Processes for producing flexible polyurethane foam laminates and laminates produced thereby

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017239857-A1
Application number	US-201615046930-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 18, 2016
Priority date	Feb 18, 2016
Publication date	Aug 24, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

Disclosed are continuous compression molding processes for producing a flexible polyurethane foam laminate and laminates produced thereby, which may be suitable for use, for example, as a carpet underlayment.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A continuous compression molding process for producing a flexible polyurethane foam laminate, comprising:
(a) feeding a first facing material along a first heated surface; (b) feeding a second facing material along a second heated surface, wherein the second heated surface is disposed generally parallel to the first heated surface at a preselected distance that defines a vertical space between the first facing material and the second facing material and that defines the thickness of the laminate; (c) depositing a polyurethane foam-forming composition onto the first facing material as it is being fed; and (d) allowing the polyurethane foam-forming composition to react in the vertical space, thereby rising until the rise is restricted by the second facing material and wherein the polyurethane foam-forming composition produces a cured flexible polyurethane foam laminate having a foam density of no more than 10 lb/ft 3 (160 kg/m 3 ).

2 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the first heated surface comprises one or more first heated metal platens and the second heated surface comprises one or more second heated metal platens.

3 . The process of claim 2 , wherein the one or more first heated metal platens comprises a plurality of heated metal platens and the one or more second heated metal platens comprises a plurality of heated metal platens, wherein the first heated metal platens and the second heated metal platens move along a conveyer path.

4 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the thickness of the laminate is ¼ to 1 inch.

5 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the polyurethane foam-forming composition comprises a mixture of an isocyanate-reactive composition and a polyisocyanate, wherein the isocyanate-reactive composition comprises:
(i) a polyether polyol having a nominal functionality of at least 3 and an average OH number of 20 to 100; (ii) a polyether diol having a number average molecular weight of at least 1000 grams/mole, and (iii) a chain extender having a hydroxyl functional of 2 and a molecular weight of no more than 300 grams/mole.

6 . The process of claim 5 , wherein (i) is a triol having an average OH number of 30 to 75.

7 . The process of claim 6 , wherein (i) is a poly(oxypropylene/oxyethylene) polyether polyol comprising no more than 30% by weight of copolymerized oxyethylene, based on 100% by weight of oxyalkylene.

8 . The process of claim 5 , wherein (i) is present in the isocyanate-reactive composition in an amount of at least 70% by weight and up to 90% by weight, based on the total weight of isocyanate-reactive components in the isocyanate-reactive composition.

9 . The process of claim 5 , wherein (ii) has a number average molecular weight of 1500 to 2500 grams/mole.

10 . The process of claim 8 , wherein (ii) is present in the isocyanate-reactive composition in an amount of at least 5% by weight and up to 20% by weight, based on the total weight of isocyanate-reactive components in the isocyanate-reactive composition.

11 . The process of claim 10 , wherein (iii) is present in the isocyanate-reactive composition in an amount of at least 1% by weight and up to 10% by weight, based on the total weight of isocyanate-reactive components in the isocyanate-reactive composition.

12 . The process of claim 5 , wherein the isocyanate-reactive composition further comprises a blowing agent comprising water, a catalyst, and a surfactant.

13 . The process of claim 12 , wherein the catalyst comprises a non-emissive amine catalyst and an organic tin catalyst.

14 . The process of claim 5 , wherein the polyisocyanate comprises a methylene-bridged polyphenyl polyisocyanate having an average functionality of from 2.4 to 2.6 isocyanate moieties per molecule and an NCO content of from 30 to 34 weight percent.

15 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the cured flexible polyurethane foam laminate has a foam density of 2 to 4 lb/ft 3 (32 to 64 kg/m 3 ).

16 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the process does not include the use of a curing oven.

17 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the first heated surface and the second heated surface have a surface temperature of at least 120° F. (49° C.).

18 . The process of claim 1 , further comprising splicing the flexible polyurethane foam laminate which comprises the first facing material and the second facing material to form two laminates, each of which comprises a facing material on only one side of the flexible foam.

19 . A laminate produced by the process of claim 1 .

20 . The laminate of claim 19 , wherein the laminate is embodied as a carpet underlayment.

Assignees

• Covestro Llc

Inventors

• Holeschovsky Ulrich B
• Felt Robert F
• Robinson Michael S
• Pigott Susan C

Classifications

• B29C44/302 Primary

  Expanding the moulding material in flexible endless moulds · CPC title

• B29K2075/00

  Use of {PU, i.e.} polyureas or polyurethanes {or derivatives thereof}, as moulding material · CPC title

• D06N7/0086 Primary

  characterised by the cushion backing, e.g. foamed polyurethane · CPC title

• C08G2110/0008

  flexible · CPC title

• C08G2110/0083

  prepared using water as the sole blowing agent · CPC title