Foaming agents and compositions containing fluorine substituted olefins and methods of foaming
View Patent ↗Various uses of fluoroalkenes, including tetrafluoropropenes, particularly (HFO-1234) in a variety of applications, including as blowing agents are disclosed.
1. A blowing agent composition for use in forming a closed cell thermoplastic foam, said blowing agent being contained in the closed cells of said thermoplastic foam and comprising:
at least about 15% by weight of at least one low toxicity fluoroalkene, said at least one low toxicity fluoroalkene, said at least one low toxicity fluoroalkene consisting essentially of 1,3,3,3-tetrafluorpropene (HFO-1234ze), said HFO-1234ze consisting essentially of at least about 97% of trans-1,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropene (transHFO-1234ze).
2. The blowing agent of claim 1 having a Global Warming Potential (GWP) of not greater than about 150.
3. The blowing agent of claim 1 having an Ozone Depleting Potential (ODP) of not greater than about 0.05.
4. The blowing agent composition of claim 1 further comprising one or more of difluoromethane (HFC-32), pentafluoroethane (HFC-125), 1,1,2,2-tetrafluoroethane (HFC-134), 1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane (HFC-134a), difluoroethane (HFC-152a), 1,1,1,2,3,3,3-heptafluoropropane (HFC-227ea), 1,1,1,3,3,3-hexafluoropropane (HFC-236fa), 1,1,1,3,3-pentafluoropropane (HFC-245fa), 1,1,1,3,3-pentafluorobutane (HFC-365mfc), water, CO2.
5. The blowing agent composition of claim 1 further comprising one or more of difluoromethane (HFC-32), pentafluoroethane (HFC-125), 1,1,2,2-tetrafluoroethane (HFC-134), 1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane (HFC-134a), difluoroethane (HFC-152a), 1,1,1,2,3,3,3-heptafluoropropane (HFC-227ea), 1,1,1,3,3,3-hexafluoropropane (HFC-236fa), 1,1,1,3,3-pentafluoropropane (HFC-245fa), 1,1,1,3,3-pentafluorobutane (HFC-365mfc), water, CO2.
6. The composition of claim 4 wherein said blowing agent composition further comprises one or more of water and CO 2 .
7. The composition of claim 5 wherein said blowing agent composition further comprises one or more of water and CO 2 .
8. A blowing agent for use in forming a closed cell thermoplastic foam, said blowing agent being contained in the closed cells of said thermoplastic foam and comprising:
(i) at least about 15% by weight of at least one fluoroalkene, said at least one fluoroalkene consisting essentially of 1,3,3,3-tetrafluorpropene (HFO-1234ze), said HFO-1234ze consisting essentially of at least about 97% of trans-1,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropene (transHFO-1234ze), and (ii) at least one additional compound that is not a fluoroalkene.
9. The blowing agent of claim 8 wherein said at least one additional compound that is not a fluoroalkene is a co-blowing agent, filler and/or vapor pressure modifier.
10. The blowing agent of claim 8 having a Global Warming Potential (GWP) of not greater than about 150.
11. The blowing agent of claim 8 having an Ozone Depleting Potential (ODP) of not greater than about 0.05.
12. The composition of claim 10 wherein said at least one additional compound that is not a fluoroalkene comprises one or more of difluoromethane (HFC-32), pentafluoroethane (HFC-125), 1,1,2,2-tetrafluoroethane (HFC-134), 1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane (HFC-134a), difluoroethane (HFC-152a), 1,1,1,2,3,3,3-heptafluoropropane (HFC-227ea), 1,1,1,3,3,3-hexafluoropropane (HFC-236fa), 1,1,1,3,3-pentafluoropropane (HFC-245fa), 1,1,1,3,3-pentafluorobutane (HFC-365mfc), water, CO2.
13. The composition of claim 11 wherein said at least one additional compound that is not a fluoroalkene comprises one or more of difluoromethane (HFC-32), pentafluoroethane (HFC-125), 1,1,2,2-tetrafluoroethane (HFC-134), 1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane (HFC-134a), difluoroethane (HFC-152a), 1,1,1,2,3,3,3-heptafluoropropane (HFC-227ea), 1,1,1,3,3,3-hexafluoropropane (HFC-236fa), 1,1,1,3,3-pentafluoropropane (HFC-245fa), 1,1,1,3,3-pentafluorobutane (HFC-365mfc), water, CO2.
14. The foam composition of claim 10 wherein said blowing agent composition further comprises one or more of water and CO2.
15. The blowing agent of claim 11 wherein said blowing agent further comprises one or more of water and CO 2 .
16. The blowing agent of claim 1 wherein said thermoplastic foam is a polyolefin foam.
17. The blowing agent of claim 2 wherein said thermoplastic foam is a polyolefin foam.
18. The blowing agent of claim 1 wherein said thermoplastic foam is selected from polystyrene (PS), polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP) and polyethyleneterpthalate (PET).
19. The blowing agent of claim 8 wherein said thermoplastic foam is a polyolefin foam.
20. The blowing agent of claim 10 wherein said thermoplastic foam is a polyolefin foam.
21. The blowing agent of claim 8 wherein said thermoplastic foam is selected from polystyrene (PS), polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP) and polyethyleneterpthalate (PET).