Phenolic foam materials and method of making same

Claim 2

A foamable composition for use in preparing foamed phenolic materials comprised of a water soluble phenol-formaldehyde resole, an acid catalyst, a foaming agent mixture containing a low boiling fluorocarbon, a surface active agent and an aliphatic polyhydric alcohol, and a cell structure control agent comprised of from about 12 to 15% water soluble inorganic salt and about 10 to 15% ammonium lignin sulfonate, both by weight relative to the weight of said phenol-formaldehyde resole.

Claim 3

The foamable composition of claim 1 wherein said water soluble inorganic salt is selected from the group consisting of magnesium acetate, sodium nitrate, calcium chloride and calcium nitrate.

Claim 4

The foamable composition of claim 2 wherein said water soluble inorganic salt is calcium nitrate.

Claim 5

The foamable composition of claims 1 and 2 wherein said aliphatic polyhydric alcohol is 2-methyl-2,4-penanediol.

Claim 6

An improved method for the preparation of foamed phenolic materials from a foamable composition containing a water soluble phenol-formaldehyde resole, and an acid catalyst, a low boiling fluorocarbon foaming agent and a surface active agent, said improvement comprising forming said foamable composition additionally containing an aliphatic polyhydric alcohol, and a cell structure control agent comprised of from about 12 to 15% water soluble inorganic salt and from about 10 to 15% ammonium lignin sulfonate, both by weight relative to the weight of said phenol formaldehyde resole in said foamable composition; pre-heating at least the phenol formaldehyde resole portion of said foamable composition to a temperature of between about 50° and 75° C.; and permitting said foamable composition to foam and cure to form said foamed phenolic composition.

Claim 7

An improved method for the preparation of foamed phenolic materials from a foamable composition containing a water soluble phenol-formaldehyde resole, and an acid catalyst, a low boiling fluorocarbon foaming agent and a surface active agent, said improvement comprising forming said foamable composition additionally containing an aliphatic polyhydric alcohol, and a cell structure control agent comprised of from about 12 to 15% water soluble inorganic salt and from about 10 to 15% ammonium lignin sulfonate, both by weight relative to the weight of said phenol formaldehyde resole in said foamable composition; pre-heating at least the phenol formaldehyde resole portion of said foamable composition to a temperature of between about 50° and 75° C.; and permitting said foamable composition to foam and cure to form said foamed phenolic composition.

Claim 8

The method of claim 5 wherein said water soluble inorganic salt is selected from the group consisting of nagnesium acetate, sodium nitrate, calcium chloride and calcium nitrate.

Claim 9

The method of claim 6 wherein said water soluble inorganic salt is calcium nitrate.

Claim 11

The method of claim 5 wherein at least the phenol-formaldehyde resole portion of said foamable composition is pre-heated to a temperature of between about 57° and 67° C.

Claim 12

The method of claim 5 wherein said foamable composition is poured into a mold wherein it is foamed prior to curing.

Claim 13

The method of claim 10 wherein said mold is pre-heated to a temperature of between about 55° to 75° C.

Claim 14

The method of claim 11 wherein said mold is pre-heated to a temperature of between about 65° and 70° C.

Claim 15

A foamed phenolic material having a uniform density of between 1.5 to 77 pounds per cubic foot and from about 20 to 40% open cells, said foamed phenolic material being comprised of from about 48 to 67% by weight phenol-formaldehyde polymer and, relative to the weight of said phenol-formaldehyde polymer, from about 15 to 20% water soluble inorganic salt and about 25 to 35 ammonium lignin sulfonate.

Claim 16

A foamed phenolic material having a uniform density of between 1.5 to 77 pounds per cubic foot and from about 20 to 40% open cells, said foamed phenolic material being comprised of from about 48 to 67% by weight phenol-formaldehyde polymer and, relative to the weight of said phenol-formaldehyde polymer, from about 15 to 20% water soluble inorganic salt and about 25 to 35 ammonium lignin sulfonate.

Claim 17

The foamed phenolic material of claim 13 wherein said water soluble inorganic salt is selected from the group consisting of magnesium acetate, sodium nitrate, calcium chloride and calcium nitrate.

Claim 18

The foamed phenolic material of claim 14 wherein said water soluble inorganic salt is calcium nitrate.

Claim 19

The foamed phenolic material of claims 13 and 14 wherein said aliphatic polyhydric alcohol is ethylene glycol.