wherein the polytrimethylene ether glycol has the unsaturated end groups in the range of about 0.005 to about 0.014 meq/g.

37. The thermoplastic polyurethane or polyurethane-urea of claim 31 wherein the polytrimethylene ether glycol has the unsaturated end groups in the range of about 0.005 to about 0.012 meq/g.

38. The thermoplastic polyurethane or polyurethane-urea of claim 31 wherein the polytrimethylene ether glycol has greater than 0.005 meq/g of the unsaturated end groups.

39. The thermoplastic polyurethane or polyurethane-urea of claim 31 wherein the polytrimethylene ether glycol has at least 0.006 meq/g of the unsaturated end groups.

40. The thermoplastic polyurethane or polyurethane-urea of claim 31 wherein the polytrimethylene ether glycol contains from 0 to about 0.005 meq/g of end groups from acid catalyst.

41. The thermoplastic polyurethane or polyurethane-urea of claim 31 wherein the polytrimethylene ether glycol contains from 0 to about 0.005 meq/g of iodide or sulfur containing end groups.

42. The thermoplastic polyurethane or polyurethane-urea of claim 31 , wherein the polytrimethylene ether glycol is blended with other polyether glycol.

43. The thermoplastic polyurethane or polyurethane-urea of claim 31 , wherein the polytrimethylene ether glycol is blended with up to 50 weight % of other polyether glycol based on the total combined weight of the polyether glycols.

44. The thermoplastic polyurethane or polyurethane-urea of claim 41 , wherein the other polyether glycol is selected from polyethylene glycol, poly(1,2-propylene glycol), polytetramethylene ether glycol and combinations thereof.

45. The thermoplastic polyurethane or polyurethane-urea of claim 31 , wherein the polytrimethylene ether glycol is not blended with another polyether glycol.

46. The thermoplastic polyurethane or polyurethane-urea of claim 31 , wherein the polytrimethylene ether glycol comprises a blend of a first polytrimethylene ether glycol and a second polytrimethylene ether glycol, said first polytrimethylene ether glycol and said second polytrimethylene ether glycol having different molecular weights.

47. The thermoplastic polyurethane or polyurethane-urea of claim 45 wherein said first polytrimethylene ether glycol has a number average molecular weight of about 2,000 to about 4,000 and said second polytrimethylene ether glycol has a number average molecular weight of about 150 to about 500.

48. A diisocyanate-terminated polytrimethyleneether-urethane prepolymer for a thermoplastic polyurethane or polyurethane-urea prepared from:

(a) polytrimethylene ether glycol having a number average molecular weight in the range of about 1,000 to about 4,000 and unsaturated end groups in the range of about 0.003 to about 0.015 meq/g, and

(b) diisocyanate.

49. A process of producing diisocyanate-terminated polytrimethyleneether-urethane prepolymer for a thermoplastic polyurethane or polyurethane-urea comprising:

(a) providing (i) diisocyanate and (ii) polytrimethylene ether glycol having a number average molecular weight in the range of about 1,000 to about 4,000 and unsaturated end groups in the range of about 0.003 to about 0.015 meq/g; and

(b) reacting the diisocyanate and the polytrimethylene ether glycol while maintaining an NCO:OH equivalent ratio of about 1.1:1 to about 10:1 to form the diisocyanate-terminated polytrimethyleneether-urethane prepolymer.

50. A process of producing thermoplastic polyurethane or polyurethane-urea comprising:

(a) reacting (i) diisocyanate and (ii) polytrimethylene ether glycol having a number average molecular weight in the range of about 1,000 to about 4,000 and unsaturated end groups in the range of about 0.003 to about 0.015 meq/g while maintaining an NCO:OH equivalent ratio of about 1.1:1 to about 10:1 to form diisocyanate-terminated polytrimethyleneether-urethane prepolymer;

(b) reacting the diisocyanate-terminated polytrimethyleneether-urethane prepolymer with diol chain extender at an OH:NCO mole ratio of about 1:1 to about 1.15:1, or with diamine chain extender at NH 2 :NCO mole ratio of about 1.1 to about 1.10:1, to form the polyurethane or the polyurethane-urea.

51. The process of claim 49 further comprising curing the polyurethane or polyurethane-urea prepolymer.

52. A process of producing thermoplastic polyurethane or polyurethane-urea comprising:

(a) providing (i) diisocyanate (ii) polytrimethylene ether glycol having a number average molecular weight in the range of about 1,000 to about 4,000 and unsaturated end groups in the range of about 0.003 to about 0.015 meq/g, and (iii) diol or diamine chain extender; and

(b) reacting the diisocyanate, the polytrimethylene ether glycol, and the diol or diamine chain extender to form the polyurethane or polyurethane-urea.

53. A process of producing thermoplastic polyurethane or polyurethane-urea comprising:

(a) providing (i) diisocyanate-terminated polytrimethyleneether-urethane prepolymer prepared from polytrimethylene ether glycol having a number average molecular weight in the range of about 1,000 to about 4,000 and unsaturated end groups in the range of about 0.003 to about 0.015 meq/g; and (ii) diol or diamine chain extender; and

(b) reacting the diisocyanate-terminated polytrimethyleneether-urethane prepolymer with diol chain extender at an OH:NCO mole ratio of about 1:1 to about 1.15:1, or with diamine chain extender at NH 2 :NCO mole ratio of about 1:1 to about 1.10:1, to form the polyurethane or the polyurethane-urea.

54. A shaped article comprising the thermoplastic polyurethane or polyurethane-urea of claim 31 .

55. A thermoplastic polyurethane as claimed in claim 32 , wherein the diol chain extender is selected from ethylene glycol, 1,2-propylene glycol, 1,3-propanediol, 1,4-butanediol, 1,6-hexanediol, diethylene glycol, 2-methyl-1,3-propanediol, 3-methyl-1,5-pentanediol, 2,2-dimethyl-1,3-propanediol, 2,2,4-trimethyl-1,5-pentanediol, 2-methyl-2-ethyl-1,3-propanediol, 1,4-bis(hydroxyethoxy)benzene, bis(hydroxyethylene)terephthalate, hydroquinone bis(2-hydroxyethyl)ether, or combinations thereof, and the diisocyanate is selected from 2,4-toluene diisocyanate, 2,6-toluene diisocyanate, 4,4′-diphenylmethane diisocyanate, 4,4′-dicyclohexylmethane diisocyanate, 3,3′-dimethyl-4,4′-biphenyl diisocyanate, 1,4-benzene diisocyanate, trans-cyclohexane-1,4-diisocyanate, 1,5-naphthalene diisocyanate, 1,6-hexamethylene diisocyanate, 4,6-xylene diisocyanate, isophorone diisocyanate, or combinations thereof.

56. A thermoplastic polyurethane as claimed in claim 32 , wherein the diamine chain extender is selected from 1,2-ethylenediamine, 1,6-hexanediamine, 1,2-propanediamine, 4,4′-methylene-bis(3chloroaniline), dimethylthiotoluenediamine, 4,4′diaminodiphenylmethane, 1,3-diaminobenzene, 1,4-diaminobenzene, 3,3′dimethoxy-4,4′-diamino biphenyl, 3,3′-dichloro-4,4-diamino biphenyl, combinations thereof, and the diisocyanate is selected from 2,4-toluene diisocyanate, 2,6-toluene diisocyanate, 4,4′-diphenylmethane diisocyanate, 4,4′-dicyclohexylmethane diisocyanate, 3,3′-dimethyl-4,4′-biphenyl diisocyanate, 1,4-benzene diisocyanate, trans-cyclohexane-1,4-diisocyanate, 1,5-naphthalene diisocyanate, 1,6-hexamethylene diisocyanate, 4,6-xylene diisocyanate, isophorone diisocyanate, or combinations thereof.

57. A polyurethane or polyurethane-urea prepared from a prepolymer and diol or diamine chain extender, wherein the prepolymer is prepared from:

(a) polytrimethylene ether glycol having a number average molecular weight in the range of about 1,000 to about 4,000 and unsaturated end groups in the range of about 0.003 to about 0.015 meq/g and

(b) diisocyanate;

wherein during the preparation of said prepolymer the ratio of isocyanate groups to reactive groups contained in the polytrimethylene ether glycol is from 1.1:1 to about 10:1.

58. The polyurethane or polyurethane-urea of claim 57 wherein the chain extender is a diol chain extender and the ratio of reactive groups in the chain extender to isocyanate groups in the prepolymer is from about 0.75:1 to about 1.15:1.

59. The polyurethane or polyurethane-urea of claim 57 wherein the chain extender is a diamine chain extender and the ratio of reactive groups in the chain extender to isocyanate groups in the prepolymer is from about 0.85:1 to about 1.10:1.

60. A non-crosslinked polyurethane or polyurethane-urea prepared from:

(a) polytrimethylene ether glycol having a number average molecular weight in the range of about 1,000 to about 4,000 and unsaturated end groups in the range of about 0.003 to about 0.015 meq/g;

(b) diisocyanate; and

(c) diol or diamine chain extender;

wherein the ratio of isocyanate groups to total reactive groups contained in the polytrimethylene ether glycol and chain extender is 1.1:1 or less.

61. The non-crosslinked polyurethane or polyurethane-urea of claim 60 wherein the ratio of isocyanate groups to total reactive groups contained in the polytrimethylene ether glycol and chain extender is from about 0.98:1 to 1.02:1.

62. The non-crosslinked polyurethane or polyurethane-urea of claim 60 wherein the ratio of isocyanate groups to total reactive groups contained in the polytrimethylene ether glycol and chain extender is about 1.0:1.