Homogenized crosslinked polyurethanes

Claim 1

A METHOD OF SHAPING A POLYURETHANE COMPRISING INTERREACTING AT A TEMPERATURE FROM ABOUT ROOM TEMPERATURE TO ABOUT 300*F. A SUBSTANTIALLY LINEAR ORGANIC COMPOUND HAVING AT LEAST TWO TERMINAL ACTIVE HYDROGEN ATOMS AS DETERMINED BY A POSITIVE ZEREWITINOFF TEST SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF GLYCOLS, POLYESTERS, POLYOXYALKYLENE GLYCOLS, AND POLYESTERAMIDES; AN ORGANIC POLYISOCYANATE; AND A CROSS-LINKING AGENT CONSISTING ESSENTIALLY OF A COMPOUND HAVING FROM TWO TO EIGHT CARBON ATOMS AND HAVING AT LEAST TWO TERMINAL ACTIVE HYDROXY GROUPS; SAID COMPOUND, POLYISOCYANATE, AND AGENT BEING SO REACTED WITHIN THE REANGE OF MOLAR RATIOS FROM ABOUT 1:1.6:0.38 TO ABOUT 1:8:6.8, RESPECTIVELY, WHEREIN SUCH POLYSIOCYANATE IS USED IN MOLAR EXCESS WITH RESPECT TO THE ADDITIVE MOLAR AMOUNTS OF BOTH SAID COMPOUND AND AGENT TO FORM A CROSS-LINKED HARDENED POLYURETHANE ELASTOMER; WHEREBY DUE TO THE SPEED OF THE REACTION AND RESULTING LACK OF UNIFORM HEAT DISTRIBUTION, SOME PORTIONS OF THE POLYURETHANE UNDERGO MORE ADVANCED POLYMERIZATION THAN OTHER PORTIONS; HEATING THE RESULTING CROSS-LINKED ELASTOMER SUFFICIENTLY ABOVE 300*F. AND WITHIN THE RANGE OF ABOUT 300*F TO ABOUT 500*F. TO CONVERT THE ELASTOMER TO A MOLDABLE MELT: HOMOGENIZING THE MOLDABLE MELT TO BLEND TOGETHER THE MORE POLYMERIZED PORTIONS WITH SUCH OTHER PORTION; AND THEN SHAPING THE HOMOGENIZED MELT TO A DESIRED FORM.

Claim 2

A METHOD OF SHAPING A POLYURETHANE COMPRISING INTERREACTING AT A TEMPERATURE FROM ABOUT ROOM TEMPERATURE TO ABOUT 300*F. A SUBSTANTIALLY LINEAR ORGANIC COMPOUND HAVING AT LEAST TWO TERMINAL ACTIVE HYDROGEN ATOMS AS DETERMINED BY A POSITIVE ZEREWITINOFF TEST SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF GLYCOLS, POLYESTERS, POLYOXYALKYLENE GLYCOLS, AND POLYESTERAMIDES; AN ORGANIC POLYISOCYANATE; AND A CROSS-LINKING AGENT CONSISTING ESSENTIALLY OF A COMPOUND HAVING FROM TWO TO EIGHT CARBON ATOMS AND HAVING AT LEAST TWO TERMINAL ACTIVE HYDROXY GROUPS; SAID COMPOUND, POLYISOCYANATE, AND AGENT BEING SO REACTED WITHIN THE REANGE OF MOLAR RATIOS FROM ABOUT 1:1.6:0.38 TO ABOUT 1:8:6.8, RESPECTIVELY, WHEREIN SUCH POLYSIOCYANATE IS USED IN MOLAR EXCESS WITH RESPECT TO THE ADDITIVE MOLAR AMOUNTS OF BOTH SAID COMPOUND AND AGENT TO FORM A CROSS-LINKED HARDENED POLYURETHANE ELASTOMER; WHEREBY DUE TO THE SPEED OF THE REACTION AND RESULTING LACK OF UNIFORM HEAT DISTRIBUTION, SOME PORTIONS OF THE POLYURETHANE UNDERGO MORE ADVANCED POLYMERIZATION THAN OTHER PORTIONS; HEATING THE RESULTING CROSS-LINKED ELASTOMER SUFFICIENTLY ABOVE 300*F. AND WITHIN THE RANGE OF ABOUT 300*F TO ABOUT 500*F. TO CONVERT THE ELASTOMER TO A MOLDABLE MELT: HOMOGENIZING THE MOLDABLE MELT TO BLEND TOGETHER THE MORE POLYMERIZED PORTIONS WITH SUCH OTHER PORTION; AND THEN SHAPING THE HOMOGENIZED MELT TO A DESIRED FORM.