A POLYURETHANE FOAM COMPOSITION COMPRISING AN AROMATIC POLYESTER POLYOL COMPOUND AND PRODUCTS MADE THEREFROM

1 . A polyurethane foam composition comprising:

(a) an isocyanate compound;

(b) one or more isocyanate reactive compounds wherein at least one of the isocyanate reactive compounds comprises an aromatic polyester polyol compound that is the esterification reaction product of the following components:

(i) an aromatic acid compound;

(ii) an aliphatic diol compound;

(iii) a dialkylol alkanoic acid compound of Formula I:

wherein R is hydrogen, C 1 to C 8 alkyl (straight-chain or branched), C 1 to C 8 hydroxyalkyl, C 1 to C 12 aromatic, or C 1 to C 12 cyclic aliphatic, and wherein R 1 , R 2 are each independently hydrogen, C 1 to C 8 alkyl (straight-chain or branched); and

(iv) optionally, a hydrophobic compound, a polyhydroxy compound comprising at least three hydroxyl groups, or combinations thereof; and

wherein the aromatic polyester polyol compound is liquid at 25° C. and has a hydroxy value ranging from about 30 to about 600; and

(c) optionally, a blowing agent; and

(d) optionally, auxiliary compounds and additives.

2 . The polyurethane foam composition according to claim 1 , wherein the viscosity of the aromatic polyester polyol compound ranges from about 200 to about 150,000 centipoises at 25° C.

3 . The polyurethane foam composition according to claim 1 , wherein the acid value of the aromatic polyester polyol compound ranges from about 0.1 mg of KOH/g to about 10 mg of KOH/g.

4 . The polyurethane foam made from the composition of claim 1 , wherein the aromatic polyester polyol compound has a bio-renewable content of at least 10% by weight based on the total weight of the aromatic polyester polyol.

5 . The polyurethane foam composition according to claim 1 , wherein the polyurethane foam is applied to a surface of a roofing, wall, pipe, or storage tank assembly.

6 . The polyurethane foam composition of claim 1 , wherein the aromatic polyester polyol compound has a recycled content of at least 10% by weight based on the total weight of the aromatic polyester polyol.

7 . The polyurethane foam composition according to claim 1 , wherein the viscosity of the aromatic polyester polyol compound is lower than a corresponding polyol compound made to the same hydroxyl number, aromatic content, and calculated functionality but without the use of Component (iii).

8 . The polyurethane foam composition according to claim 1 , wherein the aromatic polyester polyol compound comprises an average functionality ranging from about 1.5 to about 3.5, an average hydroxyl number ranging from about 30 to about 600, and an acid number ranging from about 0.1 to about 10, and has a resulting viscosity ranging from 200 to about 50,000 centipoises at about 25° C.

9 . The polyurethane foam composition according to claim 1 , wherein the esterification reaction conditions comprise reacting the reactive mixture at a temperature ranging from about 50° C. to about 300° C. for a period ranging from about 1 hour to about 24 hours.

10 . The polyurethane foam composition according to claim 1 , wherein the reactive mixture further comprises (vi) an esterification catalyst compound and wherein the esterification catalyst compound comprises about 0.001 to about 0.2% by weight based on the weight of the reactive mixture.

11 . A method of forming a polyurethane foam product comprising:

reacting, in the presence of a blowing agent, a reactive mixture comprising an isocyanate compound and one or more isocyanate reactive compounds wherein at least one of the isocyanate reactive compounds comprises an aromatic polyester polyol compound that is the esterification reaction product of the following components:

(i) an aromatic acid compound;

(ii) an aliphatic diol compound;

(iii) a dialkylol alkanoic acid compound of Formula I:

wherein R is hydrogen, C 1 to C 8 alkyl (straight-chain or branched), C 1 to C 8 hydroxyalkyl, C 1 to C 12 aromatic, or C 1 to C 12 cyclic aliphatic, and wherein R 1 , R 2 are each independently hydrogen, C 1 to C 8 alkyl (straight-chain or branched); and

(iv) optionally, a hydrophobic compound, a polyhydroxy compound comprising at least three hydroxyl groups, or combinations thereof; and

wherein the aromatic polyester polyol compound is liquid at 25° C. and has a hydroxy value ranging from about 30 to about 600;

12 . The method according to claim 11 , wherein the viscosity of the aromatic polyester polyol compound ranges from about 200 to about 150,000 centipoises at 25° C.

13 . The method according to claim 11 , wherein the acid value of the aromatic polyester polyol compound ranges from about 0.1 mg of KOH/g to about 10 mg of KOH/g.

14 . The method according to claim 11 , wherein the aromatic polyester polyol compound has a bio-renewable content of at least 10% by weight based on the total weight of the aromatic polyester polyol.

15 . The method according to claim 11 , wherein the aromatic polyester polyol compound has a recycled content of at least 10% by weight based on the total weight of the aromatic polyester polyol.

16 . The method according to claim 11 , wherein the viscosity of the aromatic polyester polyol compound is lower than a corresponding polyol compound made to the same hydroxy number, aromatic content, and calculated functionality but without the use of Component (iii).

17 . The method according to claim 11 , wherein the aromatic polyester polyol compound comprises an average functionality ranging from about 1.5 to about 3.5, an average hydroxyl number ranging from about 30 to about 600, and an acid number ranging from about 0.1 to about 10, and has a resulting viscosity ranging from 200 to about 50,000 centipoises at about 25° C.

18 . The method according to claim 12 , wherein the esterification reaction conditions comprise reacting the reactive mixture at a temperature ranging from about 50° C. to about 300° C. for a period ranging from about 1 hour to about 24 hours.

19 . The method according to claim 12 , wherein the reactive mixture further comprises (vi) an esterification catalyst compound and wherein the esterification catalyst compound comprises about 0.001 to about 0.2% by weight based on the weight of the reactive mixture.

20 . The method according to claim 12 , wherein the method further comprises applying the reactive mixture to a surface of a roofing, wall, pipe, or storage tank assembly.