Reducing emissions in polyurethane foam

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9968919-B2
Application number	US-201213486226-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 1, 2012
Priority date	Jun 29, 2011
Publication date	May 15, 2018
Grant date	May 15, 2018

Abstract

This invention disclosure relates to a process to make flexible open cell polyurethane foam with optimum mechanical properties and lowest chemical emissions. Using the selection of tertiary amine catalysts together with a group of carboxylic acids according to this disclosure can produce foam products with optimum properties and lowest chemical emanations.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A catalyst for producing a flexible open cell polyurethane foam comprising:
i) a combination of:
adipic acid; and
at least one non-emissive and isocyanate reactive tertiary amine gelling catalyst selected from the group consisting of bis(dimethylaminopropyl)amine, dimethylaminoethoxyethanol, dimethylaminopropylurea, N-dimethylaminopropyl-N-(2-hydroxyethyl)-N-methylamine, and N-dimethylaminoethyl-N-(2-hydroxyethyl)-N-methylamine,
wherein the weight ratio of the at least one gelling catalyst to adipic acid is between 3.33:1 to 5:1; and

ii) at least one amine blowing catalyst selected from the group consisting of 2-[N-(dimethylaminoethoxyethyl)-N-methylamino]ethanol, and N,N,N′-trimethyl-N′-3-aminopropyl-bis(aminoethyl) ether,
wherein the flexible open cell polyurethane foam produced using the catalyst has no tertiary amine or acid emissions according to VDA method 278.

2. The catalyst of claim 1 wherein the catalyst further comprises at least one member selected from the group consisting of N,N-bis(3-dimethylamino-propyl)-N-(2-hydroxypropyl) amine; N,N-dimethyl-N′,N′-bis(2-hydroxypropyl)-1,3-propylenediamine; dimethylaminopropylamine (DMAPA); N-methyl-N′-2-hydroxypropyl-piperazine; bis(dimethylaminopropyl) amine, dimethylaminopropyl urea; N,N′-bis(3-dimethylaminopropyl) urea, bis(dimethylamino)-2-propanol, N-(3-aminopropyl)imidazole, N-(2-hydroxypropyl)imidazole, N-(2-hydroxyethylimidazole), N,N′-bis(2-hydroxypropyl) piperazine, N-(2-hydroxypropyl)-morpholine.

3. A catalyst comprising:
i) a combination of:
adipic acid; and
at least one tertiary amine catalyst selected from the group consisting of bis(dimethylaminopropyl)amine, dimethylaminoethoxyethanol, dimethylaminopropylurea, N-dimethylaminopropyl-N-(2-hydroxyethyl)-N-methylamine, and N-dimethylaminoethyl-N-(2-hydroxyethyl)-N-methylamine,
wherein the tertiary amine is substantially free of primary hydroxyl groups; and
wherein the weight ratio of the at least one tertiary amine catalyst to adipic acid is between 3.33:1 to 5:1; and

ii) at least one bis(dimethylaminoethyl)ether.

4. The catalyst of claim 1 further comprising at least one crosslinking agent selected from the group consisting of polyhydric alcohols and polyamines.

5. The catalyst of claim 4 wherein the crosslinking agent comprises diethanolamine.

6. The catalyst of claim 1 wherein the gelling catalyst comprises about 0.25 to about 10 parts by weight and the acid comprises about 0.05 to about 3.0 parts by weight.

7. A catalyst for producing an open celled flexible polyurethane foam comprising:
i) a combination of:
adipic acid; and
a solution comprising at least one non-emissive and isocyanate reactive tertiary amine gelling catalyst selected from the group consisting of bis(dimethylaminopropyl)amine, dimethylaminoethoxyethanol, dimethylaminopropylurea, N-dimethylaminopropyl-N-(2-hydroxyethyl)-N-methylamine, and N-dimethylaminoethyl-N-(2-hydroxyethyl)-N-methylamine,
wherein the weight ratio of the at least one gelling catalyst to adipic acid is between 3.33:1 to 5:1, and

ii) at least one amine blowing catalyst selected from the group consisting of 2-[N-(dimethylaminoethoxyethyl)-N-methylamino]ethanol, and N,N,N′-trimethyl-N′-3-aminopropyl-bis(aminoethyl) ether,
wherein the foam produced using the catalyst has no tertiary amine or acid emissions according to VDA method 278.

8. The catalyst of claim 7 wherein the solution comprises at least one of glycols and diols.

9. A catalyst for producing an open celled flexible polyurethane foam comprising:
i) a combination of:
adipic acid; and
at least one non-emissive and isocyanate reactive tertiary amine gelling catalyst selected from the group consisting of bis(dimethylaminopropyl)amine, dimethylaminoethoxyethanol, dimethylaminopropylurea, N-dimethylaminopropyl-N-(2-hydroxyethyl)-N-methylamine, and N-dimethylaminoethyl-N-(2-hydroxyethyl)-N-methylamine,
wherein the weight ratio of the at least one gelling catalyst to adipic acid is between 3.57:1 to 5:1, and
wherein the tertiary amine is substantially free of primary hydroxyl groups; and

i) a solution comprising at least one amine blowing catalyst selected from the group consisting of 2-[N-(dimethylaminoethoxyethyl)-N-methylamino]ethanol, and N,N,N′-trimethyl-N′-3-aminopropyl-bis(aminoethyl) ether,
wherein the foam produced using the catalyst has no tertiary amine or acid emissions according to VDA method 278.

Assignees

• Burdeniuc Juan Jesus
• Thurau Courtney Thompson
• Keller Renee Jo
• Arnold Allen Robert
• Evonik Degussa Gmbh

Inventors

• Burdeniuc Juan Jesus
• Thurau Courtney Thompson
• Keller Renee Jo
• Arnold Allen Robert

Classifications

• B01J31/04 Primary

  containing carboxylic acids or their salts {(B01J31/0277 - B01J31/0298 take precedence; multi-metal carboxylate complexes like Pd (II) acetate, i.e. Pd3 (OAc) 6 or Cr(II)acetate, i.e. Cr2(OAc)4 B01J31/2226)} · CPC title

• B01J31/0244

  with nitrogen contained as ring member in aromatic compounds or moieties, e.g. pyridine · CPC title

• C08G18/1875

  containing ammonium salts or mixtures of secondary of tertiary amines and acids · CPC title

• B01J31/0249

  Ureas (R2N-C(=O)-NR2) · CPC title

• C08G2290/00

  Compositions for creating anti-fogging · CPC title