Foam insulation with improved low temperature properties using polyol additives

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12012749-B2
Application number	US-202217688454-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 7, 2022
Priority date	Dec 3, 2018
Publication date	Jun 18, 2024
Grant date	Jun 18, 2024

Abstract

A polyisocyanurate foam insulation product is produced from an isocyanate component and a polyol-containing component including a blowing agent. The polyol-containing component comprises one or more polyols, a fire retardant, and a hydroxyl-containing low-molecular-weight additive effective to increase the R-value per inch of the insulation product as measured at 40° F., as compared with an otherwise-identical formulation lacking the hydroxyl-containing low-molecular-weight additive. The polyisocyanurate foam insulation product may have an R-value per inch of at least 6.0 when measured at 40° F. and may have an R-value per inch of at least 5.5 when measured at 25° F. Suitable hydroxyl-containing low-molecular-weight additives may include triethanolamine, trimethylolpropane, N-methyldiethanolamine, 1,4 butanediol, or another suitable multi-functional alcohol or combination of multi-functional alcohols.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of forming a polyisocyanurate foam product, comprising:
providing a polyol-containing component, the polyol-containing component comprising a blowing agent, one or more polyester polyols, and at least one hydroxyl-containing low-molecular-weight additive selected from a group consisting of: triethanolamine (TEA), trimethylolpropane (TMP), diethyl bis(2-hydroxyethyl)aminomethylphosphonate (DEHAMP), N-methyldiethanolamine (MDEA), 1,4 butanediol (BD), isobutanol, diethylethanolamine (DEEA), and a multi-functional alcohol, wherein
the one or more hydroxyl-containing low-molecular weight additives is present in an amount of between 10 parts and 20 parts per 100 parts of the one or more polyester polyols;
the polyol-containing component does not include any polyol that is not a polyester polyol or the one or more hydroxyl-containing low-molecular-weight additives; and
the polyol-containing component has, before the addition of the blowing agent, a viscosity of less than 3000 centipoise (cps); and

introducing an isocyanate component to the polyol-containing component to form a polyisocyanurate core.

2. The method of forming a polyisocyanurate foam product of claim 1 , further comprising:
adding a fire retardant to the polyisocyanurate core.

3. The method of forming a polyisocyanurate foam product of claim 1 , further comprising:
coupling a facer with a first surface of the polyisocyanurate core.

4. The method of forming a polyisocyanurate foam product of claim 3 , wherein:
the facer comprises at least one material selected from the group consisting of fiberglass, felt, foil, and paper.

5. The method of forming a polyisocyanurate foam product of claim 3 , further comprising:
coupling an additional facer with a second surface of the polyisocyanurate core.

6. The method of forming a polyisocyanurate foam product of claim 1 , wherein:
the polyol-containing component has a hydroxyl number between about 25 and 500.

7. The method of forming a polyisocyanurate foam product of claim 1 , the one or more hydroxyl-containing low-molecular-weight additives comprise TEA.

8. The method of forming a polyisocyanurate foam product of claim 1 , wherein:
the polyisocyanurate foam product has an R-value per inch of at least 6.0 when measured at 40° F.

9. The method of forming a polyisocyanurate foam product of claim 1 , wherein:
the polyisocyanurate foam product has an R-value per inch of at least 5.5 when measured at 25° F.

10. The method of forming a polyisocyanurate foam product of claim 1 , wherein:
the isocyanate component comprises between about 0.1% to 1% by weight of a metallo-organic compound.

11. The method of forming a polyisocyanurate foam product of claim 1 , wherein:
the polyisocyanurate core has an average foam cell size of less than about 200 microns.

12. The method of forming a polyisocyanurate foam product of claim 3 , wherein:
the facer comprises a mineral-based coating, a pigment-based coating, or both a mineral-based coating and a pigment-based coating.

13. The method of forming a polyisocyanurate foam product of claim 3 , wherein:
the facer has a thickness of between about 0.006 mm and 1.2 mm.

14. The method of forming a polyisocyanurate foam product of claim 1 , wherein:
the blowing agent forms between 1% and 10% by weight of the polyisocyanurate core.

15. The method of forming a polyisocyanurate foam product of claim 1 , wherein:
the blowing agent comprises a mixture of n-pentane and isopentane.

16. The method of forming a polyisocyanurate foam product of claim 1 , wherein:
the polyisocyanurate core has a density of between 1.5 and 2.5 lbs/ft3.

17. The method of forming a polyisocyanurate foam product of claim 1 , wherein:
the polyisocyanurate core has a density of between 4 and 8 lbs/ft3.

18. The method of forming a polyisocyanurate foam product of claim 1 , wherein:
the polyisocyanurate core comprises a non-halogenated fire retardant.

Assignees

• Johns Manville

Inventors

• Nandi Malay
• Wang Lance
• Asrar Jawed

Classifications

• B32B2266/0214

  Materials belonging to B32B27/00 · CPC title

• B32B2419/06

  Roofs, roof membranes · CPC title

• B32B2307/7265

  Non-permeable · CPC title

• B32B2307/3065

  Flame resistant or retardant, fire resistant or retardant · CPC title

• B32B2266/06

  Open cell foam · CPC title