EMULSIONS AND THEIR USE IN THE PRODUCTION OF FOAMS BASED ON ISOCYANATES

1 - 17 . (canceled)

18 . An emulsion comprising

(I) an isocyanate-reactive composition A, comprising a polyol mixture A1 comprising at least three polyols A1a, A1b and A1e as the continuous phase

and

(II) at least one physical blowing agent T as the disperse phase,

wherein:

A1a is a polyether polyol having a hydroxyl value from 15 mg KOH/g to 550 mg KOH/g and a functionality from 1.5 to 6,0, obtained by the addition of an epoxy to one or more starter compound(s) selected from the group consisting of carbohydrates and difunctional or higher-functional alcohols;

(ii) A1b is a polyether polyol having a hydroxyl value from 100 mg KOH/g to 550 mg KOH/g and a functionality from 1.5 to 5.0, obtained by the addition of an epoxy to an aromatic amine;

(iii) A1e is a polyester polyether polyol having a hydroxyl value from 100 mg KOH/g to 450 mg KOH/g and a functionality from 1.5 to 3.5, obtained by the addition of an epoxy to the esterification product of an aromatic dicarboxylic acid derivative and a difunctional or higher-functional alcohol

19 . The emulsion according to claim 18 , wherein the average size of the droplets of the physical blowing agent T is ≧0.1 μm to ≦20 μm, the droplet size being determined by using an optical microscope operating in bright field transmission mode.

20 . The emulsion according to claim 18 , wherein the average size of the droplets of the physical blowing agent T is ≧0.1 μm to ≦15 μm, the droplet size being determined by using an optical microscope operating in bright field transmission mode.

21 . The emulsion according to claim 18 , wherein the polyether polyol A1a is a polyether polyol started on sucrose, mixtures of sucrose and propylene glycol, mixtures of sucrose and ethylene glycol, mixtures of sucrose, propylene glycol and ethylene glycol, sorbitol or mixtures of sorbitol and glycerol.

22 . The emulsion according to claim 18 , wherein the polyether polyol A1b is a polyether polyol started on ortho-, meta- or para-toluoylene diamine or a mixture of isomeric toluoylene diamines.

23 . The emulsion according to claim 22 , wherein the polyester polyether polyol A1c is a polyester polyether polyol obtained by the addition of an epoxy to the esterification product of a phthalic acid derivative with a difunctional or higher-functional alcohol selected from the group consisting of

1,2-propanediol, dipropylene glycol and higher homologues thereof, 1,3-propanediol, 1,4-butanediol, 1,5-pentanediol, 1,6-hexanediol, 1,7-heptanediol, 1,8-octanediol, 1,9-nonanediol, 1,10-decanediol, 1,11-undecanediol, 1,12-dodecanediol including higher homologues thereof, 2-methyl propanediol-1,3, neopentyl glycol, 3-methyl pentanediol-1,5, glycerol, pentaerythritol, and 1,1,1-trimethylolpropane and carbohydrates having 5 to 12 carbon atoms.

24 . The emulsion according to claim 18 , wherein the polyol mixture A1 additionally comprises:

(iv) a polyether polyol A1d started on an aliphatic amine or a polyhydric alcohol and having a hydroxyl value from 500 mg KOH/g to 1000 mg KOH/g and a functionality from 1.5 to 5.0.

25 . The emulsion according to claim 18 , wherein the polyol mixture A1 additionally comprises:

(v) a difunctional to tetrafunctional amine-type or alcoholic chain extender or crosslinker.

26 . The emulsion according to claim 18 , wherein the physical blowing agent T is selected from at least one member of the group consisting of

hydrocarbons, halogenated ethers and perfluorinated hydrocarbons having 1 to 8 carbon atoms.

27 . The emulsion according to claim 18 , wherein the isocyanate-reactive composition A additionally comprises

(vi) water A2;

(vii) at least one stabiliser A3 selected from the group consisting of polyether-polydimethyl siloxane copolymers;

and

(viii) at least one catalyst A4 selected from the group consisting of

triethylenediamine, N,N-dimethylcyclohexylamine, dicyclohexyl-methylamine, tetramethylenediamine, 1-methyl-4-dimethylaminoethyl piperazine, triethylamine, tributylamine, dimethylbenzylamine, N,N′,N″-tris-(dimethylaminopropyl)hexahydrotriazine, tris-(dimethylaminopropyl)amine, tris(dimethylaminomethyl)phenol, dimethylaminopropyl formamide, N,N,N′,N′-tetramethyl ethylenediamine, N,N,N′,N′-tetramethyl butanediamine, tetramethyl hexanediamine, pentamethyl diethylenetriamine, pentamethyl dipropylenetriamine, tetramethyl diaminoethyl ether, dimethyl piperazine, 1,2-dimethyl imidazole, 1-azabicyclo[3.3.0]octane, bis-(dimethylaminopropyl)urea, N-methylmorpholine, N-ethylmorpholine, sodium-N-[(2-hydroxy-5-nonyl-phenyl)methyl]-N-methylaminoacetate, N-cyclohexyl morpholine, 2,3-dimethyl-3,4,5,6-tetrahydropyrimidine, triethanolamine, diethanolamine, triisopropanolamine, N-methyl diethanolamine, N-ethyl diethanolamine and dimethyl ethanolamine.

28 . The emulsion according to claim 18 , wherein the mass ratio of A1:T is ≧5:1 to ≦12:1.

29 . The emulsion according to claim 18 , wherein the polyol component A1 has a viscosity according to EN ISO 3219 at 25° C. of ≧1000 mPas to ≦18000 mPas.

30 . A method for producing a polyurethane-containing polymer C, comprising reacting an isocyanate component B with the emulsion according to claim 18 .

31 . The method according to claim 30 , wherein the isocyanate component B is

a) at least one isocyanate B1 selected from the group consisting of

toluoylene diisocyanate, diphenylmethane diisocyanate, polyphenyl polymethylene polyisocyanate, xylylene diisocyanate, naphthylene diisocyanate, hexamethylene diisocyanate, diisocyanatodicyclohexylmethane and isophorone diisocyanate,

or

b) an isocyanate-terminated prepolymer B2 produced from at least one polyisocyanate B1 and at least one isocyanate-reactive compound selected from at least one of the following polyols

b1) polyether polyol having a hydroxyl value from 15 mg KOH/g to 550 mg KOH/g and a functionality from 1.5 to 6.0, obtained by the addition of an epoxy to one or more starter compound(s) selected from carbohydrates and difunctional or higher-functional alcohols (A1a);

b2) polyether polyol having a hydroxyl value from 100 mg KOH/g to 550 mg KOH/g and a functionality from 1.5 to 5.0, obtained by the addition of an epoxy to an aromatic amine (A1b);

b3) polyester polyether polyol having a hydroxyl value from 100 mg KOH/g to 450 mg KOH/g and a functionality from 1.5 to 3,5, obtained by the addition of an epoxy to the esterification product of an aromatic dicarboxylic acid derivative and a difunctional or higher-functional alcohol (A1c);

b4) polyether polyol having a hydroxyl value from 500 mg KOH/g to 1000 mg KOH/g and a functionality from 1.5 to 5.0 (A1d);

b5) polyether carbonate polyol having a functionality of ≧1.0 to 8.0 and a number-average molar mass from 400 g/mol to 10,000 g/mol (A1f),

or

c) a mixture of B1 and B2.

32 . The method according to claim 30 , wherein the reaction of the isocyanate component B with the emulsion is performed at isocyanate indexes of 95 to 130.

33 . A polyurethane-containing polymer C, obtained by the method according to claim 30 .

34 . A method comprising utilizing the polyurethane-containing polymer C according to claim 33 as an insulating material.