Polyolefin foam compositions having improved dimensional stability utilizing certain unsaturated nitrogen-containing compounds and process for making same

Claim 2

A process for dimensionally stabilizing low density foamed polyolefins comprising expanding an olefin polymer under foaming conditions in the presence of a stabilizing amount of a nitrogen-containing compound selected from the group consisting of the compounds of formulas (I) and (II): ##STR8## wherein: R 1 is (a) an alkyl group having 9 to 23 carbon atoms, (b) a hydrocarbon residue of a saturated fatty acid having 9 to 23 carbon atoms, (c) a saturated acyl group having 10 to 24 carbon atoms, (d) a saturated substituent organic group containing a subgroup of the formula --(R 3 O) m -- wherein R 3 is an alkylene group having 1 to 5 carbon atoms and m is an integer from 1 to 10, (e) an unsaturated organic group having 9 to 23 carbon atoms, (f) a hydrocarbon residue of an unsaturated fatty acid having from 9 to 23 carbon atoms, (g) an unsaturated acyl group having 10 to 24 carbon atoms, or (h) an unsaturated substituent organic group containing a subgroup of the formula --(R 4 O) m -- wherein R 4 is an alkylene group having 1 to 5 carbon atoms and m is an integer from 1 to 10, R 2 is a, b, c or d when R 1 is e, f, g or h and R 2 is e, f, g or h when R 1 is a, b, c, or d; and X is a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group having 1 to 24 carbon atoms, an unsaturated organic group having from 2 to 23 carbon atoms, b, c, d, f, g, or h; ##STR9## wherein R 5 is a, b, c or d, R 6 is e, f, g or h, and Y is an hydrogen atom, an alkyl group having from 1 to 24 carbon atoms, an unsaturated organic group having from 2 to 23 carbon atoms, b, d, f or h.

Claim 3

A process for dimensionally stabilizing low density foamed polyolefins comprising expanding an olefin polymer under foaming conditions in the presence of a stabilizing amount of at least one nitrogen-containing compound of formula (I): ##STR10## wherein: R 1 is (a) an alkyl group having 9 to 23 carbon atoms, (b) a hydrocarbon residue of a saturated fatty acid having 9 to 23 carbon atoms, (c) a saturated acyl group having 10 to 24 carbon atoms, (d) a saturated substituent organic group containing a subgroup of the formula --(R 3 O) m -- wherein R 3 is an alkylene group having 1 to 5 carbon atoms and m is an integer from 1 to 10, (e) an unsaturated organic group having 9 to 23 carbon atoms, (f) a hydrocarbon residue of an unsaturated fatty acid having from 9 to 23 carbon atoms, (g) an unsaturated acyl group having 10 to 24 carbon atoms, or (h) an unsaturated substituent organic group containing a subgroup of the formula --(R 4 O) m -- wherein R 4 is an alkylene group having 1 to 5 carbon atoms and m is an integer from 1 to 10, R 2 is a, b, c or d when R 1 is e, f, g or h and R 2 is e, f, g or h when R 1 is a, b, c, or d; and X is a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group having 1 to 24 carbon atoms, an unsaturated organic group having from 2 to 23 carbon atoms, b, c, d, f, g, or h.

Claim 4

A process for dimensionally stabilizing low density foamed polyolefins comprising expanding an olefin polymer under foaming conditions in the presence of a stabilizing amount of at least one nitrogen-containing compound of formula (I): ##STR10## wherein: R 1 is (a) an alkyl group having 9 to 23 carbon atoms, (b) a hydrocarbon residue of a saturated fatty acid having 9 to 23 carbon atoms, (c) a saturated acyl group having 10 to 24 carbon atoms, (d) a saturated substituent organic group containing a subgroup of the formula --(R 3 O) m -- wherein R 3 is an alkylene group having 1 to 5 carbon atoms and m is an integer from 1 to 10, (e) an unsaturated organic group having 9 to 23 carbon atoms, (f) a hydrocarbon residue of an unsaturated fatty acid having from 9 to 23 carbon atoms, (g) an unsaturated acyl group having 10 to 24 carbon atoms, or (h) an unsaturated substituent organic group containing a subgroup of the formula --(R 4 O) m -- wherein R 4 is an alkylene group having 1 to 5 carbon atoms and m is an integer from 1 to 10, R 2 is a, b, c or d when R 1 is e, f, g or h and R 2 is e, f, g or h when R 1 is a, b, c, or d; and X is a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group having 1 to 24 carbon atoms, an unsaturated organic group having from 2 to 23 carbon atoms, b, c, d, f, g, or h.

Claim 5

A process as defined in claim 2 wherein said nitrogen-containing compound comprises N-stearyl erucamide.

Claim 6

A process as defined in claim 2 wherein said nitrogen-containing compound comprises N-oleyl palmitamide.

Claim 7

A process for preparing substantially closed-cell olefin polymer foamed articles having good dimensional stability which process comprises the steps of: (a) heat plastifying an olefin polymer resin; (b) admixing said heat plastified resin under elevated temperature and pressure with (1) a blowing agent, and (2) a dimensional stability control agent comprising at least one nirogen-containing compound of Formula I: ##STR11## wherein: R 1 is (a) an alkyl group having 9 to 23 carbon atoms, (b) a hydrocarbon residue of a saturated fatty acid having 9 to 23 carbon atoms, (c) a saturated acyl group having 10 to 24 carbon atoms, (d) a saturated substituent organic group containing a subgroup of the formula --(R 3 O) m -- wherein R 3 is an alkylene group having 1 to 5 carbon atoms and m is an integer from 1 to 10, (e) an unsaturated organic group having 9 to 23 carbon atoms, (f) a hydrocrbon residue of an unsaturated fatty acid having from 9 to 23 carbon atoms, (g) an unsaturated acyl group having 10 to 24 carbon atoms, or (h) an unsaturated substituent organic group containing a subgroup of the formula --(R 4 O) m -- wherein R 4 is an alkylene group having 1 to 5 carbon atoms and m is an integer from 1 to 10, R 2 is a, b, c or d when R 1 is e, f, g or h and R 2 is e, f, g or h when R 1 is a, b, c, or d; and X is a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group having 1 to 24 carbon atoms, an unsaturated organic group having from 2 to 23 carbon atoms, b, c, d, f, g, or h; and (c) extruding the resultant mixture into a zone of lower temperature and pressure to thereby form said dimensionally stabilized olefin polymer foam.

Claim 8

A process for preparing substantially closed-cell olefin polymer foamed articles having good dimensional stability which process comprises the steps of: (a) heat plastifying an olefin polymer resin; (b) admixing said heat plastified resin under elevated temperature and pressure with (1) a blowing agent, and (2) a dimensional stability control agent comprising at least one nirogen-containing compound of Formula I: ##STR11## wherein: R 1 is (a) an alkyl group having 9 to 23 carbon atoms, (b) a hydrocarbon residue of a saturated fatty acid having 9 to 23 carbon atoms, (c) a saturated acyl group having 10 to 24 carbon atoms, (d) a saturated substituent organic group containing a subgroup of the formula --(R 3 O) m -- wherein R 3 is an alkylene group having 1 to 5 carbon atoms and m is an integer from 1 to 10, (e) an unsaturated organic group having 9 to 23 carbon atoms, (f) a hydrocrbon residue of an unsaturated fatty acid having from 9 to 23 carbon atoms, (g) an unsaturated acyl group having 10 to 24 carbon atoms, or (h) an unsaturated substituent organic group containing a subgroup of the formula --(R 4 O) m -- wherein R 4 is an alkylene group having 1 to 5 carbon atoms and m is an integer from 1 to 10, R 2 is a, b, c or d when R 1 is e, f, g or h and R 2 is e, f, g or h when R 1 is a, b, c, or d; and X is a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group having 1 to 24 carbon atoms, an unsaturated organic group having from 2 to 23 carbon atoms, b, c, d, f, g, or h; and (c) extruding the resultant mixture into a zone of lower temperature and pressure to thereby form said dimensionally stabilized olefin polymer foam.

Claim 9

A process as defined in claim 5 wherein said dimensional stability control agent is employed in an amount of from about 0.1 to about 10 weight percent based upon the weight of said olefin polymer resin.

Claim 10

A process as defined in claim 5 wherein said dimensional stability control agent is employed in an amount of from about 0.2 to about 5.0 weight percent relative to said resin.

Claim 11

A process as defined in claim 5 wherein said polymer foam of step (c) is a flexible foam having a foam density of from about 0.6 to about 15 pounds per cubic foot.

Claim 12

A process as defined in claim 5 wherein said polymer foam of step (c) is a flexible foam having a foam density of from about 1.0 to about 6.0 pounds per cubic foot.

Claim 13

A process as defined in claim 5 wherein said blowing agent comprises a halogenated hydrocarbon having from 1 to 4 carbon atoms or mixtures thereof.

Claim 14

A process as defined in claim 5 wherein said blowing agent comprises dichlorodifluoromethane (FC-12).

Claim 15

A process as defined in claim 5 wherein said blowing agent comprises 1,2-dichlorotetrafluoroethane (FC-114).

Claim 16

A process as defined in claim 5 wherein said olefin polymer resin of step (a) comprises a homopolymer of ethylene, a copolymer thereof with up to about 50 weight percent of vinyl acetate, propylene, butene-1, butadiene, vinyl chloride, methyl methacrylate or acrylonitrile or a substantially non-neutralized copolymer of ethylene with up to about 50 weight percent of acrylic acid.

Claim 17

A process as defined in claim 5 wherein the olefin polymer resin of step (a) is polyethylene.

Claim 18

A process as defined in claim 5 wherein the olefin polymer resin of step (a) is low density polyethylene.

Claim 19

A process as claimed in claim 5 wherein the olefin polymer resin of step (a) is a copolymer of ethylene and vinyl acetate.

Claim 20

A process as defined in claim 5 wherein said blowing agent is dichlorodifluoromethane, 1,2-dichlorotetrafluoroethane, 1-chloro-1,1-difluoroethane, trichlorofluoromethane, n-butane, isobutane, n-pentane, isopentane, neopentane, ethyl chloride or mixtures thereof.

Claim 21

A process as defined in claim 5 wherein said blowing agent comprises isobutane.

Claim 22

A process as defined in claim 5 wherein X is hydrogen.

Claim 23

A process as defined in claim 5 wherein X is an alkyl group having from 1 to 24 carbon atoms.

Claim 24

A process as defined in claim 2 wherein X is hydrogen.