Preparation of microcellular polyurethane elastomers

Claim 2

An integral skin microcellular polyether polyurethane elastomer product having a specific gravity in the range approximating about 0.4 to about 0.7 gm/cm 3 produced by reacting a formulation comprising: (a) liquid quasi-polyoxyethyleneoxypropylene prepolymers having a crystalline point below about 13° C. resulting from the reaction of (1) a mixture consisting essentially of (i) a normally-solid diphenylmethane diisocyanate and (ii) the carbodiimide of diphenylmethane diisocyanate and/or the uretone imine of diphenylmethane diisocyanate, or (iii) the carbodiimide of tolylene diisocyanate and/or the uretone imine of tolylene diisocyanate; with (2) an ethylene oxide capped polyol of the group consisting of poly(oxyethyleneoxypropylene)polyols and polymer/poly(oxyethyleneoxypropylene)polyols and mixtures thereof, said ethylene oxide capped polyol having a hydroxyl equivalent weight of about 750 to about 3000, a hydroxyl functionality of 2 to 3, an oxyethylene cap of about 10 to about 30% by weight, and an internal oxyethylene content of from about 0 to 40% by weight, the total oxyethylene content of said capped polyol not exceeding about 50% by weight, the remainder of the capped polyol consisting essentially of oxypropylene; (b) an ethylene oxide capped polyol of the group consisting of poly(oxyethyleneoxypropylene)polyols and polymer/poly(oxyethyleneoxypropylene)polyols and mixtures thereof, said ethylene oxide capped polyol having the characteristics set forth in (a) above; (c) a difunctional chain extender characterized by hydroxyl and/or amino groups containing amino hydrogen; (d) said reaction taking place in the presence of a halogenated hydrocarbon blowing agent; (e) said reaction being effected at an NCO index number in the range of from 94 to 105; and (f) in the presence of polymer particles stably dispersed in said quasi-prepolymer (a) above and/or capped polyol (b) above, the total polymer content not exceeding about 25% by weight, based on the total weight of the formulation.

Claim 3

The integral skin microcellular elastomer product of claim 1 wherein said liquid mixture consists essentially of a normally-solid diphenylmethane diisocyanate and small amounts of its diisocyanato carbodiimide and/or its triisocyanato uretone imine.

Claim 4

The integral skin microcellular elastomer product of claim 1 wherein said mixture consists essentially of a normally-solid diphenylmethane diisocyanate, and small amounts of the diisocyanato carbodiimide of tolylene diisocyanate and/or the triisocyanato uretone imine of tolylene diisocyanate.

Claim 5

The integral skin microcellular elastomer product of claim 1 wherein said mixture consists essentially of normally-solid, relatively high purity 4,4'-diphenylmethane diisocyanate, and small amounts of the diisocyanato carbodiimide of 4,4'-diphenylmethane diisocyanate and/or the triisocyanato uretone imine of 4,4'-diphenylmethane diisocyanate.

Claim 6

The integral skin microcellular elastomer product of claim 2 wherein said liquid, quasi-polyoxyethyleneoxypropylene prepolymers have an NCO equivalent weight in the range of from about 200 to 280 and wherein said mixture consists essentially of diphenylmethane diisocyanate and its carbodiimide and/or its uretone imine has an NCO equivalent weight in the range of 125.5 to 137.

Claim 7

The integral skin microcellular elastomer product of claim 5 wherein said liquid quasi-polyoxyethyleneoxypropylene prepolymers have a crystalline point below about 10° C.

Claim 8

The integral skin microcellular elastomer product of claim 5 wherein said mixture has an NCO equivalent weight in the range of from about 126 to 135.

Claim 9

The integral skin microcellular elastomer product of claim 2 wherein said ethylene oxide capped polyol reactant (b) is a polymer/poly(oxyethyleneoxypropylene)polyol.

Claim 10

The integral skin microcellular elastomer product of claim 2 wherein said ethylene oxide capped polyol reactant (b) is a poly(oxyethyleneoxypropylene)polyol.

Claim 11

The integral skin microcellular elastomer product of claim 2 wherein the polyoxyethyleneoxypropylene segment of said liquid quasi-prepolymers is derived from polymer/poly(oxyethyleneoxypropylene)polyol.

Claim 12

The integral skin microcellular elastomer product of claim 2 wherein said ethylene oxide capped polyol reactant (b) is a polymer/poly(oxyethyleneoxypropylene)polyol and wherein the said polyoxyethyleneoxypropylene segment of said liquid quasi-prepolymers is derived from a poly(oxyethyleneoxypropylene)polyol.

Claim 13

The integral skin microcellular elastomer product of claim 1 characterized by a specific gravity below 0.55 gm/cm 3 and possessing excellent low temperature dynamic flex and green strength at demold.

Claim 14

The integral skin microcellular elastomer product of claim 8 in the form of a shoe sole.

Claim 15

The integral skin microcellular elastomer product of claim 2 characterized by a specific gravity in the range of from about 0.4 to 0.55 gm/cm 3 and possessing excellent low temperature dynamic flex and green strength at demold.

Claim 16

The integral skin microcellular elastomer product of claim 5 wherein said liquid quasi-polyoxyethyleneoxypropylene prepolymers are derived from ethylene oxide capped polyols having a hydroxyl equivalent weight of from about 850 to about 2500, and a hydroxyl functionality of 2 to about 2.6.

Claim 17

The integral skin microcellular elastomer product of claim 15 characterized by a specific gravity in the range of from about 0.4 to 0.55 gm/cc 3 , excellent low temperature dynamic flex and green strength at demold, said product being in the form of a shoe sole.

Claim 18

The integral skin microcellular elastomer product of claim 1 produced by effecting the reaction at an NCO index number in the range of from 97 to 103.

Claim 19

The integral skin microcellular elastomer product of claim 7 wherein said liquid quasi-polyoxyethyleneoxypropylene prepolymers are derived from ethylene oxide capped polyols which have a hydroxyl functionality of 2.

Claim 20

The integral skin microcellular elastomer product of claim 18 wherein said liquid quasi-polyoxyethyleneoxypropylene prepolymers have a crystalline point below about 5° C.

Claim 21

An integral skin microcellular polyether polyurethane product essentially free of sink marks, possessing a smooth surface essentially devoid of blemishes, and a specific gravity of from 0.4 to about 0.7 gm/cm 3 , produced by reacting a system comprising: (a) liquid quasi-polyoxyethyleneoxypropylene prepolymers having a crystalline point below about 13° C. resulting from the reaction of (1) a mixture consisting essentially of (i) a normally-solid diphenylmethane diisocyanate, and small amounts of (ii) the carbodiimide of diphenylmethane diisocyanate and/or the uretone imine of diphenylmethane diisocyanate or (iii) the carbodiimide of tolylene diisocyanate and/or the uretone imine of tolylene diisocyanate; with (2) an ethylene oxide capped polyol of the group consisting of poly(oxyethyleneoxypropylene)polyols and polymer/poly(oxyethyleneoxypropylene)polyols and mixtures thereof, said ethylene oxide capped polyol having a hydroxyl equivalent weight of about 750 to about 3000, a hydroxyl functionality of 2 to 3, an oxyethylene cap of about 10 to about 30% by weight, and an internal oxyethylene content of from 0 and upwards to 40% by weight, the total oxyethylene content of said capped polyol not exceeding about 50% by weight, the remainder of the capped polyol consisting essentially of oxypropylene; (b) an ethylene oxide capped polyol of the group consisting of poly(oxyethyleneoxypropylene)polyols and polymer/poly(oxyethyleneoxypropylene)polyols and mixtures thereof, said ethylene oxide capped polyol having a hydroxyl equivalent weight of about 850 to about 2500, a hydroxyl functionality of from about 2.1-2.2 to about 2.8, an ethylene oxide cap of from about 10 to 25% by weight, an internal oxyethylene content of from 0 to 40% by by weight, the total oxyethylene content of said capped polyol not exceeding about 50% by weight, the remainder of the capped polyol consisting essentially of oxypropylene; (c) a difunctional chain extender characterized by hydroxyl and/or amino groups consisting amino hydrogen; (d) said reaction taking place in the presence of a halocarbon blowing agent and without the use of water as a secondary blowing agent; (e) said reaction being effected at an NCO index number in the range of from 94 to 105; and (f) in the presence of polymer particles stably dispersed in said quasi-prepolymer (a) above and/or capped polyol (b) above, the total polymer content not exceeding about 20% by weight, based on the total weight of the system.

Claim 22

An integral skin microcellular polyether polyurethane product essentially free of sink marks, possessing a smooth surface essentially devoid of blemishes, and a specific gravity of from 0.4 to about 0.7 gm/cm 3 , produced by reacting a system comprising: (a) liquid quasi-polyoxyethyleneoxypropylene prepolymers having a crystalline point below about 13° C. resulting from the reaction of (1) a mixture consisting essentially of (i) a normally-solid diphenylmethane diisocyanate, and small amounts of (ii) the carbodiimide of diphenylmethane diisocyanate and/or the uretone imine of diphenylmethane diisocyanate or (iii) the carbodiimide of tolylene diisocyanate and/or the uretone imine of tolylene diisocyanate; with (2) an ethylene oxide capped polyol of the group consisting of poly(oxyethyleneoxypropylene)polyols and polymer/poly(oxyethyleneoxypropylene)polyols and mixtures thereof, said ethylene oxide capped polyol having a hydroxyl equivalent weight of about 750 to about 3000, a hydroxyl functionality of 2 to 3, an oxyethylene cap of about 10 to about 30% by weight, and an internal oxyethylene content of from 0 and upwards to 40% by weight, the total oxyethylene content of said capped polyol not exceeding about 50% by weight, the remainder of the capped polyol consisting essentially of oxypropylene; (b) an ethylene oxide capped polyol of the group consisting of poly(oxyethyleneoxypropylene)polyols and polymer/poly(oxyethyleneoxypropylene)polyols and mixtures thereof, said ethylene oxide capped polyol having a hydroxyl equivalent weight of about 850 to about 2500, a hydroxyl functionality of from about 2.1-2.2 to about 2.8, an ethylene oxide cap of from about 10 to 25% by weight, an internal oxyethylene content of from 0 to 40% by by weight, the total oxyethylene content of said capped polyol not exceeding about 50% by weight, the remainder of the capped polyol consisting essentially of oxypropylene; (c) a difunctional chain extender characterized by hydroxyl and/or amino groups consisting amino hydrogen; (d) said reaction taking place in the presence of a halocarbon blowing agent and without the use of water as a secondary blowing agent; (e) said reaction being effected at an NCO index number in the range of from 94 to 105; and (f) in the presence of polymer particles stably dispersed in said quasi-prepolymer (a) above and/or capped polyol (b) above, the total polymer content not exceeding about 20% by weight, based on the total weight of the system.

Claim 23

The integral skin microcellular product of claim 20 characterized by a specific gravity in the range of about 0.4 to below about 0.55 gm/cm 3 .

Claim 24

The integral skin microcellular product of claim 21 wherein said ethylene oxide capped polyol reactant (b) is a polymer/poly(oxyethyleneoxypropylene)polyol.

Claim 25

The integral skin microcellular product of claim 21 wherein the polyoxyethyleneoxypropylene segment of said liquid quasi-prepolymers is derived from a poly(oxyethyleneoxypropylene)polyol.

Claim 26

The integral skin microcellular product of claim 22 wherein the system is reacted at an NCO index number of from about 97 to about 103.

Claim 27

Liquid quasi-polyoxyethyleneoxypropylene prepolymers having a crystalline point below about 13° C. resulting from the reaction of (1) a liquid mixture consisting essentially of (i) a normally-solid diphenylmethane diisocyanate, and (ii) the carbodiiide of diphenylmethane diisocyanate and/or the uretone imine of diphenylmethane diisocyanate, or (iii) the carbodiimide of tolylene diisocyanate and/or the uretone imine of tolylene diisocyanate; with (2) an ethylene oxide capped polyol of the group consisting of poly(oxyethyleneoxypropylene)polyols and polymer/poly(oxyethyleneoxypropylene)polyols and mixtures thereof, said ethylene oxide capped polyol having a hydroxyl equivalent weight of about 750 to about 3000, a hydroxyl functionality of 2 to 3, an oxyethylene cap of about 10 to about 30% by weight, and an internal oxyethylene content of from 0 to 40% by weight, the total oxyethylene content of said capped polyol not exceeding about 50% by weight, the remainder of the capped polyol consisting essentially of oxypropylene.

Claim 28

Liquid quasi-polyoxyethyleneoxypropylene prepolymers having a crystalline point below about 13° C. resulting from the reaction of (1) a liquid mixture consisting essentially of (i) a normally-solid diphenylmethane diisocyanate, and (ii) the carbodiiide of diphenylmethane diisocyanate and/or the uretone imine of diphenylmethane diisocyanate, or (iii) the carbodiimide of tolylene diisocyanate and/or the uretone imine of tolylene diisocyanate; with (2) an ethylene oxide capped polyol of the group consisting of poly(oxyethyleneoxypropylene)polyols and polymer/poly(oxyethyleneoxypropylene)polyols and mixtures thereof, said ethylene oxide capped polyol having a hydroxyl equivalent weight of about 750 to about 3000, a hydroxyl functionality of 2 to 3, an oxyethylene cap of about 10 to about 30% by weight, and an internal oxyethylene content of from 0 to 40% by weight, the total oxyethylene content of said capped polyol not exceeding about 50% by weight, the remainder of the capped polyol consisting essentially of oxypropylene.

Claim 29

The liquid quasi-prepolymers of claim 25 wherein said mixture consists essentially of a normally-solid diphenylmethane diisocyanate and its diisocyanato carbodiimide and/or its triisocyanato uretone imine, said liquid quasi-prepolymers possessing an NCO equivalent weight in the range of from about 200 to 280.

Claim 30

The liquid quasi-prepolymers of claim 25 wherein said mixture consists essentially of a normally-solid diphenylmethane diisocyanate, and small amounts of the diisocyanato carbodiimide of tolylene diisocyanate and/or the triisocyanato uretone imine of tolylene diisocyanate.

Claim 31

The liquid quasi-prepolymers of claim 26 wherein said mixture consists essentially of relatively high purity 4,4'-diphenylmethane diisocyanate and its diisocyanato carbodiimide and/or its triisocyanato uretone imine said mixture having an NCO equivalent weight in the range of 125.5 to about 137.

Claim 32

The liquid quasi-prepolymers of claim 26 which are characterized by an NCO equivalent weight of from about 215 to about 255.

Claim 33

The liquid quasi-prepolymers of claim 28 wherein said ethylene oxide capped polyol has a hydroxyl functionality of 2 to about 2.6.

Claim 34

The liquid quasi-prepolymers of claim 30 wherein said ethylene oxide capped polyol has a hydroxyl equivalent weight of about 850 to about 2500, and a hydroxyl functionality of 2 to about 2.3.

Claim 35

The liqud quasi-prepolymers of claim 30 wherein said mixture consisting essentially of relatively high purity of 4,4'-diphenylmethane diisocyanate and its diisocyanato carbodiimide and/or its triisocyanato uretone imine has an NCO equivalent weight in the range of from about 126 to 135.

Claim 36

The liquid quasi-prepolymers of claim 32 wherein said mixture is characterized by an NCO equivalent weight of from 126-127 to about 130-132.

Claim 37

The liquid quasi-prepolymers of claim 32 characterized by a crystalline point below about +10° C. and above about -20° C.

Claim 38

The liquid quasi-prepolymers of claim 34 characterized by an NCO equivalent weight of from about 215 to about 255.

Claim 39

The liquid quasi-prepolymers of claim 32 wherein said ethylene oxide capped polyol is a polymer/poly(oxyethyleneoxypropylene)polyol.

Claim 40

The liquid quasi-prepolymers of claim 32 wherein said ethylene oxide capped polyol is a poly(oxyethyleneoxypropylene)polyol.

Claim 41

The liquid quasi-prepolymers of claim 32 wherein said ethylene oxide capped polyol has a hydroxyl functionality of 2.

Claim 42

A multi-package curable system useful in the manufacture of integral skin microcellular polyether polyurethane products having specific gravities in the range of from about 0.4 to about 0.7 gm/cm 3 comprising Component A and Component B: (a) said Component A containing the liqud quasi-polyoxyethyleneoxypropylene prepolymers defined in claim 1(a), and (b) said Component B consisting essentially of a compatible liquid mixture of (i) an ethylene oxide capped polyol of the group consisting of poly(oxyethyleneoxypropylene)polyols and polymer/poly(oxyethyleneoxypropylene)polyols and mixtures thereof, as defined in claim 1(b); (ii) a difunctional extender, optionally in admixture with small amounts of a trifunctional extender, said difunctional and trifunctional extenders characterized by hydroxyl groups and/or amino groups which contain amino hydrogen; and (iii) an halogenated hydrocarbon blowing agent; (c) said Component A and said Component B used in amounts so as to provide upon mixing up to 25% by weight of polymer particles stably dispersed in the resulting admixture.

Claim 43

The multi-package curable system of claim 39 wherein said liquid quasi-prepolymers have an NCO equivalent weight of about 200 to 280.

Claim 44

The multi-package curable system of claim 40 wherein Component B is essentially void of water as a secondary blowing agent.