Method of producing phenolic foam using pressure and foam produced by the method

Claim 1

A method for making a phenolic foam having an initial K factor less than 0.15 and having substantial K factor retention from a phenolic resole resin foamable composition comprising from 40 to 90 percent by weight phenolic resole resin, from 1 to 20 percent by weight fluorine containing blowing agent, from 0.1 to 10 percent by weight surfactant, from 2 to 40 percent by weight water and from 2 to 35 percent by weight acid catalyst comprising introducing the phenolic resole resin foamable composition into a substantially closed volume wherein the composition is allowed to foam under initially ambient atmospheric pressure until the foam fills the volume and wherein a pressure in excess of about 2 pounds per square inch on the outer surface of the foam is attained within the volume and wherein the temperature during foaming is from about 4° C. to 122° C.

Claim 2

A method for making a phenolic foam having an initial K factor less than 0.15 and having substantial K factor retention from a phenolic resole resin foamable composition comprising from 40 to 90 percent by weight phenolic resole resin, from 1 to 20 percent by weight fluorine containing blowing agent, from 0.1 to 10 percent by weight surfactant, from 2 to 40 percent by weight water and from 2 to 35 percent by weight acid catalyst comprising introducing the phenolic resole resin foamable composition into a substantially closed volume wherein the composition is allowed to foam under initially ambient atmospheric pressure until the foam fills the volume and wherein a pressure in excess of about 2 pounds per square inch on the outer surface of the foam is attained within the volume and wherein the temperature during foaming is from about 4° C. to 122° C.

Claim 4

A method for making a phenolic foam having an initial K factor less than 0.15 and having substantial K factor retention from a phenolic resole resin foamable composition comprising from 50 to 80 percent by weight phenolic resole resin, from 5 to 15 percent by weight fluorine containing blowing agent, from 1 to 6 percent by weight surfactant, from 5 to 30 percent by weight water and from 5 to 30 percent by weight acid catalyst comprising introducing the phenolic resole resin foamable composition into a substantially closed volume wherein the composition is allowed to foam under initially ambient atmospheric pressure until the foam fills the volume and wherein a pressure in excess of about 2 pounds per square inch on the outer surface of the foam is attained within the volume and wherein the temperature during foaming is from about 4° C. to 122° C.

Claim 5

A method for making a phenolic foam having an initial K factor less than 0.15 and having substantial K factor retention from a phenolic resole resin foamable composition comprising from 50 to 80 percent by weight phenolic resole resin, from 5 to 15 percent by weight fluorine containing blowing agent, from 1 to 6 percent by weight surfactant, from 5 to 30 percent by weight water and from 5 to 30 percent by weight acid catalyst comprising introducing the phenolic resole resin foamable composition into a substantially closed volume wherein the composition is allowed to foam under initially ambient atmospheric pressure until the foam fills the volume and wherein a pressure in excess of about 2 pounds per square inch on the outer surface of the foam is attained within the volume and wherein the temperature during foaming is from about 4° C. to 122° C.