Mixtures of polyether carbonate polyols and polyether polyols for producing polyurethane soft foams

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016297919-A1
Application number	US-201415038486-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 24, 2014
Priority date	Nov 27, 2013
Publication date	Oct 13, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for producing polyurethane soft foam by reacting an isocyanate component with a component which is reactive towards isocyanates. The component which is reactive towards isocyanates comprises a mixture of at least one polyether carbonate polyol and a polyether polyol as the constituents. In the component which is reactive towards isocyanates, the total proportion of polyether carbonate polyols is =20 wt. % to =80 wt. % and the total proportion of polyether polyol is =20 wt. % to =80 wt. %, based on the total weight of the provided polyols. The invention further relates to a polyurethane soft foam produced using said method.

First claim

1 .- 14 . (canceled)

15 . A process for producing flexible polyurethane foams which comprises reacting an isocyanate component with a component reactive toward isocyanates, wherein the component reactive toward isocyanates comprises the following constituents:
A) ≧20 to ≦80% by weight of a polyether carbonate polyol having a hydroxyl number to DIN 53240 of ≧20 mg KOH/g to ≦250 mg KOH/g, obtainable by copolymerization of  ≧2% by weight to ≦30% by weight of carbon dioxide and ≧70% by weight to ≦98% by weight of one or more alkylene oxides,  in the presence of one or more H-functional starter molecules having an average functionality of ≧1 to ≦6,  where the polyether carbonate polyol is free of terminal alkylene oxide blocks, and B) ≦80 to ≧20% by weight of a polyether polyol having a hydroxyl number to DIN 53240 of ≧20 mg KOH/g to ≦250 mg KOH/g, the polyether polyol being free of carbonate units.

16 . The process as claimed in claim 15 , wherein the component reactive toward isocyanates comprises the following constituents:
A) ≧50 to ≦80% by weight of a polyether carbonate polyol having a hydroxyl number to DIN 53240 of ≧20 mg KOH/g to ≦250 mg KOH/g, obtainable by copolymerization of  ≧2% by weight to ≦30% by weight of carbon dioxide and ≧70% by weight to ≦98% by weight of one or more alkylene oxides,  in the presence of one or more H-functional starter molecules having an average functionality of ≧1 to ≦4,  where the polyether carbonate polyol is free of terminal alkylene oxide blocks, and B) ≦50 to ≧20% by weight of a polyether polyol having a hydroxyl number to DIN 53240 of ≧20 mg KOH/g to ≦250 mg KOH/g, the polyether polyol being free of carbonate units.

17 . The process as claimed in claim 15 , wherein the component reactive toward isocyanates comprises the following constituents:
A) ≧55 to ≦80% by weight of a polyether carbonate polyol having a hydroxyl number to DIN 53240 of ≧20 mg KOH/g to ≦250 mg KOH/g, obtainable by copolymerization of ≧2% by weight to ≦30% by weight of carbon dioxide and ≧70% by weight to ≦98% by weight of one or more alkylene oxides,  in the presence of one or more H-functional starter molecules having an average functionality of ≧2 to ≦3,  where the polyether carbonate polyol is free of terminal alkylene oxide blocks, and B) ≦45 to ≧20% by weight of a polyether polyol having a hydroxyl number to DIN 53240 of ≧20 mg KOH/g to ≦250 mg KOH/g, the polyether polyol being free of carbonate units.

18 . The process as claimed in claim 15 , wherein component A) is obtainable by
(α) an H-functional starter substance or a mixture of at least two H-functional starter substances is initially charged and any water and/or other volatile compounds are removed by elevated temperature and/or reduced pressure (“drying”), with addition of the DMC catalyst to the H-functional starter substance or to the mixture of at least two H-functional starter substances before or after the drying, (β) activation is accomplished by adding a portion (based on the total amount of alkylene oxides used in the activation and copolymerization) of one or more alkylene oxides to the mixture resulting from step (α), where this portion of alkylene oxide may optionally be added in the presence of CO 2 and where the temperature spike (“hotspot”) which then occurs due to the exothermic chemical reaction that follows and/or a pressure drop in the reactor is awaited in each case, and where step (β) for activation may also be repeated, (γ) one or more of the alkylene oxides and carbon dioxide are added to the mixture resulting from step (β), where the alkylene oxides used in step (γ) may be the same as or different than the alkylene oxides used in step (β), and where no further alkoxylation step follows on after step (γ).

19 . The process as claimed in claim 15 , wherein one or more alkylene oxides in component A) is ethylene oxide, propylene oxide and/or 1,2-butylene oxide.

20 . The process as claimed in claim 19 , wherein component B) includes ≧0% to ≦40% by weight of ethylene oxide units.

21 . The process as claimed in claim 15 , wherein the component reactive toward isocyanates includes ≧50 to ≦80% by weight of A) and ≦50 to ≧20% by weight of B).

22 . The process as claimed in claim 15 , wherein in the component reactive toward isocyanates includes ≧55 to ≦80% by weight of A) and ≦45 to ≧20% by weight of B).

23 . The process as claimed in claim 15 , wherein, in the component reactive toward isocyanates, the total proportion of units originating from carbon dioxide in the polyols present is ≧5.0% by weight to ≦25.0% by weight, based on the total weight of the polyols present.

24 . The process as claimed in claim 15 , wherein the polyether carbonate polyol A) has a hydroxyl number to DIN 53240 of ≧25 mg KOH/g to ≦90 mg KOH/g.

25 . The process as claimed in claim 15 , wherein the polyether polyol B) has a hydroxyl number to DIN 53240 of ≧20 mg KOH/g to ≦80 mg KOH/g.

26 . The process as claimed in claim 15 , wherein the reaction takes place in the presence of water as a blowing agent.

27 . The process as claimed in claim 15 , wherein the isocyanate component comprises tolylene 2,4-, 2,6-diisocyanate (TDI), diphenylmethane 4,4′-, 2,4′-, 2,2′-diisocyanate (MDI) and/or polyphenyl polymethylene polyisocyanate (“polycyclic MDI”).

28 . The process as claimed in claim 15 , wherein the polyether carbonate polyol (A) includes blocks of formula (VIII) having an e/f ratio of 2:1 to 1:20.

wherein
R is an organic radical which optionally contains at least one heteroatom

e is an integer and
f is an integer.

29 . The process as claimed in claim 28 , wherein R is an alkyl, alkylaryl or aryl, which optionally contains O, S or Si and the ratio of e/f is from 1.5:1 to 1:10.

30 . A process for the production of an article which comprises utilizing the flexible polyurethane foam as claimed in claim 29 in the article and wherein the article is furniture cushioning, textile inserts, mattresses, automobile seats, headrests, armrests, sponges, foam films for use in automobile components,

31 . The process as claimed in claim 30 , wherein the article is an inner roof lining, a door trim, or of a seat cover.

Assignees

• Covestro Deutschland Ag

Inventors

• Klesczewski Bert
• Laemmerhold Kai
• Hofmann Jörg

Classifications

• C08G18/4866 Primary

  having a low unsaturation value · CPC title

• C08G18/4018 Primary

  Mixtures of compounds of group C08G18/42 with compounds of group C08G18/48 · CPC title

• C08G2101/0008

  Chemistry & Metallurgy · mapped topic

• C08G18/7621

  being toluene diisocyanate including isomer mixtures · CPC title

• C08G18/14

  Manufacture of cellular products · CPC title