GB904230A - Improvements in or relating to the manufacture of foamed polyurethane materials - Google Patents

Abstract

A process for the manufacture of polyurethane foamed material by reacting organic polyisocyanates with hydroxyl group-containing polymers containing at least two isocyanate-reactive groups per molecule such as polyesters, polyesteramides or polyethers, optionally in the presence of catalysts for the production of polyurethane foams and water, is characterized in that there is incorporated in the reaction mixture a water-soluble salt of an acid ester of a polybasic acid, said acid ester containing a hydrophobic polyether chain. The acid esters can be those of hydroxyl group-containing polyether products of the polymerization of cyclic oxides containing more than two carbon atoms per molecule with such acids as phosphoric, sulphuric and aliphatic and aromatic polycarboxylic acids. The esters can be produced by direct esterification, or reaction of the hydroxy compound with an acid chloride or simple ester of the acid. Sulphated polyethers may be prepared by reacting the hydroxyether with sulphuric acid, chlorosulphonic acid or a tertiary amine/sulphur trioxide addition compound. The foam-forming reaction mixture may also contain conventional surface-active agents, low boiling organic liquids, catalysts such as tertiary amines, acetyl acetonates or organo-metallic compounds, flame retardants such as trichloroethyl phosphate and antimony oxide, plasticisers such as tricresyl phosphate and dioctyl phthalate, colouring matters and fillers such as carbon black and silica, colour stabilizers, and antioxidants such as tert. butyl catechol and sterically hindered phenols. In Example (1) a foam is prepared by reacting together a liquid polyester from adipic acid, diethylene glycol and pentaerythritol; a 65:35 mixture of tolylene 2:4- and 2:6-diisocyanates; and a mixture of dimethylcyclohexylamine, a para-octyl phenol/ethylene oxide reaction product, the disodium salt of sulphated polypropylene glycol and water.ALSO:A process for the manufacture of polyurethane foamed material by reacting organic polyisocyanates with hydroxyl group-containing polymers containing at least two isocyanate-reactive groups per molecule such as polyesters, polyesteramides or polyethers, optionally in the presence of catalysts for the production of polyurethane foams and water, is characterized in that there is incorporated in the reaction mixture a water-soluble salt of an acid ester of a polybasic acid, said acid ester containing a hydrophobic polyether chain. The acid esters can be those of hydroxy group-containing polyether products of the polymerization of cyclic oxides containing more than two carbon atoms per molecule with such acids as phosphoric, sulphuric and aliphatic and aromatic polycarboxylic acids. The esters can be produced by direct esterification, or reaction of the hydroxy compound with an acid chloride or simple ester of the acid. Sulphated polyethers may be prepared by reacting the hydroxy ether with sulphuric acid, chlorosulphonic acid or a tertiary amine/sulphur trioxide addition compound. The foam-forming reaction mixture may also contain conventional surface-active agents, low boiling organic liquids, catalysts such as tertiary amines, acetylacetonates or organo-metallic compounds, flame retardants such as trichlorethyl phosphate and antimony oxide, plasticizers such as tricresyl phosphate and dioctyl phthalate, colouring matters and fillers such as carbon black and silica, colour stabilizers, and antioxidants such as tert. butyl catechol and sterically hindered phenols. In Example (1) a foam is prepared by reacting together a liquid polyester from adipic acid, diethylene glycol and pentaerythritol; a 65: 35 mixture of tolylene 2: 4- and 2:6- diisocyanates; and a mixture of dimethylcyclohexylamine, a para-octyl phenol/ethylene oxide reaction product, the disodium salt of sulphated polypropylene glycol and water.