Manufacturing of rigid foam using etherified modified aromatic polyols

Claim 2

In a method of preparing a rigid polyurethane foam composition wherein an excess of an aromatic polyisocyanate is reacted with a polyol component in the presence of a catalyst, a blowing agent and a surfactant; the improvement for obtaining a rigid polyurethane foam having improved properties which comprises: utilizing a polyol component comprising an etherified modified aromatic polyol, said etherified modified aromatic polyol having been prepared by: digesting a polyalkylene terephthalate with a low molecular weight polyol selected from a group consisting essentially of ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, butylene glycol, diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, dipropylene glycol, glycerol, and trimethyol propane with the ratio of about 0.5 to about 1 mole equivalents of polyalkylene terephthalate to about 1 to about 0.5 moles of low molecular weight polyol at a temperature of about 180° to about 250° C. to provide a digested polyol; reacting said digested polyol with about 0.01 to about 0.7 moles of an additional low molecular weight polyol containing from about 3 to about 8 hydroxyl groups and a molecular weight from about 90 to about 350 per mole equivalent of polyalkylene terephthalate at a temperature of about 120° to about 200° C. from about 1 to about 4 hours to form an intermediate reaction product; and alkoxylating in the presence of a basic alkoxylation catalyst said intermediate product with an alkoxylation component comprising from about 1 to about 4 mole equivalents of alkylene oxide per mole equivalent of said polyalkylene terephthalate, said alkylene oxide consisting of from 0 to about 4 moles of ethylene oxide and, correspondingly, from 4 to about 0 moles of propylene oxide with the temperature not exceeding about 200° C.

Claim 3

A method as in claim 1 wherein the polyalkylene terephthalate is a polyethylene terephthalate, wherein the low molecular weight polyol is selected from the group consisting of ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, butylene glycol diethylene glycol triethylene glycol, dipropylene glycol, glycerol and trimethylolpropane and wherein the polyethylene terephthalate is reacted with about 0.5 to 2 moles of low molecular weight polyol per mole of polyethylene terephthalate at a temperature of about 180° to about 250° C. for about 5 to 30 hours to provide the digested polyol.

Claim 4

A method as in claim 2 wherein the low molecular weight polyhydroxy compound is selected from the group consisting of alpha methyl glucoside, glycerol, trimethylolpropane, pentaerylthritol, sorbitol, sucrose, and mannitol and wherein the digested product is reacted with from about 0.01 to about 0.7 moles of said polyhydroxy compound, per mole of polyethylene terephthalate used in making the digested product, at a temperature of about 120° to about 200° C. for about 1 to 4 hours to provide the intermediate product.

Claim 5

A method as in claim 3 wherein the alkylene oxide component reacted with the intermediate product consists of about 0.5 mole equivalent of propylene oxide and about 1.5 mole equivalents of ethylene oxide per mole equivalent of polyethylene terephthalate and wherein the alkoxylation is conducted under basic conditions at a temperature of about 150° to about 200° C.

Claim 6

A method as in claim 3 wherein the alkylene oxide component reacted with the intermediate product consists of about 2 mole equivalents of ethylene oxide per mole equivalent of said polyethylene terephthalate and wherein the alkoxylation is conducted under basic conditions at a temperature of about 150° to about 200° C.

Claim 7

A method as in claim 3 wherein the alkylene oxide component reacted with the intermediate product consists of about 2 mole equivalents of propylene oxide per mole equivalent of said polyethylene terephthalate and wherein the alkoxylation is conducted under basic conditions at a temperature of about 150° to about 200° C.

Claim 8

In a method for the preparation of a rigid polyisocyanurate foam composition wherein an excess of an aromatic polyisocyanate is reacted with a polyol component in the presence of an isocyanurate catalyst, a blowing agent, and a surfactant under basic conditions: the improvement for obtaining a rigid polyisocyanurate foam having improved properties which comprises: utilizing a polyol component comprising an etherified modified aromatic polyol, said etherified modified aromatic polyol having been prepared by: digesting a polyalkylene terephthatlate with a low molecular weight polyol selected from a group consisting essentially of ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, butylene glycol, diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, dipropylene glycol, glycerol, and trimethyol propane with the ratio of about 0.5 to about 1 mole equivalents of polyalkylene terephthalate to about 1 to about 0.5 moles of low molecular weight polyol at a temperature of about 180° to about 250° C. to provide a digested polyol; reacting said digested polyol with about 0.01 to about 0.7 moles of an additional low molecular weight polyol containing about 3 to about 8 hydroxyl groups and a molecular weight from about 90 to about 350 per mole equivalent of polyalkylene terephthalate at a temperature of about 120° to about 200° C. from about 1 to about 4 hours to form an intermediate product; and alkoxylating in the presence of a basic alkoxylation catalyst said intermediate product with an alkoxylation component comprising from about 1 to about 4 mole equivalents of alkylene oxide per mole equivalent of said polyalkylene terephthalate, said alkylene oxide consisting of from 0 to about 4 moles of ethylene oxide and, correspondingly, from 4 to about 0 moles of propylene oxide with the temperature not exceeding about 200° C.

Claim 9

In a method for the preparation of a rigid polyisocyanurate foam composition wherein an excess of an aromatic polyisocyanate is reacted with a polyol component in the presence of an isocyanurate catalyst, a blowing agent, and a surfactant under basic conditions: the improvement for obtaining a rigid polyisocyanurate foam having improved properties which comprises: utilizing a polyol component comprising an etherified modified aromatic polyol, said etherified modified aromatic polyol having been prepared by: digesting a polyalkylene terephthatlate with a low molecular weight polyol selected from a group consisting essentially of ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, butylene glycol, diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, dipropylene glycol, glycerol, and trimethyol propane with the ratio of about 0.5 to about 1 mole equivalents of polyalkylene terephthalate to about 1 to about 0.5 moles of low molecular weight polyol at a temperature of about 180° to about 250° C. to provide a digested polyol; reacting said digested polyol with about 0.01 to about 0.7 moles of an additional low molecular weight polyol containing about 3 to about 8 hydroxyl groups and a molecular weight from about 90 to about 350 per mole equivalent of polyalkylene terephthalate at a temperature of about 120° to about 200° C. from about 1 to about 4 hours to form an intermediate product; and alkoxylating in the presence of a basic alkoxylation catalyst said intermediate product with an alkoxylation component comprising from about 1 to about 4 mole equivalents of alkylene oxide per mole equivalent of said polyalkylene terephthalate, said alkylene oxide consisting of from 0 to about 4 moles of ethylene oxide and, correspondingly, from 4 to about 0 moles of propylene oxide with the temperature not exceeding about 200° C.

Claim 10

A method as in claim 7 wherein the polyalkylene terephthalate is a polyethylene terephthalate, wherein the low molecular weight polyol is selected from the group consisting of ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, butylene glycol, diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, dipropylene glycol, glycerol and trimethylolpropane and wherein the polyethylene terephthalate is reacted with about 0.5 to 2 moles of low molecular weight polyol per mole of polyethylene terephthalate at a temperature of about 180° to about 250° C. for about 5 to 30 hours to provide the digested polyol.

Claim 11

A method as in claim 8 wherein the low molecular weight polyhydroxy compound is selected from the group consisting of alpha methyl glucoside, glycerol, trimethylolpropane, oentaerylthritol, sorbitol, sucrose, and mannitol and wherein the digested product is reacted with from about 0.01 to about 0.7 moles of said polyhydroxy compound, per mole of polyethylene terephthalate used in making the digested product, at a temperature of about 120° to about 200° C. for about 1 to 4 hours to provide the intermediate product.

Claim 12

A method as in claim 9 wherein the alkylene oxide component reacted with the intermediate product consists of about 0.5 mole equivalents of propylene oxide and about 1.5 mole equivalents of ethylene oxide per mole equivalent of polyethylene terephthalate and wherein the alkoxylation is conducted under basic conditions at a temperature of about 150° to about 200°0 C.

Claim 13

A method as in claim 9 wherein the alkylene oxide component reacted with the intermediate product consists of about 2 mole equivalents of ethylene oxide per mole equivalent of said polyethylene terephthalate and wherein the alkoxylation is conducted under basic conditions at a temperature of about 150° to about 200° C.

Claim 14

A method as in claim 9 wherein the alkylene oxide component reacted with the intermediate product consists of about 2 mole equivalents of propylene oxide per mole equivalent of said polyethylene terephthalate and wherein the alkoxylation is conducted under basic conditions at a temperature of about 150° to about 200° C.

Claim 15

A rigid polyurethane foam composition prepared by reacting an excess of an aromatic polyisocyanate with a polyol component in the presence of a catalyst, a blowing agent and a surfactant: said polyol component being composed of from 100 to about 80 wt. % of an etherified modified aromatic polyol and, correspondingly , from 0 to about 20 wt. % of a polyoxyalkylene polyol component, said etherified modified aromatic polyol having been prepared by: digesting a polyalkylene terephthalate with a low molecular weight polyol selected from a group consisting essentially of ethylene glycol, propylene glycoo, butylene glycol, diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, dipropylene glycol, glycerol, and trimethyol propane with the ratio of about 0.5 to about 1 mole equivalents of polyalkylene terephthalate to about 1 to about 0.5 moles of low molecular weight polyol at a temperature of about 180° to about 250° C. to provide a digested polyol; reacting said digested polyol with about 0.01 to about 0.7 moles of an additional low molecular weight polyol containing from about 3 to about 8 hydroxyl groups and a molecular weight from about 90 to about 350 per mole equivalent of polyalkylene terephthalate at a temperature of about 120° to about 200° C. from about 1 to about 4 hours to form an intermediate product; and alkoxylating in the presence of a basic alkoxylation catalyst said intermediate product with an alkoxylation component comprising from about 1 to about 4 moles equivalents of alkylene oxide per mole equivalent of said polyalkylene terephthalate, said alkylene oxide consisting of from 0 to about 4 moles of ethylene oxide and, correspondingly, from 4 moles to about 0 moles of propylene oxide with the temperature not exceeding about 200° C.; said polyoxyalkylene polyol component having been prepared by reacting an initiator having a functionality of about 3 to about 6 with an alkylene oxide component consisting of from 100 to about 80 wt. % of propylene oxide and 0 to about 20 wt. % of ethylene oxide; and said polyoxyalkylene polyol component having a hydroxyl number of about 200 to about 800.

Claim 16

A rigid polyurethane foam composition prepared by reacting an excess of an aromatic polyisocyanate with a polyol component in the presence of a catalyst, a blowing agent and a surfactant: said polyol component being composed of from 100 to about 80 wt. % of an etherified modified aromatic polyol and, correspondingly , from 0 to about 20 wt. % of a polyoxyalkylene polyol component, said etherified modified aromatic polyol having been prepared by: digesting a polyalkylene terephthalate with a low molecular weight polyol selected from a group consisting essentially of ethylene glycol, propylene glycoo, butylene glycol, diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, dipropylene glycol, glycerol, and trimethyol propane with the ratio of about 0.5 to about 1 mole equivalents of polyalkylene terephthalate to about 1 to about 0.5 moles of low molecular weight polyol at a temperature of about 180° to about 250° C. to provide a digested polyol; reacting said digested polyol with about 0.01 to about 0.7 moles of an additional low molecular weight polyol containing from about 3 to about 8 hydroxyl groups and a molecular weight from about 90 to about 350 per mole equivalent of polyalkylene terephthalate at a temperature of about 120° to about 200° C. from about 1 to about 4 hours to form an intermediate product; and alkoxylating in the presence of a basic alkoxylation catalyst said intermediate product with an alkoxylation component comprising from about 1 to about 4 moles equivalents of alkylene oxide per mole equivalent of said polyalkylene terephthalate, said alkylene oxide consisting of from 0 to about 4 moles of ethylene oxide and, correspondingly, from 4 moles to about 0 moles of propylene oxide with the temperature not exceeding about 200° C.; said polyoxyalkylene polyol component having been prepared by reacting an initiator having a functionality of about 3 to about 6 with an alkylene oxide component consisting of from 100 to about 80 wt. % of propylene oxide and 0 to about 20 wt. % of ethylene oxide; and said polyoxyalkylene polyol component having a hydroxyl number of about 200 to about 800.

Claim 17

A method as in claim 13 wherein the polyalkylene terephthalate is a polyethylene terephthalate, wherein the low molecular weight polyol is diethylene glycol and wherein the polyethylene terephthalate is reacted with about 0.5 to 2 moles of diethylene glycol per mole of polyethylene terephthalate at a temperature of about 180° to about 250° C. for about 5 to 30 hours to provide the digested polyol.

Claim 18

A method as in claim 14 wherein the low molecular weight polyhydroxy compound is alpha methyl glucoside and wherein the digested product is reacted with from about 0.01 to about 0.7 moles of alpha methyl glucoside, per mole of polyethylene terephthalate used in making the digested product, at a temperature of about 120° to about 200° C. for about 1 to 4 hours to provide the intermediate product.

Claim 19

A method as in claim 15 wherein the alkylene oxide component reacted with the intermediate product consists of about 0.5 mole equivalent of propylene oxide and about 1.5 mole equivalents of ethylene oxide per mole equivalent of polyethylene terephthalate and wherein the alkoxylation is conducted under basic conditions at a temperature of about 150° to about 200° C.

Claim 20

A method as in claim 15 wherein the alkylene oxide component reacted with the intermediate product consists of about 2 mole equivalents of ethylene oxide per mole equivalent of said polyethylene terephthalate and wherein the alkoxylation is conducted under basic conditions at a temperature of about 150° to about 200° C.

Claim 21

A method as in claim 15 wherein the alkylene oxide component reacted with the intermediate product consists of about 2 mole equivalents of propylene oxide per mole equivalent of said polyethylene terephthalate and wherein the alkoxylation is conducted under basic conditions at a temperature of about 150° to about 200° C.

Claim 22

A rigid polyisocyanurate foam composition prepared by reacting an excess of an aromatic polyisocyanate with a polyol component in the presence of an isocyanurate catalyst, a blowing agent and a surfactant under basic conditions: said polyol component being composed of from 100 to about 80 wt. % of an etherified modified aromatic polyol and, correspondingly, from 0 to about 20 wt. % of a polyoxyalkylene polyol component having a hydroxyl number of about 200 to 800, said etherified modified aromatic polyol having been prepared by: digesting a polyalkylene terephthalate with a low molecular weight polyol selected from a group consisting essentially of ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, butylene glycol, diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, dipropylene glycol, glycerol, and trimethyol propane with the ratio of about 0.5 to about 1 mole equivalents of polyalkylene terephthalate to about 1 to about 0.5 moles of low molecular weight polyol at a temperature of about 180° to about 250° C. to provide a digested polyol; reacting said digested polyol with about 0.01 to about 0.7 moles of an additional low molecular weight polyol containing from about 3 to about 8 hydroxyl groups and a molecular weight from about 90 to about 350 per mole equivalent of polyalkylene terephthalate at a temperature of about 120° to about 200° C. from about 1 to about 4 hours to form an intermediate product; and alkoxylating in the presence of a basic alkoxylation catalyst said intermediate product with an alkoxylation component comprising from about 1 to about 4 mole equivalents of alkylene oxide per mole equivalent of said polyalkylene terephthalate, said alkylene oxide consisting of from 0 to about 4 moles of ethyelen oxide and, correspondingly, from 4 moles to about 0 moles of propylene oxide with the temperature not exceeding about 200° C.; said polyoxyalkylene polyol component having been prepared by reacting an initiator having a functionality of about 3 to about 6 with an alkylene oxide component consisting of from 100 to about 80 wt. % of propylene oxide and 0 to about 20 wt. % of ethylene oxide.

Claim 23

A rigid polyisocyanurate foam composition prepared by reacting an excess of an aromatic polyisocyanate with a polyol component in the presence of an isocyanurate catalyst, a blowing agent and a surfactant under basic conditions: said polyol component being composed of from 100 to about 80 wt. % of an etherified modified aromatic polyol and, correspondingly, from 0 to about 20 wt. % of a polyoxyalkylene polyol component having a hydroxyl number of about 200 to 800, said etherified modified aromatic polyol having been prepared by: digesting a polyalkylene terephthalate with a low molecular weight polyol selected from a group consisting essentially of ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, butylene glycol, diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, dipropylene glycol, glycerol, and trimethyol propane with the ratio of about 0.5 to about 1 mole equivalents of polyalkylene terephthalate to about 1 to about 0.5 moles of low molecular weight polyol at a temperature of about 180° to about 250° C. to provide a digested polyol; reacting said digested polyol with about 0.01 to about 0.7 moles of an additional low molecular weight polyol containing from about 3 to about 8 hydroxyl groups and a molecular weight from about 90 to about 350 per mole equivalent of polyalkylene terephthalate at a temperature of about 120° to about 200° C. from about 1 to about 4 hours to form an intermediate product; and alkoxylating in the presence of a basic alkoxylation catalyst said intermediate product with an alkoxylation component comprising from about 1 to about 4 mole equivalents of alkylene oxide per mole equivalent of said polyalkylene terephthalate, said alkylene oxide consisting of from 0 to about 4 moles of ethyelen oxide and, correspondingly, from 4 moles to about 0 moles of propylene oxide with the temperature not exceeding about 200° C.; said polyoxyalkylene polyol component having been prepared by reacting an initiator having a functionality of about 3 to about 6 with an alkylene oxide component consisting of from 100 to about 80 wt. % of propylene oxide and 0 to about 20 wt. % of ethylene oxide.

Claim 24

A method as in claim 19 wherein the polyalkylene terephthalate is a polyethylene terephthalate, wherein the low molecular weight polyol is diethylene glycol and wherein the polyethylene terephthalate is reacted with about 0.5 to 2 moles of diethylene glycol per mole of polyethylene terephthalate at a temperature of about 180° to about 250° C. for about 5 to 30 hours to provide the digested polyol.

Claim 25

A method as in claim 20 wherein the low molecular weight polyhydroxy compound is alpha methyl glucoside and wherein the digested product is reacted with from about 0.01 to about 0.7 moles of alpha methyl glucoside, per mole of polyethylene terephthalate used in making the digested product, at a temperature of about 120° to about 200° C. for about 1 to 4 hours to provide the intermediate product.

Claim 26

A method as in claim 21 wherein the alkylene oxide component reacted with the intermediate product consists of about 0.5 mole equivalent of propylene oxide and about 1.5 mole equivalents of ethylene oxide per mole equivalent of polyethylene terephthalate and wherein the alkoxylation is conducted under basic conditions at a temperature of about 150° to about 200° C.

Claim 27

A method as in claim 21 wherein the alkylene oxide component reacted with the intermediate product consists of about 2 mole equivalents of ethylene oxide per mole equivalent of said polyethylene terephthalate and wherein the alkoxylation is conducted under basic conditions at a temperature of about 150° to about 200° C.

Claim 28

A method as in claim 21 wherein the alkylene oxide component reacted with the intermediate product consists of about 2 mole equivalents of propylene oxide per mole equivalent of said polyethylene terephthalate and wherein the alkoxylation is conducted under basic conditions at a temperature of about 150° to about 200° C.

Claim 29

A rigid polyisocyanurate foam composition prepared by reacting an excess of an aromatic polyisocyanate with a polyol component in the presence of a catalyst, a blowing agent and a surfactant: said polyol component being composed of from about 10% to about 50% fluorocarbon solubilizer and, correspondingly, from about 90% to about 50% of an etherified modified aromatic polyol having been prepared by: digesting a polyalkylene terephthalate with a low molecular weight polyol selected from a group consisting essentially of ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, butylene glycol, diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, dipropylene glycol, glycerol, and trimethol propane with the ratio of about 0.5 to about 1 mole equivalents of polyalkylene terephthalate to about 1 to about 0.5 moles of low molecular weight polyol at a temperature of about 180° to about 250° C. to provide a digested polyol; reacting said digested polyol with about 0.01 to about 0.7 moles of an additional low molecular weight polyol containing from about 3 to about 8 hydroxyl groups and a molecular weight from about 90 to about 350 per mole equivalent of polyalkylene terephthalate at a temperature of about 120° to about 200° C. from about 1 to about 4 hours to form an intermediate product; and alkoxylating in the presence of a basic alkoxylation catalyst said intermediate product with an alkoxylation component comprising from about 1 to about 4 mole equivalents of alkylene oxide per mole equivalent of said polyalkylene terephthalate, said alkylene oxide consisting of from 0 to about 4 moles of ethylene oxide and, correspondingly, from 4 moles to about 0 moles of propylene oxide with the temperature not exceeding about 200° C.

Claim 30

A rigid polyisocyanurate foam composition prepared by reacting an excess of an aromatic polyisocyanate with a polyol component in the presence of a catalyst, a blowing agent and a surfactant: said polyol component being composed of from about 10% to about 50% fluorocarbon solubilizer and, correspondingly, from about 90% to about 50% of an etherified modified aromatic polyol having been prepared by: digesting a polyalkylene terephthalate with a low molecular weight polyol selected from a group consisting essentially of ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, butylene glycol, diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, dipropylene glycol, glycerol, and trimethol propane with the ratio of about 0.5 to about 1 mole equivalents of polyalkylene terephthalate to about 1 to about 0.5 moles of low molecular weight polyol at a temperature of about 180° to about 250° C. to provide a digested polyol; reacting said digested polyol with about 0.01 to about 0.7 moles of an additional low molecular weight polyol containing from about 3 to about 8 hydroxyl groups and a molecular weight from about 90 to about 350 per mole equivalent of polyalkylene terephthalate at a temperature of about 120° to about 200° C. from about 1 to about 4 hours to form an intermediate product; and alkoxylating in the presence of a basic alkoxylation catalyst said intermediate product with an alkoxylation component comprising from about 1 to about 4 mole equivalents of alkylene oxide per mole equivalent of said polyalkylene terephthalate, said alkylene oxide consisting of from 0 to about 4 moles of ethylene oxide and, correspondingly, from 4 moles to about 0 moles of propylene oxide with the temperature not exceeding about 200° C.

Claim 31

A rigid polyisocyanurate foam composition prepared as in claim 25 wherein said fluorocarbon solubilizer is an alkoxylated alkylphenol.

Claim 32

A rigid polyisocyanurate foam composition prepared as in claim 25 wherein said fluorocarbon solubilizer is an alkoxylated amine.