Polymeric elastomers prepared from isocyanate-modified polyesters, solutions thereofand methods for their preparation

Claim 1

A COMPOSITION OF MATTER WHICH COMPRISES A CURED SOLID ELASTOMER PREPARED BY REACTING A MIXTURE OF (A) LINEAR POLYESTERS PREPARED FROM DIHYDRIC ALCOHOLS AND DICARBOXYLIC ACIDS AND CONTAINING TERMINAL HYDOXYL GROUPS AND HAVING MOLECULAR WEIGHTS RANGING FROM ABOUT 1700 TO ABOUT 2100, (B) A TRIHYDRIC COMPOUND IN THE AMOUNT OF UP TO 3% BY WEIGHT OF POLYESTER USED, (C) WATER IN THE AMOUNT OF FROM 2.5 TO 4 MOLES PER MOLE OF POLYESTER AND (D) DIISOCYANATE SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF 2,4-TOLYLENE DIISOCYANATE AND MIXTURES OF 2,4-AND 2,6-TOLYLENE DIISOCYANATE IN WHICH THE 2,6-ISOMER IN SAID MIXTURE IS PRESENT TO THE EXTENT OF NOT MORE THAN 10 PERCENT OF THE TOTAL DIISCYANATE IN THE MIXTURE, THE TOTAL DIISOCYANATE BEING PRESENT IN AN AMOUNT OF AT LEAST 80 MOLE PERCENT OF THE EQUIVALENT AMOUNT REQUIRED TO REACT WITH THE REACTIVE GROUPS PRESENT IN THE POLYESTER AND WATER, SAID REACTION BEING CARRIED OUT IN THE PRESENCE OF A CATALYST SYSTEM COMPRISING (A) N-METHYL MORPHOLINE AND (B) A CONDENSATION PRODUCT OF 1 MOLE OF ANILINE AND 4 MOLES OF N-BUTYRALDEHYDE, EACH IN AN AMOUNT RANGING FROM ABOUT 0.25 TO ABOUT 3 PARTS BY WEIGHT PER 100 PARTS OF POLYESTER, THE TOTAL CATALYST EMPLOYED RANGING FROM ABOUT 0.5 TO NOT MORE THAN 3.25 PARTS BY WEIGHT PER 100 PARTS OF POLYESTER, ALLOWING SAID MIXTURE TO FOAM AND DESTROYING THE FOAM BEFORE THE MIXTURE IS CONVERTED TO A SOLID ELASTOMER BY MEANS OF A SHEARING ACTION EXERTED UPON THE FOAMING MIXTURE AND ALLOWING THE EVOLUTION OF CARBON DIOXIDE AND HEATING THE RESULTING ELASTOMER TO EFFECT A COMPLETE CURE.