Low-scorch flame-retardant polyurethane foams

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9850358-B2
Application number	US-201514813217-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 30, 2015
Priority date	Aug 15, 2014
Publication date	Dec 26, 2017
Grant date	Dec 26, 2017

Abstract

Low-scorch flame-retardant polyurethane foams include phosphorus-containing propionic ester flame retardants. Methods for producing and using the foams are also provided.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A flame-retardant polyurethane foam comprising at least one phosphorus-containing propionic ester of formula (I)

where:
R 1 is hydrogen, or a straight-chain or branched alkyl moiety of 1 to 4 carbon atoms; and
R 2 is a straight-chain or branched alkyl moiety of 1 to 10 carbon atoms, or a cycloalkyl moiety of 3 to 10 carbon atoms.

2. The foam of claim 1 , wherein:
R 1 is hydrogen; and
R 2 is a straight-chain or branched alkyl moiety of 1 to 4 carbon atoms, or a cycloalkyl moiety of 5 to 6 carbon atoms.

3. The foam of claim 1 , wherein:
R 1 is hydrogen; and
R 2 is ethyl or n-butyl.

4. The foam of claim 1 , wherein an amount of the at least one phosphorus-containing propionic ester of formula (I) in the foam is about 0.1 wt % to about 25 wt %, based on 100 wt % of polyurethane foam.

5. The foam of claim 1 , wherein an amount of the at least one phosphorus-containing propionic ester of formula (I) in the foam is about 1.0 to about 16 wt % based on 100 wt % of polyurethane foam.

6. The foam of claim 1 , wherein the phosphorus-containing propionic ester of formula (I) is a compound which is liquid at temperatures of about 20° C. to about 80° C.

7. The foam of claim 1 , wherein the phosphorus-containing propionic ester of formula (I) has a viscosity of about 10 mPas to about 10,000 mPas at 23° C.

8. The foam of claim 1 , wherein the foam is a flexible polyurethane foam.

9. The foam of claim 1 , further comprising one or more additional flame retardants other than the propionic esters of formula (I).

10. The foam of claim 1 , wherein the foam does not contain any flame retardant comprising aryl phosphate.

11. The foam of claim 1 , wherein:
the foam is a flexible polyurethane foam additionally comprising at least one organic polyisocyanate component having at least two isocyanate groups and at least one polyol component having at least two isocyanate-reactive hydrogen atoms;
R 1 is hydrogen;
R 2 is ethyl or n-butyl; and
an amount of the at least one phosphorus-containing propionic ester of formula (I) in the foam is about 1.0 to about 16 wt % based on 100 wt % of polyurethane foam.

12. A method for producing flame-retardant flexible polyurethane foam, the method comprising including at least one phosphorus-containing propionic ester of formula (I)

where:
R 1 represents hydrogen or a straight-chain or branched alkyl moiety of 1 to 4 carbon atoms, and
R 2 represents a straight-chain or branched alkyl moiety of 1 to 10 carbon atoms or a cycloalkyl moiety of 3 to 10 carbon atoms,

into the foam as a flame retardant during production of the foam.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising reacting at least one organic polyisocyanate component having at least two isocyanate groups with at least one polyol component having at least two isocyanate-reactive hydrogen atoms, at a temperature of about 20° C. to 80° C., in the presence of the at least one phosphorus-containing propionic ester of formula (I).

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:
premixing the at least one phosphorus-containing propionic ester of formula (I) with the at least one polyol to form a mixture; and
adding the at least one organic polyisocyanate to the mixture to react the at least one organic polyisocyanate with the at least one polyol.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising premixing at least one of: blowing agents, stabilizers, activators, and further auxiliary and added-substances, into the mixture prior to adding the at least one organic polyisocyanate.

16. The method of claim 12 , wherein an amount of propionic ester of formula (I) in the foam is about 0.1 to about 50 parts based on 100 parts of the polyol component.

17. A process for reducing at least one of core discolouration, scorch, and fogging in or from flame-retardant polyurethane foam, the process comprising including at least one phosphorus-containing propionic ester of formula (I)

where:
R 1 represents hydrogen or a straight-chain or branched alkyl moiety of 1 to 4 carbon atoms, and
R 2 represents a straight-chain or branched alkyl moiety of 1 to 10 carbon atoms or a cycloalkyl moiety of 3 to 10 carbon atoms,

into the foam during manufacture of the foam.

18. The process according to claim 17 , wherein the process is a process for reducing the core discolouration in flame-retardant polyurethane foam.

19. A foamed moulding for at least one of furniture cushioning, textile inserts, mattresses, seats, arm rests, modules, vehicle interior components, and seat and instrument panel trim, the moulding comprising the flame-retardant polyurethane foam of claim 1 .

Assignees

• Lanxess Deutschland Gmbh

Inventors

• Tebbe Heiko
• Hansel Jan-Gerd

Classifications

• C08J9/0038 Primary

  containing phosphorus · CPC title

• C08K5/5313

  Phosphinic compounds, e.g. R2=P(:O)OR' · CPC title

• C08G18/08

  Processes · CPC title

• C08J2375/08

  from polyethers · CPC title

• C08J2205/06

  Flexible foams · CPC title