Patent GB-1388228-A (GB)
Title: Process for the production of polyurethane foam
IPC: A01G9/10
Filed: 1973-11-02
Abstract: 1388228 Polyurethane foam BAYER AG 2 Nov 1973 [3 Nov 1972] 50946/73 Heading C3R A process for the production of an open-celled hydrophilic polyurethane foam comprising reacting a polyisocyanate and a polyhydroxyl compound in the presence of water and/or other blowing agents and an emulsifier is characterized in that the polyhydroxyl compound used is a mixture of (a) 50-90% wt. of polyhydroxyl compounds with OH numbers from 300-1820, in which at least 50% of the OH groups are primary OH groups and/or which contain tertiary amino groups in the molecule and (b) 50-10% wt. of polyhydroxyl compounds with OH numbers 27-250 which are free from amine nitrogen and which contain at least 20 mol. per cent of ethylene oxide units and in which at least 40% of the hydroxyl groups are secondary OH groups; the polyisocyanate used is a biuret polyisocyanate, optionally mixed with biuretfree polyisocyanates, the polyisocyanates being used in a quantity which corresponds to 35-70% of the quantity theoretically required for reacting all the hydrogen atoms present in the reaction mixture which are reactive with isocyanate groups and the emulsifier used is a neutral and/or ionic emulsifier in a proportion of from 2-20% wt. based on the total quantity of reaction mixture. Suitable polyhydroxyl compounds (a) are ethylene glycol, propylene-1,3- glycol, butane-1,3-diol, butane-1,4-diol, diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, glycerol, 1,1,1-trimethyolpropane, an addition product of up to 0À5 mols. of propylene oxide per equivalent hydroxyl group with the above polyols or an addition product of 4-6 mols. of ethylene oxide and/or propylene oxide with 1 mol. of ammonia or a primary amine. Polyhydroxyl compound (b) is preferably a hydrophilic polyhydroxy polyether, e.g. ethoxylation products of starter molecules such as water, ethylene glycol, trimethylol propane or glycerol which contain propylene oxide units grafted at the end positions, or addition products of ethylene oxide / propylene mixtures with the above starter molecules in which the molar ratio of ethylene oxide: propylene oxide is 1 : 3 to 1 : 1. The preferred polyisocyanate is partly biuretized tolylene-2,4-diisocyanate or its partly biuretized mixture with tolylene-2,6-diisocyanate. Suitable emulsifiers are arylalkyl polyethers, sulphonated arylalkyl polyethers, sodium salts of ricinoleic sulphonates or fatty acids, or salts of fatty acid with amines or alkali metal salts of a sulphonic acid. Optional ingredients include activators, e.g. tertiary amines, and stabilizers, e.g. polysiloxanes. In a typical example a foam is prepared from a polyether or ethylenediamine and propylene oxide (OH number 630), a polyether of 1,1,1-trimethylol propane and propylene oxide (OH number 930), glycerol, diethylene glycol, a polyether of glycerol, ethylene oxide/propylene oxide (1 : 1) (OH number 56), an emulsifier mixture of 50% wt. of an arylalkyl polyether of 1 mol. of 4 hydroxydiphenylmethane and 17 mols. ethylene oxide and 50% wt. of dodecyl benzene sulphonic acid monoethanolamine, biuretized tolylene diisocyanate, a polysiloxane stabilizer, water and monofluorotrichloromethane. Uses.-A substrate for cut flowers.