Molded polyurethane foam with property enhancements for improved comfort and greater durability
The present invention provides molded flexible polyurethane foams that exhibit high vibrational dampening, low resiliency and high durability. The inventive foams are produced with polyol components that are largely double metal cyanide (DMC) based. The inventive foams may be produced using any of the production processes employed in the high volume manufacture of polyurethane seating foam and are suitable for seating applications wherein attenuation of vibrational transmissions is desired.
1 . A polyurethane foam comprising the reaction product of:
an isocyanate; and
a polyol component which is at least about 40 wt. % double metal cyanide (DMC) catalyst based and has a primary hydroxyl content of at least about 65% and which substantially comprises one or more oxypropylene/oxyethylene copolymers having an unsaturation of less than about 0.020 meq/g,
optionally one or more components chosen from catalysts, additives, surfactants, fillers, cross-linkers and blowing agents,
wherein the polyurethane foam has an attenuation frequency of less than about 6 Hz, and a transmissivity at resonance of less than about 4.0 A/A 0 .
2 . The polyurethane foam according to claim 1 , wherein transmitted energy of the foam is less than about 3.8 Hz*A/A 0 .
3 . The polyurethane foam according to claim 1 , wherein the attenuation frequency of the foam is less than about 5.2 Hz.
4 . The polyurethane foam according to claim 1 , wherein the one or more oxypropylene/oxyethylene copolymers has an unsaturation of less than about 0.010 meq/g.
5 . The polyurethane foam according to claim 1 , wherein the one or more oxypropylene/oxyethylene copolymers has an unsaturation of less than about 0.008 meq/g.
6 . The polyurethane foam according to claim 1 , wherein the polyol component is at least about 50 wt. % double metal cyanide (DMC) catalyst based, excluding filler carried by the polyols.
7 . The polyurethane foam according to claim 1 , wherein at least about 65 wt. % of the polyol component is double metal cyanide (DMC) catalyst based, excluding filler carried by the polyols.
8 . The polyurethane foam according to claim 1 , wherein at least about 70 wt. % of the polyol component is double metal cyanide (DMC) catalyst based, excluding filler carried by the polyols.
9 . The polyurethane foam according to claim 1 , wherein the primary hydroxyl content of the polyol component is at least about 80%.
10 . The polyurethane foam according to claim 1 , wherein the isocyanate component is a mixture of 2,4- and 2,6-toluene diisocyanates.
11 . The polyurethane foam according to claim 1 , wherein the isocyanate component is a mixture of 2,2′-, 2,4′-, and 4,4′-methylenediphenylene diisocyanates.
12 . The polyurethane foam according to claim 1 , wherein the polyol component further includes one or more polymer polyols or polymer-modified polyols.
13 . The polyurethane foam according to claim 1 , wherein the polyol component further includes a dispersion of styrene/acrylonitrile (SAN) random copolymers.
14 . The polyurethane foam according to claim 1 , wherein the catalyst is chosen from bis(2-dimethylaminoethyl)ether and triethylene diamine.
15 . The polyurethane foam according to claim 1 , wherein the blowing agent is water.
16 . The polyurethane foam according to claim 1 , wherein the cross-linker is diethanolamine.
17 . In a vehicular seat cushion, the improvement comprising including the polyurethane foam according to claim 1 .
18 . A process of making polyurethane foam comprising reacting at about 65° C.:
an isocyanate; and
a polyol component which is at least about 40 wt. % double metal cyanide (DMC) catalyst based and has a primary hydroxyl content of at least about 65% and which substantially comprises one or more oxypropylene/oxyethylene copolymers having an unsaturation of less than about 0.020 meq/g,
optionally one or more components chosen from catalysts, additives, surfactants, fillers, cross-linkers and blowing agents,
wherein the polyurethane foam has an attenuation frequency of less than about 6 Hz, and a transmissivity at resonance of less than about 4.0 A/A 0 .
19 . The process according to claim 18 , wherein transmitted energy of the foam is less than about 3.8 Hz*A/A 0 .
20 . The process according to claim 18 , wherein the attenuation frequency of the foam is less than about 5.2 Hz.
21 . The process according to claim 18 , wherein the one or more oxypropylene/oxyethylene copolymers has an unsaturation of less than about 0.010 meq/g.
22 . The process according to claim 18 , wherein the one or more oxypropylene/oxyethylene copolymers has an unsaturation of less than about 0.008 meq/g.
23 . The process according to claim 18 , wherein at least about 50 wt. % of the polyol component is double metal cyanide (DMC) catalyst based, excluding filler carried by the polyols.
24 . The process according to claim 18 , wherein at least about 65 wt. % of the polyol component is double metal cyanide (DMC) catalyst based, excluding filler carried by the polyols.
25 . The process according to claim 18 , wherein the primary hydroxyl content of the polyol component is at least about 70%.
26 . The process according to claim 18 , wherein the primary hydroxyl content of the polyol component is at least about 80%.
27 . The process according to claim 18 , wherein the isocyanate component is a mixture of 2,4- and 2,6-toluene diisocyanates.
28 . The process according to claim 18 , wherein the isocyanate component is a mixture of 2,2′-, 2,4′-, and 4,4′-methylenediphenylene diisocyanates.
29 . The process according to claim 18 , wherein the polyol component further includes one or more polymer polyols or polymer-modified polyols.
30 . The process according to claim 18 , wherein the polyol component further includes a dispersion of styrene/acrylonitrile (SAN) random copolymers.
31 . The process according to claim 18 , wherein the catalyst is chosen from bis(2-dimethylaminoethyl)ether and triethylene diamine.
32 . The process according to claim 18 , wherein the blowing agent is water.
33 . The process according to claim 18 , wherein the cross-linker is diethanolamine.
34 . In a process of making a seat cushion, the improvement comprising including a polyurethane foam comprising an isocyanate and a polyol component which is at least about 40 wt. % double metal cyanide (DMC) catalyst based and has a primary hydroxyl content of at least about 65% and which substantially comprises one or more oxypropylene/oxyethylene copolymers having an unsaturation of less than about 0.020 meq/g, optionally one or more components chosen from catalysts, additives, surfactants, fillers, cross-linkers and blowing agents, wherein the polyurethane foam has an attenuation frequency of less than about 6 Hz, and a transmissivity at resonance of less than about 4.0 A/A 0 .
35 . The process according to claim 34 , wherein transmitted energy of the foam is less than about 3.8 Hz*A/A 0 .
36 . The process according to claim 34 , wherein the attenuation frequency of the foam is less than about 5.2 Hz.
37 . The process according to claim 34 , wherein the one or more oxypropylene/oxyethylene copolymers has an unsaturation of less than about 0.010 meq/g.
38 . The process according to claim 34 , wherein the one or more oxypropylene/oxyethylene copolymers has an unsaturation of less than about 0.008 meq/g.
39 . The process according to claim 34 , wherein at least about 50 wt. % of the polyol component is double metal cyanide (DMC) catalyst based, excluding filler carried by the polyols.
40 . The process according to claim 34 , wherein at least about 65 wt. % of the polyol component is double metal cyanide (DMC) catalyst based, excluding filler carried by the polyols.
41 . The process according to claim 34 , wherein the primary hydroxyl content of the polyol component is at least about 70%.
42 . The process according to claim 34 , wherein the primary hydroxyl content of the polyol component is at least about 80%.
43 . The process according to claim 34 , wherein the isocyanate component is a mixture of 2,4- and 2,6-toluene diisocyanates.
44 . The process according to claim 34 , wherein the isocyanate component is a mixture of 2,2′-, 2,4′-, and 4,4′-methylenediphenylene diisocyanates.
45 . The process according to claim 34 , wherein the polyol component further includes one or more polymer polyols or polymer-modified polyols.
46 . The process according to claim 34 , wherein the polyol component further includes a dispersion of styrene/acrylonitrile (SAN) random copolymers.
47 . The process according to claim 34 , wherein the catalyst is chosen from bis(2-dimethylaminoethyl)ether and triethylene diamine.
48 . The process according to claim 34 , wherein the blowing agent is water.
49 . The process according to claim 34 , wherein the cross-linker is diethanolamine.
50 . A seat cushion produced by the process according to claim 34.