Foam insulation made with expandable microspheres and methods

1. A polyurethane and/or polyisocyanurate rigid insulation foam made using expandable microspheres which encapsulate a primary blowing agent such that the microspheres are expanded during foam making to function as a blowing agent by mixing:

160 to 310 PBW expandable microspheres having an encapsultated blowing agent and an average unexpanded diameter less than 50 microns;

191 to 500 PBW isocyanate;

75 to 125 PBW polyol; and

14 to 201 PBW other ingredients with less than 2% by weight of non-encapsulated blowing agents.

2. The foam according to claim 1 wherein the encapsulated blowing agent is selected from the group consisting of pentane, butane, hexane, heptane, diethyl ether, isopentane, n-pentane and cyclopentane or blends of chemicals from said group.

3. Boardstock made of a rigid polyurethane and/or polyisocyanurate foam made according to claim 1 by mixing:

160 to 310 PBW expandable microspheres having an encapsultated blowing agent and an average unexpanded diameter less than 50 microns;

191 to 400 PBW isocyanate;

75 to 125 PBW polyol; and

14 to 188 PBW other ingredients with less than 2% by weight of non-encapsulated blowing agents.

4. Bunstock made of a rigid polyurethane and/or polyisocyanurate foam made according to claim 1 by mixing:

160 to 310 PBW expandable microspheres having an encapsulated blowing agent and an average unexpanded diameter size less than 50 microns;

192 to 500 PBW isocyanate;

75 to 125 PBW polyol; and

14 to 201 PBW other ingredients with less than 2% by weight of non-encapsulated blowing agents.

5. The foam according to claim 1 made using at least 10% by weight expandable microspheres which encapsulate a non-halogenated hydrocarbon chemical or a non-halogenated hydrocarbon chemical blend as a primary blowing agent.

6. The foam according to claim 5 wherein at least 30% of the microspheres have a first average unexpanded diameter with a standard deviation less than 3 microns and at least 30% of the microspheres have a second average unexpanded diameter with a standard deviation less than 9 microns, said second diameter is at least 1.5 times greater than said first diameter and is between 10 and 200 microns.

7. The foam according to claim 6 wherein at least 45% of the microspheres have said first average unexpanded diameter with a standard deviation less than 2 microns and at least 45% of the microspheres have said second average unexpanded diameter with a standard deviation less than 8 microns and said second diameter is at least two times greater than said first diameter and is between 10 and 100 microns.

8. A polyurethane and/or polyisocyanurate rigid insulation foam made using at least 10% by weight expandable microspheres which encapsulate a non-halogenated hydrocarbon chemical or a non-halogenated hydrocarbon chemical blend as a primary blowing agent by mixing:

160 to 310 PBW expandable microspheres having an encapsultated blowing agent and an average unexpanded diameter less than 50 microns;

191 to 500 PBW isocyanate;

75 to 125 PBW polyol; and

14 to 201 PBW other ingredients with less than 2% by weight of non-encapsulated blowing agents.

9. The foam according to claim 8 made using at least 25% by weight expandable microspheres which encapsulate a non-halogenated hydrocarbon chemical or a non-halogenated hydrocarbon chemical blend as a primary blowing agent and less than 2% by weight of any non-encapsulated blowing agents.

10. The foam according to claim 8 wherein the encapsulated blowing agent is selected from the group consisting of pentane, butane, hexane, heptane, diethyl ether, isopentane, n-pentane and cyclopentane or blends of chemicals from said group.

11. Boardstock made of a rigid polyurethane and/or polyisocyanurate foam made according to claim 8 by mixing:

160 to 310 PBW expandable microspheres having an encapsultated blowing agent and an average unexpanded diameter less than 50 microns;

191 to 400 PBW isocyanate;

75 to 125 PBW polyol; and

14 to 188 PBW other ingredients with less than 2% by weight of non-encapsulated blowing agents.

12. Bunstock made of a rigid polyurethane and/or polyisocyanurate foam made according to claim 8 by mixing:

160 to 310 PBW expandable microspheres having an encapsulated blowing agent and an average unexpanded diameter size less than 50 microns;

192 to 500 PBW isocyanate;

75 to 125 PBW polyol; and

14 to 201 PBW other ingredients with less than 2% by weight of non-encapsulated blowing agents.

13. The foam according to claim 8 wherein at least 30% of the microspheres have a first average unexpanded diameter with a standard deviation less than 3 microns and at least 30% of the microspheres have a second average unexpanded diameter with a standard deviation less than 9 microns, said second diameter is at least 1.5 times greater than said first diameter and is between 10 and 200 microns.

14. The foam according to claim 10 wherein at least 45% of the microspheres have said first average unexpanded diameter with a standard deviation less than 2 microns and at least 45% of the microspheres have said second average unexpanded diameter with a standard deviation less than 8 microns and said second diameter is at least two times greater than said first diameter and is between 10 and 100 microns.

15. A polyurethane and/or polyisocyanurate rigid insulation foam made using expandable microspheres which encapsulate a blowing agent which microspheres are expanded in the resultant foam, by mixing:

160 to 310 PBW expandable microspheres having an encapsultated blowing agent and an average unexpanded diameter less than 50 microns;

191 to 500 PBW isocyanate;

75 to 125 PBW polyol; and

14 to 201 PBW other ingredients with less than 2% by weight of non-encapsulated blowing agents;

wherein at least 30% of the microspheres have a first average unexpanded diameter with a standard deviation less than 3 microns and at least 30% of the microspheres have a second average unexpanded diameter with a standarddeviation less than 9 microns, said second diameter is at least 1.5 times greater than said first diameter and is between 10 and 200 microns.

16. The foam according to claim 15 wherein at least 45% of the microspheres have said first average unexpanded diameter with a standard deviation less than 2 microns and at least 45% of the microspheres have said second average unexpanded diameter with a standard deviation less than 8 microns and said second diameter is at least two times greater than said first diameter and is between 10 and 100 microns.

17. The foam according to claim 15 wherein the encapsulated blowing agent is selected from the group consisting of pentane, butane, hexane, heptane, diethyl ether, isopentane, n-pentane and cyclopentane or blends of chemicals from said group.

18. Boardstock made of a rigid polyurethane and/or polyisocyanurate foam made according to claim 15 by mixing:

160 to 310 PBW expandable microspheres having an encapsultated blowing agent and an average unexpanded diameter less than 50 microns;

191 to 400 PBW isocyanate;

75 to 125 PBW polyol;

14 to 188 PBW other ingredients with less than 2% by weight of non-encapsulated blowing agents.

19. Bunstock made of a rigid polyurethane and/or polyisocyanurate foam made according to claim 15 by mixing:

160 to 310 PBW expandable microspheres having an encapsulated blowing agent and an average unexpanded diameter size less than 50 microns;

192 to 500 PBW isocyanate;

75 to 125 PBW polyol;

14 to 201 PBW other ingredients with less than 2% by weight of non-encapsulated blowing agents.

20. A method for the manufacture of polyurethane and/or polyisocyanurate rigid insulation foam comprising:

introducing 160 to 310 PBW expandable microspheres having an encapsultated blowing agent and an average unexpanded diameter less than 50 microns to the screw of an extruder;

introducing 191 to 500 PBW of a isocyanate to the screw of the extruder;

introducing 75 to 125 PBW of a polyol to the screw of the extruder;

introducing 10 to 201 PBW other ingredients with less than 2% by weight of non-encapsulated blowing agents to the screw of the extruder;

using the screw of the extruder to mix the expandable microspheres, isocyanate, polyol and other ingredients to and extruding the mixed ingredients in conjunction with mixing 1 to 12 PBW catalyst; and

expanding the microspheres in the extruded mixture to produce rigid foam.

21. The method according to claim 20 used to make boardstock wherein:

191 to 400 PBW of said isocyanate is introduced to the screw of the extruder; and

10 to 188 PBW said other ingredients with less than 2% by weight of non-encapsulated blowing agents are introduced to the screw of the extruder of which 10 to 50 PBW are fire retardants and 1 to 4 parts is a surfactant to produce rigid foam boardstock.

22. The method according to claim 20 used to make bunstock wherein:

192 to 500 PBW said isocyanate to is introduced to the screw of the extruder; and

10 to 201 PBW said other ingredients with less than 2% by weight of non-encapsulated blowing agents are introduced to the screw of the extruder of which 10 to 85 PBW are fire retardants, 1 to 5 parts is a dispersing agent and 1 to 5 parts is a surfactant to produce rigid foam bunstock.

23. The method according to claim 20 further comprising extruding the mixture onto a conveyor system and applying facer material to one or more sides of the foam which is produced.

24. The method according to claim 20 further comprising extruding the mixture onto a conveyor system and transporting the foam through a heated chamber for curing whereby the microspheres expand and maintain their expanded size and shape in the foam which is produced.

25. The method according to claim 20 wherein at least 30% of the microspheres have a first average unexpanded diameter with a standard deviation less than 3 microns and at least 30% of the microspheres have a second average unexpanded diameter with a standard deviation less than 9 microns, said second diameter is at least 1.5 times greater than said first diameter and is between 10 and 200 microns.