Polyol prepolymers of natural oil based polyols
A polyol prepolymer having at least one urethane group is disclosed. The polyol preopolymer is a reaction product of at least one isocyanate and a polyol blend, where the polyol blend includes at least one conventional petroleum-based polyol and at least one natural oil based polyol. The polyol prepolymer may be used in producing flexible polyurethane foams.
1. A polyol prepolymer having at least one urethane group, comprising a reaction product of at least one isocyanate and a polyol blend, wherein the polyol blend comprises at least one petroleum-based polyol and at least one natural oil based polyol, the isocyanate is reacted at an isocyanate index of between about 5 and about 80, the polyol prepolymer has a viscosity of between about 3000 mPa·s and about 30000 mPa·s at 25° Celsius, and wherein the at least one natural oil based polyol comprises the reaction product of at least a hydroxymethylated fatty acid or hydroxymethylated fatty acid-ester with an initiator compound.
2. A flexible polyurethane foam, comprising a reaction product of at least:
a) at least one polyol prepolymer, wherein the at least one polyol preoplymer comprises a reaction product of at least one first isocyanate and a polyol blend, wherein the polyol blend comprises at least one petroleum-based polyol and at least one a natural oil based polyol, the at least one first isocyanate is reacted at an isocyanate index of between about 5 and about 80, and the polyol prepolymer has a viscosity of between about 3000 mPa·s and about 30000 mPa·s at 25° Celsius, and wherein the at least one natural oil based polyol comprises the reaction product of at least a hydroxymethylated fatty acid or hydroxymethylated fatty acid-ester with an initiator compound; and
b) at least one second isocyanate.
3. A method for producing a polyol prepolymer, comprising:
providing a polyol blend comprising at least one petroleum-based polyol and at least one natural oil based polyol, wherein the at least one natural oil based polyol comprises the reaction product of at least a hydroxymethylated fatty acid or hydroxymethylated fatty acid-ester with an initiator compound; and
reacting the polyol blend with at least one isocyanate at an isocyanate index of between about 5 and about 80 to form the at least one polyol prepolymer, such that the polyol prepolymer has a viscosity of between about 3000 mPa·s and about 30000 mPa·s at 25° Celsius.
4. A method for producing a flexible polyurethane foam, comprising:
forming at least one polyol prepolymer in a process comprising:
providing a polyol blend comprising at least one petroleum-based polyol and at least one natural oil based polyol, wherein the at least one natural oil based polyol comprises the reaction product of at least a hydroxymethylated fatty acid or hydroxymethylated fatty acid-ester with an initiator compound, and
reacting the polyol blend with at least one first isocyanate at an isocyanate index of between about 5 and about 80 to form the at least one polyol prepolymer, such that the polyol prepolymer has a viscosity of between about 3000 mPa·s and about 3000 mPa·s at 25° Celsius, and
reacting at least the at least one polyol prepolymer with at least one second isocyanate to form a polyurethane foam.
5. The polyol prepolymer of claim 1 , wherein the at least one natural oil based polyol comprises hydroformylated fatty acid methyl esters.
6. The polyol prepolymer of claim 1 , wherein the polyol prepolymer has one liquid phase.
7. The polyol prepolymer of claim 1 , wherein the polyol prepolymer, upon mixing with water at water concentrations of up to about 20% based on the total weight of polyol preopolymer and water, forms one phase with the water.
8. The polyol prepolymer of claim 1 , wherein the at least one natural oil based polyol and the at least one petroleum-based polyol are present in a ratio of between about 20:80 and about 80:20 based on the total weight of the at least one natural oil based polyol and the at least one petroleum-based polyol.
9. The polyol prepolymer of claim 1 , wherein the polyol prepolymer has an OH number of between about 100 and about 5.
10. The polyol prepolymer of claim 1 , wherein the polyol prepolymer has a viscosity of between about 3000 mPa·s and about 7000 mPa·s at 25° Celsius.
11. The flexible polyurethane foam of claim 2 , wherein the flexible polyurethane foam is at least one of laminated to a fabric and welded to plastic by ultrasonic waves.
12. The flexible polyurethane foam of claim 2 , wherein the at least one first isocyanate ant the at least one second isocyanate are the same.
13. The flexible polyurethane foam of claim 2 , wherein the at least one first isocyanate and the at least one second isocyanate are the same.
14. The flexible polyurethane foam of claim 2 , wherein the at least one first isocyanate and the at least one second isocyanate are the different.
15. The flexible polyurethane foam of claim 2 , wherein the at least one natural oil based polyol comprises hydroformylated fatty acid methyl esters.
16. The method of claim 3 , wherein the at least one natural oil based polyol comprises hydroformylated fatty acid methyl esters.
17. The method of claim 4 , wherein the at least one natural oil based polyol comprises hydroformylated fatty acid methyl esters.
18. The flexible polyurethane foam of claim 2 , wherein the polyol prepolymer, upon mixing with water at water concentrations of up to about 20% based on the total weight of polyol preopolymer and water, forms one phase with the water.
19. The method of claim 3 , wherein the polyol prepolymer, upon mixing with water at water concentrations of up to about 20% based on the total weight of polyol preopolymer and water, forms one phase with the water.
20. The method of claim 4 , wherein the polyol prepolymer, upon mixing with water at water concentrations of up to about 20% based on the total weight of polyol preopolymer and water, forms one phase with the water.