Additives for improving natural oil based polyurethane foam performance
View Patent ↗Polyurethane foam compositions and processes to make flexible polyurethane foams are disclosed. Polyurethane foam is produced in the presence of additives comprising guanidine derivatives. Improvements in physical properties such as air flow, dimensional stability, tensile, tear, elongation and foam hardness is observed when these additives are present in polyurethane formulations. In addition, these additives can minimize polymer degradation under humid ageing conditions resulting in foam products with better mechanical properties.
1. A method for making foam comprising contacting at least one isocyanate with a foam precursor comprising: at least one polyether polyol, at least one natural oil polyol, at least one blowing agent, at least one tertiary amine catalyst, and the presence of dicyanamide and in an amount less about 1.0 pphp, and at least one member selected from the group consisting of N,N-dimethylacetoacetamide, and N-monomethyl acetoacetamide; to form a foamable composition and foaming the foamable composition in a mold to prepare a foam.
2. A foam produced by the method of claim 1 .
3. The foam of claim 2 wherein the foam has a density of 47-50Kg/m 3 .
4. A method for making a foam comprising contacting at least one isocyanate with a foam precursor comprising at least one polyether polyol, at least one natural oil polyol, at least one blowing agent, at least one amine catalyst, dicyanamide and at least one solvent selected from the group consisting of N,N-dimethylacetoacetamide, N-monomethyl acetoacetamide, and N-methylpyrrolidone; wherein dicyanamide is dissolved in the at least one solvent; to form a foamable composition and foaming the foamable composition in a mold to prepare a foam.
5. The method of claim 4 wherein the at least one blowing agent comprises water.
6. A foam produced by the method of claim 4 .
7. A method for making foam comprising contacting at least one isocyanate with a foam precursor composition comprising: at least one natural oil polyol, at least one blowing agent, at least one tertiary amine catalyst, and dicyanamide dissolved in at least one solvent comprising at least one of N,N-dimethylacetoacetamide and N-monomethyl acetoacetamide; wherein the amount dicyanamide ranges from about 0.01 pphp to less than about 2.5 pphp, and the amount of the at least one blowing agent ranges from about 1.0 pphp to about 10 pphp; to form a foamab le composition and foaming the foamable composition in a mold to prepare a foam.
8. The method of claim 7 wherein the foam precursor further comprises at least one member selected from the group consisting of silicone and anionic surfactants.
9. The method of claim 7 wherein the foam precursor further comprises at least one crosslinker.
10. The method of claim 7 wherein the at least one natural oil polyol comprises castor oil.
11. The method of claim 7 wherein the at least one natural oil polyol comprises an oil that has been modified by trans-esterification.
12. The method of claim 7 wherein the at least one natural oil polyol comprises an oil that has been modified by epoxidation.
13. The method of claim 7 wherein the foam precursor further comprises at least one polymer polyol.
14. The method of claim 7 wherein the at least one blowing agent comprises water.
15. A foam produced by the method of claim 7 .
16. A method for making foam comprising contacting at least one member selected from the group consisting of hexamethylene diisocyanate, phenylene diisocyanate, toluene diisocyanate and 4,4′-diphenylmethane diisocyanate with a composition comprising at least one natural oil polyol, at least one blowing agent, at least one tertiary amine catalyst, the presence of dicyanamide in an amount less than about 1.0 pphp and at least one member selected from the group consisting of N,N-dimethylacetoacetamide, N-monomethyl acetoacetamide, and N-methylpyrrolidone; to form a foamable composition and foaming the foamable composition in a mold to prepare a foam.
17. A foam produced by the method of claim 16 .
18. A foam precursor composition comprising: at least one natural oil polyol, the presence of dicyanamide in an amount less about 1.0 pphp and at least one member selected from the group consisting of N,N-dimethylacetoacetamide, and N-monomethyl acetoacetamide; wherein the foam precursor forms a moldable foam when contacted with at least one isocyanate compound.
19. The foam precursor composition of claim 18 further comprising at least one polyether polyol and at least one amine catalyst.
20. A foam precursor composition comprising at least one polyether polyol, at least one natural oil polyol, at least one amine catalyst, at least one silicone surfactant, at least one crosslinker, at least one blowing agent comprising water, at least one guanidine compound, and at least one member selected from the group consisting of N,N-dimethylacetoacetamide, and N-monomethyl acetoacetamide; wherein the amount of the least one guanidine compound ranges from about 0.01 pphp to less than about 2.5 pphp; wherein the at least one guanidine compound is dissolved in the at least one member.
21. The foam precursor composition of claim 20 wherein the at least one guanidine compound is dicyanamide and the at least one member is N,N-dimethylacetoacetamide and the foam precursor forms a moldable foam when contacted with at least one isocyanate compound.
22. The foam precursor composition of claim 20 wherein the at least one guanidine compound is dicyanamide and the at least one member is N-monomethyl acetoacetamide and the foam precursor forms a moldable foam when contacted with at least one isocyanate compound.
23. The foam precursor composition of claim 20 wherein the at least one crosslinker is diethanolamine.
24. The foam precursor composition of claim 20 wherein the at least one amine is at least one member selected from the group consisting of dimethylaminoethyl ether, triethylenediamine, Bis(N,N-dimethyl-3-aminopropyl)amine, and N,N,N-trimethyl-N′-3-aminopropyl-bis(aminoethyl)ether.
25. The foam precursor composition of claim 20 wherein the at least one amine is an acid-blocked amine.
26. A foam precursor composition comprising at least one polyether polyol, at least one natural oil polyol, at least one amine catalyst, at least one silicone surfactant, at least one crosslinker, at least one blowing agent comprising water, at least one guanidine salt selected from the group consisting of guanidine hydrochloride salt, guanidine phosphate salt and guanidine sulfate salt, and at least one member selected from the group consisting of N,N-dimethylacetoacetamide, and N-monomethyl acetoacetamide.
27. The foam precursor composition of claim 26 wherein the at least one guanidine salt is guanidine hydrochloride.