LOW DENSITY THERMOSETTING FOAMS HAVING IMPROVED PROPERTIES
Disclosed are methods of forming foam comprising: (a) providing a foamable composition comprising an isocyanate, a polyol and a physical blowing agent comprising at least about 50% by weight of trans1233zd and wherein the polyol comprises a polyol or mixture of polyols such that the trans1233zd(E) has a solubility in said polyol of 20 pphp or less and (b) forming a foam from said foamable composition.
1 . A method of producing thermosetting PU and/or PIR foams comprising:
(a) providing a polyol premix composition comprising a blowing agent comprising at least about 50% by weight of trans-1-chloro-3,3,3-trifluoropropene (1233zd(E)) and one or more polyol components that together have a sufficiently low solubility limit for said 1233zd(E) to permit foams made from said premix to have a minimum usable density (“MUD”) of less than 27 kg/m 3 ; and
(b) combining said polyol premix composition with a polyisocyanate to form a foamable composition; and
(c) foaming said foamable composition and producing a foam having a MUD of less than 27 kg/m 3 .
2 . The method of claim 1 wherein said one or more polyols comprises at least about 50% by weight of polyester polyol.
3 . The method of claim 1 wherein said one or more polyols comprises at least about 75% by weight of polyester polyol.
4 . The method of claim 3 wherein said one or more polyols comprises at least about 80% by weight of polyester polyol.
5 . The method of claim 1 wherein said foam has MUD of less than 26 kg/m 3 .
6 . The method of claim 5 wherein said foam has MUD of less than 26 kg/m 3 .
7 . The method of claim 1 wherein said foam has MUD of less than 25 kg/m 3 .
8 . The method of claim 5 wherein said foam has MUD of less than 25 kg/m 3 .
9 . A method for producing thermosetting PU and/or PIR foams with good thermal insulating properties and low minimum usable density (MUD), said method comprising:
(a) providing a polyol premix composition comprising one or more polyols and a blowing agent comprising trans-1-chloro-3,3,3-trifluoropropene (1233zd(E)), wherein said one or more polyols comprises at least about 50% by weight of a polyol having a 1233zd(E) solubility of about 20 pphp or less; and
(b) combining said polyol premix composition with a polyisocyanate to form a foamable composition; and
(c) foaming said foamable composition and producing a foam having a minimum usable density (“MUD”) of less than 27 kg/m 3 .
10 . The method of claim 9 wherein said one or more polyols comprises at least about 75% by weight of a polyol having a 1233zd(E) solubility of less than about 15 pphp.
11 . A thermosetting PU and/or PIR foam with good thermal insulating properties and low minimum density, said foams comprising:
(a) cell walls formed of PU and/or PIR forming a plurality of closed cells; and
(b) 1233zd(E) contained in said cell walls,
wherein said foam has a MUD of less than 27 kg/m 3 , an initial K-factor of 18 mW/mK or less, and a Delta lambda of less than 6.
12 . The foam of claim 11 wherein said foam is a PU foam.
13 . The foam of claim 11 wherein said foam is a PIR foam.
14 . The foam of claim 11 wherein said MUD is less than 25 kg/m3.
15 . A board comprising the foam of claim 11 .
16 . A slab comprising the foam of claim 11 .
17 . A pour-in-place panel comprising the foam of claim 11 .
18 . A building structure comprising a board according to claim 17 .
19 . A building structure comprising a slab according to claim 17 .
20 . The method of claim 9 wherein said one or more polyol components together have a sufficiently low solubility limit for said blowing agent to permit foams made from said premix to have a MUD of less than 27 kg/m 3 .