CO2 CONTAINING FOAMS AND RELATED METHODS

1 . A method for producing a polyurethane foam composition, the method comprising the steps of

providing an A-side composition comprising one or more polyisocyanates;

providing a B-side composition comprising one or more highly alternating polycarbonate polyols derived from the copolymerization of one or more epoxides and CO 2 ;

heating the B-side composition to an elevated temperature;

mixing the A-side composition, the heated B-side composition, and CO 2 to provide a foam mixture; and

allowing the foam mixture to cure into the polyurethane foam composition;

wherein at least a portion of the CO 2 is added as a separate stream, or is provided dissolved in the B-side composition.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the A-side composition, the heated B-side composition and a liquid CO 2 stream are mixed simultaneously at a mix head to provide the foam mixture.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the CO 2 is provided dissolved in the B-side composition.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the A-side composition and the heated B-side composition are mixed at a mix head and a CO 2 stream is added separately to the A-side/B-side mixture.

5 . The method of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the B-side composition contains less than about 4 molar equivalents of water relative to the moles of active —OH end groups provided by the polyols in the B-side composition.

6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the B-side composition contains less than about 2 molar equivalents of water relative to the moles of active —OH end groups provided by the polyols in the B-side composition.

7 . The method of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the B-side composition is heated to a temperature between 70° C. and 200° C.

8 . The method of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the B-side composition is heated to a temperature between about 70° C. and about 150° C., between about 70° C. and about 120° C., between about 80° C. and about 120° C., between about 100° C. and about 150° C., between about 90° C. and about 140° C., or between about 90° C. and 130° C.

9 . The method of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the B-side composition comprises a polyol selected from the group consisting of:

wherein,

n is at each occurrence, independently an integer from about 2 to about 100;

{circle around (Z)} is a multivalent moiety; and

R 1a is, independently at each occurrence in the polymer chain, selected from the group consisting of —H, —CH 3 , —CH 2 CH 3 , —CH 2 Cl, —CH 2 OR x , —CH 2 OC(O)Rx, and —(CH 2 ) q CH 3 , where each Rx is independently an optionally substituted moiety selected from the group consisting of C 1-20 aliphatic, C 1-20 heteroaliphatic, 3- to 14-membered carbocyclic, 6- to 10-membered aryl, 5- to 10-membered heteroaryl, and 3- to 12-membered heterocyclic, and q is an integer from 2 to 40.

10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the B-side composition comprises a polyol of formula:

11 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the B-side composition comprises a polyol of formula:

12 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the B-side composition comprises a polyol of formula:

13 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the B-side composition comprises a polyol of formula:

14 . The method of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the highly alternating polycarbonate polyol is characterized in that it has at least 95% carbonate linkages, at least 97% carbonate linkages, at least 99% carbonate linkages, or essentially only carbonate linkages.

15 . The method of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the highly alternating polycarbonate polyol comprises poly(propylene carbonate).

16 . The method of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the highly alternating polycarbonate polyol comprises poly(ethylene carbonate).

17 . A polyurethane foam composition made by a method of any one of the preceding.

18 . The polyurethane foam composition of claim 17 , characterized in that the cured foam composition has a hard segment content of less than about 40%, less than about 30%, less than about 25%, less than about 20%, less than about 15%, or less than about 10%.

19 . The polyurethane foam composition of claim 17 , characterized in that the cured foam composition has a ratio of urethane linkages to urea linkages of greater than about 1:1, greater than about 2:1, greater than about 3:1, or greater than about 5:1.

20 . The polyurethane foam composition of claim 17 , characterized in that the foam comprises a flexible foam.

21 . The polyurethane foam composition of claim 17 , characterized in that the foam meets the ASTM specifications for a high resilience flexible foam.

22 . The polyurethane foam composition of claim 17 , characterized in that the foam comprises a rigid foam.