Reduction in modulus of polyurethane sealants and adhesives

1. A low modulus sealant or adhesive composition comprising:

(i) a polyurethane prepolymer comprising an isocyanate and a polyol having a bio-based content of from about 15% to about 75% by weight; and

(ii) a modulus reducing additive comprising at least one of rosin esters, hydrogenated rosin esters, or mixtures thereof.

2. The composition of claim 1 , wherein said polyurethane prepolymer comprises

(a) a polyol entirely derived from a natural oil; and

(b) a natural oil-petroleum blend polyol.

3. The composition of claim 1 , wherein said polyurethane prepolymer further comprises at least one of (a) catalyst; (b) drying agent, or (c) plasticizer.

4. The composition of claim 1 , wherein said modulus reducing additive comprises at least one of glycerol ester of hydrogenated rosin, pentaerythritol ester of hydrogenated rosin, or mixtures thereof.

5. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the modulus reducing additive is present in the composition in an amount sufficient to provide a 100% modulus of less than or equal to 85 psi, optionally from about 40 to about 85 psi, for a sealant composition, or less than or equal to 100 psi, optionally from about 86 to about 100 psi, for an adhesive composition.

6. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the modulus reducing additive is present in an amount from about 0.5 wt. % to about 2 wt. % in the sealant composition, or in an amount from about 1 wt. % to about 5 wt. % in the adhesive composition.

7. A one component, moisture curable polyurethane sealant composition according to claim 1 , wherein the sealant exhibits at least one of a bio-based content of from about 5% to about 28% by weight, a 100% Modulus of from about 40 to about 85 psi, an elongation at break of from about 400% to about 850%, a Shore A hardness of from about 20 to about 50, a tensile strength of from about 150 to about 405 psi, a viscosity of from about 3500 to about 8500 poise at 24° C., or a sag of from about 0 to 0.18 inch.

8. A moisture-curable polyurethane adhesive composition according to claim 1 , wherein the adhesive exhibits at least one of a bio-based content of from about 10% to about 20% by weight, an adhesive strength from about 100 to about 175 psi, or a viscosity of from about 1200 poise to about 2000 poise at 24° C.

9. The composition of claim 8 , wherein the polyol entirely derived from a natural oil is a 100% castor oil based polyol having at least one of an average molecular weight (Mn) of about 3400 grams/mole to about 4000 grams/mole, a functionality of 2, and a hydroxyl number from 33 to 40.

10. The composition of claim 8 , wherein the natural oil-petroleum blend polyol comprises a castor oil-petroleum blend polyol having a functionality of from 2 to about 2.75.

11. The composition of claim 8 , wherein the isocyanate comprises at least one of toluene diisocyanate (TDI), methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI), phenylene diisocyanate, xylylene diisocyanate, diphenylmethane diisocyanate, polyphenylmethane polyisocyanate (Polymeric MDI), naphthalene diisocyanate, triphenylmethane triisocyanate, diphenyl sulfone diisocyanate, cyclohexane diisocyanate, ethylene diisocyanate, propylene diisocyanate, tetramethylene diisocyanate, hexamethylene diisocyanate, isophorone diisocyanate (IPDI), dimers or trimers thereof, or mixtures thereof.

12. The composition of claim 8 , wherein the isocyanate comprises at least one of toluene 2,4-diisocyanate, toluene 2,6-diisocyanate, naphthylene 1,5-diisocyanate, 4,4′-methylene diphenyl diisocyanate, 2,4′-methylene diphenyl diisocyanate, 1-methyl-2,4-diisocyanatocyclohexane, 1-methyl-2,6-diisocyanatocyclohexane, 4,4′-dicyclohexylmethane diisocyanate, urethodione diisocyanate, isocyanurate trisocyanate, hexamethylene-1,6-diisocyanate, tetramethylene-1,4-diisocyanate, cyclohexane-1,4-diisocyanate, hexahydrotolylene diisocyanate (and isomers), 1-methoxyphenyl-2,4-diisocyanate, diphenylmethane-4,4′-diisocyanate, 4,4′-biphenylene diisocyanate, 3,3′-dimethoxy-4,4′-biphenyl diisocyanate, 3,3′-dimethyl-4,4′-biphenyl diisocyanate; and 3,3′-dimethyldiphenylmethane-4,4′-diisocyanate, 1-isocyanatomethyl-3-isocyanato-1,5,5-trimethyl diisocyanate, dimers or trimers thereof, or mixtures thereof.

13. The composition of claim 8 , further comprising at least one additive comprising organic filler, inorganic filler, plasticizer, chain extender, antioxidant, UV stabilizer, light stabilizer, fungicide, mildewcide, biocide, fire retardant, surface additive, coloring agent, solvent, mineral oil, thixotropic agent, dispersing agent, adhesion promoter, catalyst, defoaming agent, storage stabilizer, latent hardener, drying agent, cure retarder, or mixtures thereof.

14. The composition of claim 7 , wherein the polyol entirely derived from a natural oil is a 100% castor oil based polyol having at least one of an average molecular weight (Mn) of about 3400 grams/mole to about 4000 grams/mole, a functionality of 2, and a hydroxyl number from 33 to 40.

15. The composition of claim 7 , wherein the natural oil-petroleum blend polyol comprises a castor oil-petroleum blend polyol having a functionality of from 2 to about 2.75.

16. The composition of claim 7 , wherein the isocyanate comprises at least one of toluene diisocyanate (TDI), methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI), phenylene diisocyanate, xylylene diisocyanate, diphenylmethane diisocyanate, polyphenylmethane polyisocyanate (Polymeric MDI), naphthalene diisocyanate, triphenylmethane triisocyanate, diphenyl sulfone diisocyanate, cyclohexane diisocyanate, ethylene diisocyanate, propylene diisocyanate, tetramethylene diisocyanate, hexamethylene diisocyanate, isophorone diisocyanate (IPDI), dimers or trimers thereof, or mixtures thereof.

17. The composition of claim 7 , wherein the isocyanate comprises at least one of toluene 2,4-diisocyanate, toluene 2,6-diisocyanate, naphthylene 1,5-diisocyanate, 4,4′-methylene diphenyl diisocyanate, 2,4′-methylene diphenyl diisocyanate, 1-methyl-2,4-diisocyanatocyclohexane, 1-methyl-2,6-diisocyanatocyclohexane, 4,4′-dicyclohexylmethane diisocyanate, urethodione diisocyanate, isocyanurate trisocyanate, hexamethylene-1,6-diisocyanate, tetramethylene-1,4-diisocyanate, cyclohexane-1,4-diisocyanate, hexahydrotolylene diisocyanate (and isomers), 1-methoxyphenyl-2,4-diisocyanate, diphenylmethane-4,4′-diisocyanate, 4,4′-biphenylene diisocyanate, 3,3′-dimethoxy-4,4′-biphenyl diisocyanate, 3,3′-dimethyl-4,4′-biphenyl diisocyanate; and 3,3′-dimethyldiphenylmethane-4,4′-diisocyanate, 1-isocyanatomethyl-3-isocyanato-1,5,5-trimethyl diisocyanate, dimers or trimers thereof, or mixtures thereof.

18. The composition of claim 7 , further comprising at least one additive comprising organic filler, inorganic filler, plasticizer, chain extender, antioxidant, UV stabilizer, light stabilizer, fungicide, mildewcide, biocide, fire retardant, surface additive, coloring agent, solvent, mineral oil, thixotropic agent, dispersing agent, adhesion promoter, catalyst, defoaming agent, storage stabilizer, latent hardener, drying agent, cure retarder, or mixtures thereof.

19. A method for making a low modulus, moisture-curable polyurethane sealant or adhesive capable of curing to form a reaction product, the method comprising:

providing a polyurethane prepolymer comprising an isocyanate and a polyol having a bio-based content of from about 15% to about 75% by weight; and

admixing with the polyurethane prepolymer (i) a modulus reducing additive comprising at least one of rosin esters, hydrogenated rosin esters, or mixtures thereof, (ii) at least one of (a) catalyst; (b) drying agent, or (c) plasticizer, and (iii) optionally at least one additive comprising organic filler, inorganic filler, chain extender, antioxidant, UV stabilizer, light stabilizer, fungicide, mildewcide, biocide, fire retardant, surface additive, coloring agent, solvent, mineral oil, thixotropic agent, dispersing agent, adhesion promoter, defoaming agens, storage stabilizer, latent hardener, cure retarder, or mixtures thereof, for a sufficient time to produce a polyurethane sealant or adhesive.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the rosin ester comprises at least one of glycerol ester of hydrogenated rosin, pentaerythritol ester of hydrogenated rosin, or mixtures thereof.

21. The method of claim 19 , wherein said polyurethane prepolymer comprises (a) a polyol entirely derived from a natural oil; and (b) a natural oil-petroleum blend polyol.

22. A method of reducing the modulus of a polyurethane sealant or adhesive composition, comprising

incorporating a modulus reducing additive comprising at least one of rosin esters, hydrogenated rosin esters, or mixtures thereof, into a composition comprising a polyurethane prepolymer comprising an isocyanate and a polyol, the polyol having a bio-based content of from about 15% to about 75% by weight;

wherein said modulus reducing additive reduces the extension modulus at 100% elongation of the sealant composition to less than about 72 psi as measured in accordance with ASTM D-412.