Manufacture of polyols and rigid polyurethane foam using thiodialkylene glycols

Claim 2

A process for the preparation of a polyol which comprises the steps of digesting a polyalkylene terephthalate with from about 0.8 to about 2 molecular equivalents, based on the alkylene terephthalate groups in the polyalkylene terephthalate, of a polyol having a molecular weight of about 500 or less at a temperature within the range of about 190° to about 280° C. and a pressure within the range of about 1 to about 40 atmospheres for a period of time within the range of about 0.5 to 5 hours while removing from the reaction product volatile condensation by-products including ethylene glycol and derivatives thereof until at least about 10 wt. % of the charge has been removed overhead, cooling the reaction mixture to a temperature within the range of about 150°-190° C., adding from about 10 to about 90 mole percent, based on the low molecular weight diol, of a thiodialkylene glycol and thereafter maintaining said reaction mixture within said temperature range for a period of time within the range of about 0.5 to about 5 hours to thereby provide a thiodialkylene glycol modified polyester polyol condensation product.

Claim 3

A process as in claim 1 wherein the polyalkylene terephthalate is polyethylene terephthalate, wherein the low molecular weight polyol comprises glycols, and wherein the thiodialkylene glycol is thiodiethylene glycol.

Claim 4

A process as in claim 2 wherein the condensation reaction is conducted at a temperature within the range of about 210° to about 245° C. and a pressure within the range of about 1 to about 20 atmospheres and wherein the low molecular weight polyol and thiodiethylene glycol are added in amounts sufficient to provide a thiodiethylene glycol modified polyethylene terephthalate condensation product polyol having a hydroxyl number within the range of about 100 to about 500.

Claim 5

A process as in claim 3 wherein the reactants are proportioned to provide a hydroxyl number within the range of about 200 to about 400.

Claim 6

A product prepared by a process including the steps of digesting a polyalkylene terephthalate with from about 0.8 to about 2 molecular equivalents, based on the ethylene terephthalate groups in the polyethylene terephthalate, of a polyol having a molecular weight of about 500 or less at a temperature within the range of about 190° to about 280° C. and a pressure within the range of about 1 to about 40 atmospheres for a period of time within the range of about 0.5 to 5 hours while removing from the reaction product volatile condensation by-products including ethylene glycol and derivatives thereof until at least about 10 wt. % of the charge has been removed overhead, cooling the reaction mixture to a temperature within the range of about 150°-190° C., adding from about 20 to about 50 mole percent, based on the low molecular weight diol, of a thiodialkylene glycol and thereafter maintaining said reaction mixture within said temperature range for a period of time within the range of about 0.5 to about 5 hours to thereby provide a thiodialkylene glycol modified polyester polyol condensation product.

Claim 7

A product prepared by a process including the steps of digesting a polyalkylene terephthalate with from about 0.8 to about 2 molecular equivalents, based on the ethylene terephthalate groups in the polyethylene terephthalate, of a polyol having a molecular weight of about 500 or less at a temperature within the range of about 190° to about 280° C. and a pressure within the range of about 1 to about 40 atmospheres for a period of time within the range of about 0.5 to 5 hours while removing from the reaction product volatile condensation by-products including ethylene glycol and derivatives thereof until at least about 10 wt. % of the charge has been removed overhead, cooling the reaction mixture to a temperature within the range of about 150°-190° C., adding from about 20 to about 50 mole percent, based on the low molecular weight diol, of a thiodialkylene glycol and thereafter maintaining said reaction mixture within said temperature range for a period of time within the range of about 0.5 to about 5 hours to thereby provide a thiodialkylene glycol modified polyester polyol condensation product.

Claim 8

A product as in claim 5 wherein the polyalkylene terephthalate is polyethylene terephthalate, wherein the low molecular weight polyol comprises glycols, and wherein the thiodialkylene glycol is thiodiethylene glycol.

Claim 9

A product as in claim 6 wherein the condensation reaction is conducted at a temperature within the range of about 210° to about 245° C. and a pressure within the range of about 1 to about 20 atmospheres and wherein the low molecular weight polyol and thiodiethylene glycol are added in amounts sufficient to provide a thiodiethylene glycol modified polyethylene terephthalate condensation product polyol having a hydroxyl number within the range of about 100 to about 500.

Claim 10

A product as in claim 7 wherein the reactants are proportioned to provide a hydroxyl number within the range of about 200 to about 400.

Claim 11

A process for the preparation of a rigid polyurethane foam which comprises reacting an excess of an aromatic polyisocyanate with a polyol component in the presence of a blowing agent, a catalyst, and a foam stabilizing agent,

Claim 12

A process for the preparation of a rigid polyurethane foam which comprises reacting an excess of an aromatic polyisocyanate with a polyol component in the presence of a blowing agent, a catalyst, and a foam stabilizing agent,

Claim 13

said polyol component comprising a thiodialkylene glycol modified polyester polyol condensation product of a polyalkylene terephthalate with a polyol having a molecular weight of about 500 or less, said condensation product having been prepared by digesting a polyalkylene terephthalate with from about 0.8 to about 2 molecular equivalents, based on the ethylene terephthalate groups in the polyethylene terephthalate, of a polyol having a molecular weight of about 500 or less at a temperature within the range of about 190° to about 280° C. and a pressure within the range of about 1 to about 40 atmospheres for a period of time within the range of about 0.5 to 5 hours while removing from the reaction product volatile condensation by-products including ethylene glycol and derivatives thereof until at least about 10 wt. % of the charge has been removed overhead, cooling the reaction mixture to a temperature within the range of about 150°-190° C., adding from about 20 to about 50 mole percent, based on the low molecular weight diol, of a thiodialkylene glycol and thereafter maintaining said reaction mixture within said temperature range for a period of time within the range of about 0.5 to about 5 hours to thereby provide said thiodialkylene glycol modified polyester polyol condensation product.

Claim 14

said polyol component comprising a thiodialkylene glycol modified polyester polyol condensation product of a polyalkylene terephthalate with a polyol having a molecular weight of about 500 or less, said condensation product having been prepared by digesting a polyalkylene terephthalate with from about 0.8 to about 2 molecular equivalents, based on the ethylene terephthalate groups in the polyethylene terephthalate, of a polyol having a molecular weight of about 500 or less at a temperature within the range of about 190° to about 280° C. and a pressure within the range of about 1 to about 40 atmospheres for a period of time within the range of about 0.5 to 5 hours while removing from the reaction product volatile condensation by-products including ethylene glycol and derivatives thereof until at least about 10 wt. % of the charge has been removed overhead, cooling the reaction mixture to a temperature within the range of about 150°-190° C., adding from about 20 to about 50 mole percent, based on the low molecular weight diol, of a thiodialkylene glycol and thereafter maintaining said reaction mixture within said temperature range for a period of time within the range of about 0.5 to about 5 hours to thereby provide said thiodialkylene glycol modified polyester polyol condensation product.

Claim 15

A process as in claim 9 wherein the aromatic isocyanate is reacted with the polyol under conditions to thereby induce the formation of isocyanurate groups.

Claim 16

A process as in claim 10 wherein the polyalkylene terephthalate is polyethylene terephthalate, wherein the low molecular weight polyol comprises glycols, and wherein the thiodialkylene glycol is thiodiethylene glycol.

Claim 17

A process as in claim 10 wherein the polyol is a polyol prepared by conducting the condensation reaction at a temperature within the range of about 210° to about 245° C. and a pressure within the range of about 1 to about 20 atmospheres and wherein the low molecular weight polyol and thiodiethylene glycol are added in amounts sufficient to provide a thiodiethylene glycol modified polyethylene terephthalate condensation product polyol having a hydroxyl number within the range of about 100 to about 500.

Claim 18

A process as in claim 10 wherein the polyol is a polyol prepared by proportioning the reactants to provide a hydroxyl number within the range of about 200 to about 400.

Claim 19

A process as in claim 9 wherein the thiodialkylene glycol modified polyol is used in admixture with an unmodified polyol having a functionality of about 2 to 8 and a hydroxyl number in the range between about 200 and 800.

Claim 20

A process as in claim 14 wherein the unmodified polyol is a propoxylated Mannich condensate of a phenol or an alkyl substituted phenol with diethanolamine and formaldehyde.

Claim 21

A process of preparing a polyurethane which comprises reacting an excess of an aromatic polyisocyanate with a polyol component in the presence of a blowing agent, a catalyst and a foam stabilizer,

Claim 22

A process of preparing a polyurethane which comprises reacting an excess of an aromatic polyisocyanate with a polyol component in the presence of a blowing agent, a catalyst and a foam stabilizer,

Claim 23

said polyol component comprising a digestion product of a polyalkylene terephthalate with a digesting component comprising a thiodialkylene glycol, said condensation product having been prepared by digesting the polyalkylene terephthalate with from about 0.8 to about 2 molecular equivalents, based on the alkylene terephthalate groups in the polyalkylene terephthalate, of a glycol having a molecular weight of about 500 or less at a temperature within the range of about 180° to about 250° C. and a pressure within the range of about 1 to about 40 atmospheres for a period of time within the range of about 0.5 to about 5 hours while removing from the reaction product volatile condensation by-products including ethylene glycol and derivatives thereof until at least about 10 wt. % of the charge has been removed overhead, cooling the reaction mixture to a temperature within the range of about 150° to about 190° C., adding from about 10 to about 90 mole percent, based on the low molecular weight diol, of a thiodialkylene glycol and thereafter maintaining said reaction mixture within said temperature range for a period of time within the range of about 0.5 to about 5 hours to thereby provide said thiodialkylene glycol modified polyester polyol condensation product, and wherein the polyol is a polyether polyol.

Claim 24

said polyol component comprising a digestion product of a polyalkylene terephthalate with a digesting component comprising a thiodialkylene glycol, said condensation product having been prepared by digesting the polyalkylene terephthalate with from about 0.8 to about 2 molecular equivalents, based on the alkylene terephthalate groups in the polyalkylene terephthalate, of a glycol having a molecular weight of about 500 or less at a temperature within the range of about 180° to about 250° C. and a pressure within the range of about 1 to about 40 atmospheres for a period of time within the range of about 0.5 to about 5 hours while removing from the reaction product volatile condensation by-products including ethylene glycol and derivatives thereof until at least about 10 wt. % of the charge has been removed overhead, cooling the reaction mixture to a temperature within the range of about 150° to about 190° C., adding from about 10 to about 90 mole percent, based on the low molecular weight diol, of a thiodialkylene glycol and thereafter maintaining said reaction mixture within said temperature range for a period of time within the range of about 0.5 to about 5 hours to thereby provide said thiodialkylene glycol modified polyester polyol condensation product, and wherein the polyol is a polyether polyol.

Claim 25

A process as in claim 16 wherein the polyol component comprises from 100 to about 20 wt. % of said digestion product and, correspondingly, 0 to about 80 wt. % of a polyether polyol prepared by alkoxylating an initiator with a functionality of about 2 to 8 with an alkylene oxide component or by propoxylating a Mannich condensate of a phenol, formaldehyde and diethanolamine, said alkylene oxide component consisting of 100 to about 80 wt. % of propylene oxide and, correspondingly, from 0 to about 20 wt. % of ethylene oxide.

Claim 26

A process as in claim 17 wherein the polyalkylene terephthalate is polyethylene terephthalate wherein the low molecular weight glycol comprises a mixture of glycols and wherein the thiodialkylene glycol is thiodiethylene glycol.

Claim 27

A polyurethane prepared by reacting an excess of an aromatic polyisocyanate with a polyol component in the presence of a blowing agent, a catalyst and a foam stabilizer, said polyol component comprising a digestion product of a polyalkylene terephthalate with a digesting component comprising a thiodialkylene glycol, said digestion product having been prepared by digesting the polyalkylene terephthalate with from about 0.8 to about 2 molecular equivalents, based on the alkylene terephthalate groups in the polyalkylene terephthalate, of a glycol having a molecular weight of about 500 or less at a temperature within the range of about 180° to about 250° C. and a pressure within the range of about 1 to about 40 atmospheres for a period of time within the range of about 0.5 to about 5 hours while removing from the reaction product volatile condensation by-products including ethylene glycol and derivatives thereof until at least about 10 wt. % of the charge has been removed overhead, cooling the reaction mixture to a temperature within the range of about 150° to about 190° C., adding from about 10 to about 90 mole percent, based on the low molecular weight diol, of a thiodialkylene glycol and thereafter maintaining said reaction mixture within said temperature range for a period of time within the range of about 0.5 to about 5 hours to thereby provide a thiodialkylene glycol modified polyester polyol condensation product, and wherein the polyol is a polyether polyol.

Claim 28

A polyurethane prepared by reacting an excess of an aromatic polyisocyanate with a polyol component in the presence of a blowing agent, a catalyst and a foam stabilizer, said polyol component comprising a digestion product of a polyalkylene terephthalate with a digesting component comprising a thiodialkylene glycol, said digestion product having been prepared by digesting the polyalkylene terephthalate with from about 0.8 to about 2 molecular equivalents, based on the alkylene terephthalate groups in the polyalkylene terephthalate, of a glycol having a molecular weight of about 500 or less at a temperature within the range of about 180° to about 250° C. and a pressure within the range of about 1 to about 40 atmospheres for a period of time within the range of about 0.5 to about 5 hours while removing from the reaction product volatile condensation by-products including ethylene glycol and derivatives thereof until at least about 10 wt. % of the charge has been removed overhead, cooling the reaction mixture to a temperature within the range of about 150° to about 190° C., adding from about 10 to about 90 mole percent, based on the low molecular weight diol, of a thiodialkylene glycol and thereafter maintaining said reaction mixture within said temperature range for a period of time within the range of about 0.5 to about 5 hours to thereby provide a thiodialkylene glycol modified polyester polyol condensation product, and wherein the polyol is a polyether polyol.

Claim 29

A polyurethane as in claim 19 wherein the polyol component comprises from 100 to about 20 wt. % of said digestion product and, correspondingly, 0 to about 80 wt. % of a polyether glycol prepared by alkoxylating an initiator with a functionality of about 2 to 8 with an alkylene oxide component or by propoxylating a Mannich condensate of a phenol, formaldehyde and diethanolamine, said alkylene oxide component consisting of 100 to about 80 wt. % of propylene oxide and, correspondingly, from 0 to about 20 wt. % of ethylene oxide.

Claim 30

A polyurethane as in claim 20 wherein the polyalkylene terephthalate is polyethylene terephthalate wherein the low molecular weight glycol comprises a mixture of glycols and wherein the thiodialkylene glycol is thiodiethylene glycol.