Patent EA-001093-B1 (EA)
Title: Polyurethane membrane based on polyster polyol (variants), method for producing of laminated membrane
Inventor: BONK HENRY W
IPC: B29C48/10
Filed: 1996-06-06
Abstract: 1. A polyurethane membrane including a polyester polyol, characterised in that said membrane has a gas transmission rate of 15.0 or less for nitrogen gas; and said polyester polyol comprises the reaction product of a carboxylic acid having six or less carbon atoms and a diol having six or less carbon atoms, wherein the repeating units of the polyester polyol formed by the aforesaid reaction have eight carbon atoms or less.  2. The membrane according to claim 1, characterised in that said carboxylic acid is selected from the group consisting of adipic, glutaric, succinic, malonic and oxalic acids, and mixtures thereof. 3. The membrane according to claim 1, wherein the diol is selected from the group consisting of ethylene glycol, propanediol, butanediol, neopentyldiol, pentanediol, hexanediol and mixtures thereof. 4. The membrane according to claim 1, characterised in that said polyurethane further comprises at least one extender. 5. The membrane according to claim 4, wherein said extender is selected from the group consisting of alcohols and amines. 6. The membrane according to claim 4, wherein said extender is selected from the group consisting of ethylene glycol, 1,3-propylene glycol, 1,4-butanediol and 1,6-hexanediol. 7. The membrane according to claim 4, wherein said at least one extender and said at least one polyester polyol include active hydrogen containing groups. 8. The membrane according to claim 4, wherein the ratio of polyester polyol to extender is between about 1:0 to about 1:12. 9. The membrane according to claim 8, wherein the ratio of polyester polyol to extender is between about 1:1 to about 1:8. 10. The membrane according to claim 7, wherein the ratio of isocyanate units contained in said polyurethane to active hydrogen containing groups is between about 0.95:1 to about 1.10:1. 11. The membrane according to claim 1, wherein said polyurethane further comprises hydrolytic stabilizer in an amount of up to 5.0 wt. %. 12. The membrane according to claim 11, wherein said hydrolytic stabilizer is selected from the group consisting of carbodiimides, polycarbodiimides and epoxidized soy bean oil. 13. The membrane according to claim 1, wherein said polyurethane includes at least one plasticizer, said plasticizer being present in an amount of up to 40.0 wt. %. 14. The membrane according to claim 1, wherein said polyurethane further includes at least one antipiren in an amount of up to 40.0 wt. %. 15. The membrane according to claim 1, wherein said polyurethane includes at least one filler, said filler being present in an amount of up to 60 wt. %. 16. The membrane according to claim 1, wherein at least one additive is employed, said additive being selected from the group consisting of antioxidants, ultra-violet stabilizers, thermal stabilizers, light stabilizers, organic anti-block compounds, colorants, fungicides, mold release agents and lubricants, said at least one additive being present in an amount of up to 3.0 wt. %. 17. The membrane according to claim 1, wherein said polyurethane further comprises at least one triol. 18. The membrane according to claim 17, wherein said triol is trimethyol propane. 19. The membrane according to claim 1, further comprising at least one barrier material selected from the group consisting of co-polymers of ethylene and vinyl alcohol, polyvinylidene chloride, co-polymers of acrylonitrile and methyl acrylate, polyethylene terephthalate, aliphatic and aromatic polyamides, crystalline polymers and polyurethane engineering thermoplastics, said material being blended with said polyurethane prior to forming said membrane. 20. The membrane according to claim 19, wherein said membrane includes up to about 70.0 wt. % polyester polyol based urethane. 21. The membrane according to claim 19, characterised in that it comprises as said polymer at least one copolymer of ethylene with vinyl alcohol. 22. The membrane according to claim 21, characterised in that it comprises at least one copolymer of ethylene and vinyl alcohol having an ethylene content of between about 25 mol. % to about 48 mol. %. 23. The membrane according to claim 1, wherein said membrane includes at least one polyurethane including soft segments selected from the group consisting of polyether polyols, polyester polyols formed from the reaction product of a carboxylic acid and a diol wherein the repeating units of the reaction product have more than eight carbon atoms, and mixtures thereof. 24. The membrane according to claim 23, wherein said polyurethane includes soft segments selected from the group consisting of polyether polyols, polyester polyols formed from the reaction product of a carboxylic acid and a diol wherein the repeating units of the reaction product have more than eight carbon atoms, and mixtures thereof, said soft segments present in an amount of up to 30.0 wt. %. 25. The membrane according to claim 23, wherein said polyester polyol formed from a carboxylic acid and a diol wherein the reaction product has more than eight carbon atoms is selected from the group consisting of ethylene glycol isophthalate, 1,4-butanediol isophthalate and 1,6-hexanediol isophthalate. 26. The membrane according to claim 1, wherein said gas transmission rate is less than about 10.0 for nitrogen gas. 27. The membrane according to claim 1, wherein said gas transmission rate is less than about 7.5 for nitrogen gas. 28. The membrane according to claim 1, wherein said gas transmission rate is less than about 5.0 for nitrogen gas. 29. The membrane according to claim 1, wherein said gas transmission rate is less than about 2.5 for nitrogen gas. 30. The membrane according to claim 1, wherein said gas transmission rate is less than about 2.0 for nitrogen gas. 31. The membrane according to claim 1, wherein said membrane is elastomeric. 32. The membrane according to claim 31, wherein said membrane has an elongation of at least about 250%. 33. The membrane according to claim 32, wherein said membrane has a elongation of between 250% to about 700%. 34. The membrane according to claim 31, wherein said membrane has a tensile strength of at least 17237 kPa. 35. The membrane according to claim 31, wherein said membrane has an 100% tensile modulus of between 2413 to 20684 kPa. 36. The membrane according to claim 1, wherein said membrane has a durometer hardness ranging from about 85 Shore A to about 50 Shore D. 37. The membrane according to claim 36, wherein said membrane has a durometer hardness ranging from about 80 Shore A to about 55 Shore D. 38. The membrane according to claim 37, wherein said membrane has a durometer hardness ranging from about 60 Shore A to about 65 Shore D. 39. The membrane according to claim 1, wherein said polyurethane is prepared from an isocyanate that is aromatic in nature. 40. The membrane according to claim 39, wherein said isocyanate is diphenylmethane diisocyanate. 41. The membrane according to claim 1, characterised in that it comprises at least 50 wt. % of at least one barrier material selected from the group consisting of co-polymers of ethylene and vinyl alcohol, polyvinylidene chloride, co-polymers of acrylonitrile and methyl acrylate, polyethylene terephthalate, aliphatic and aromatic polyamides, crystalline polymers and polyurethane engineering thermoplastics, said at least one barrier material being blended with said polyurethane prior to forming said membrane; from about 1 wt. % to about 50 wt. % of at least one aliphatic thermoplastic urethane; and up to about 3 wt. % of one or more aromatic thermoplastic urethanes, wherein the total constituency of the blended layer is equal to 100 wt. %. 42. The membrane according to claim 41, wherein said aromatic thermoplastic urethane is selected from the group consisting of polyester, polyether, polycaprolactone, polyoxypropylene and polycarbonate macroglycol based materials and mixtures thereof. 43. The membrane according to claim 42, wherein said aromatic thermoplastic urethane is a polyurethane based on 1,4-diphenylmethane diisocyanate. 44. A multi-layer membrane structure, wherein said membrane according to claim 1 forms one of the layers of the multi-layer membrane structure. 45. The membrane according to claim 44, further comprising a second layer formed from a material selected from the group consisting of co-polymers of ethylene and vinyl alcohol, polyvinylidene chloride, co-polymers of acrylonitrile and methyl acrylate, polyethylene terephthalate, aliphatic and aromatic polyamides, crystalline polymers, polyurethane engineering thermoplastics and mixtures thereof which is bonded to said first layer. 46. The membrane according to claim 45, wherein said first and second layers are formed together such that hydrogen bonding occurs between said first and second layers. 47. The membrane according to claim 1, wherein said membrane is formed at least in part from a thermosetting material. 48. The membrane according to claim 1, said membrane having a durability of at least 200,000 cycles under a KIM test analysis; wherein said membrane is sealed with average thickness of the shell of 457,2 (m and inflated with nitrogen gas up to 138 kPa pressure. 49. The membrane according to claim 48, wherein said membrane has a durability of more than 750,000 cycles under a KIM test analysis. 50. The membrane according to claim 1, said membrane having a yellowness index of 4.0 or less; wherein said membrane is sealed with average thickness of the shell of 812,8 (m. 51. The membrane according to claim 50, said membrane having a yellowness index of 1.6 or less; wherein said membrane is sealed with average thickness of the shell of 812,8 (m. 52. The membrane according to claim 1, said membrane having a total transmission of light at a level of at least 90.0%; wherein said membrane is sealed with average thickness of the shell of 812,8 (m. 53. A membrane according to claim 1, wherein said membrane has an average thickness of from about 127 (m to about 1524 (m. 54. A memb