Foaming compositions

Abstract

Use as foaming agents having a low environmental impact of azeotropic or near azeotropic compositions using difluoromethoxy-bis(difluoromethyl ether) and/or 1-difluroromethoxy-1,1,2,2-tetrafluoroethyl difluoromethyl ether.

1 . A process for foaming polyurethanes comprising: adding to compositions used to make solid polymers azeotropic or near azeotropic foaming agents compositions as substitutes for CFC 11 to give a homogeneous foam having density of about 30 Kg/cm 3 , said foaming agent compositions based on di-fluoromethoxy-bis(difluoromethyl ether) and/or 1-difluoro-methoxy-1,1,2,2-tetrafluoroethyl difluoromethyl ether, said foaming agent compositions essentially selected from the group consisting of:  
       
         
           
                 
                 
               
                     
                     
                 
                     
                     
                 
                     
                   Composition % 
                 
                     
                   by weight 
                 
                     
                     
                 
                     
                 
                 
                 
                 
                 
               
                     
                   IV) 
                   difluoromethoxy 
                    1-99 
                 
                     
                     
                   bis(difluoromethyl ether) 
                 
                     
                     
                   (HCF 2 OCF 2 OCF 2 H); 
                 
                     
                     
                   1,1,1,3,3-pentafluorobutane 
                   99-1  
                 
                     
                     
                   (CF 3 CH 2 CF 2 CH 3 , HFC 365mfc) 
                 
                     
                   V) 
                   difluoromethoxy 
                    1-40 
                 
                     
                     
                   bis(difluoromethyl ether) 
                 
                     
                     
                   (HCF 2 OCF 2 OCF 2 H); 
                 
                     
                     
                   1,1,1,4,4,4-hexafluorobutane 
                   99-60 
                 
                     
                     
                   (CF 3 CH 2 CH 2 CF 3 , HFC 365ffa) 
                 
                     
                     
                 
                     
                     
                 
             
                
                
                
                
                
               
               
                
               
            
             
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
               
            
           
         
       
       wherein the difluoromethoxy-bis(difluoromethyl ether) part contains up to 40% by weight of 1-difluoromethoxy-1,1,2,2-tetrafluoroethyldifluoromethyl ether.  
     
     
         2 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein said foaming agent compositions are selected from the group consisting of:  
       
         
           
                 
                 
               
                     
                     
                 
                     
                     
                 
                     
                   composition % 
                 
                     
                   by weight 
                 
                     
                     
                 
                     
                 
                 
                 
                 
                 
               
                     
                   IV) 
                   difluoromethoxy 
                   10-98 
                 
                     
                     
                   bis(difluoromethyl ether) 
                 
                     
                     
                   (HCF 2 OCF 2 OCF 2 H); 
                 
                     
                     
                   1,1,1,3,3-pentafluorobutane 
                   90-2  
                 
                     
                     
                   (CF 3 CH 2 CF 2 CH 3 , HFC 365 mfc) 
                 
                     
                   V) 
                   difluoromethoxy 
                   10-40 
                 
                     
                     
                   bis(difluoromethyl ether) 
                 
                     
                     
                   (HCF 2 OCF 2 OCF 2 H); 
                 
                     
                     
                   1,1,1,4,4,4-hexafluorobutane 
                   90-60 
                 
                     
                     
                   (CF 3 CH 2 CH 2 CF 3 , HCF 356 ffa). 
                 
                     
                     
                 
                     
                     
                 
             
                
                
                
                
                
               
               
                
               
            
             
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
               
            
           
         
       
     
     
         3 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein said foaming agent compositions are selected from the group consisting of:  
       
         
           
                 
                 
               
                     
                     
                 
                     
                     
                 
                     
                   composition % 
                 
                     
                   by weight 
                 
                     
                     
                 
                     
                 
                 
                 
                 
                 
               
                     
                   D) 
                   difluoromethoxy 
                   60% by wt. 
                 
                     
                     
                   bis(difluoromethyl ether) 
                 
                     
                     
                   (HCF 2 OCF 2 OCF 2 H); 
                 
                     
                     
                   1,1,1,3,3-pentafluorobutane 
                   40% by wt. 
                 
                     
                     
                   (CF 3 CH 2 CF 2 CH 3 , HFC 365 mfc) 
                 
                     
                   E) 
                   difluoromethoxy 
                   20% by wt. 
                 
                     
                     
                   bis(difluoromethyl ether) 
                 
                     
                     
                   (HCF 2 OCF 2 OCF 2 H); 
                 
                     
                     
                   1,1,1,4,4,4-hexafluorobutane 
                   80% by wt. 
                 
                     
                     
                   (CF 3 CH 2 CH 2 CF 3 , HCF 356 ffa). 
                 
                     
                     
                 
                     
                     
                 
             
                
                
                
                
                
               
               
                
               
            
             
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
               
            
           
         
       
     
     
         4 . The process according to  claim 1 , wherein said compositions are added in amounts in the range 1-15% by weight on the total preparation.  
     
     
         5 . The process according to  claim 1 , wherein said compositions are used in combination with H 2 O and/or CO 2 .  
     
     
         6 . The process according to  claim 5 , wherein the water amount is in the range 0.5-7 parts by weight on one or hundred parts of polyol.  
     
     
         7 . The process according to  claim 5 , wherein the CO 2  amount is in the rage 0.6-10 parts by weight on one hundred parts of polyol.  
     
     
         8 . The process according to  claim 5 , wherein stabilizers for radicalic decomposition reactions are added, the concentration of which is in the range 0.1-5% by weight with respect to the foaming agent.  
     
     
         9 . Polyurethane polymer foaming compositions comprising, as blowing agent substitutes of CFC-11 to give a homogeneous foam having density of about 30 Kg/cm 3 , foaming agent azeotropic or near azeotropic compositions selected from the group consisting of:  
       
         
           
                 
                 
                 
                 
               
                     
                     
                 
                     
                     
                 
                     
                     
                     
                   composition % 
                 
                     
                     
                     
                   by weight 
                 
                     
                     
                 
                     
                   IV) 
                   difluoromethoxy 
                   1-99 
                 
                     
                     
                   bis(difluoromethyl ether) 
                 
                     
                     
                   (HCF 2 OCF 2 OCF 2 H); 
                 
                     
                     
                   1,1,1,3,3-pentafluorobutane 
                   99-1  
                 
                     
                     
                   (CF 3 CH 2 CF 2 CH 3 , HFC 365 mfc) 
                 
                     
                   V) 
                   difluoromethoxy 
                   1-40 
                 
                     
                     
                   bis(difluoromethyl ether) 
                 
                     
                     
                   (HCF 2 OCF 2 OCF 2 H); 
                 
                     
                     
                   1,1,1,4,4,4-hexafluorobutane 
                   99-60  
                 
                     
                     
                   (CF 3 CH 2 CH 2 CF 3 , HCF 356 ffa). 
                 
                     
                     
                 
                     
                     
                 
             
                
                
                
                
                
               
               
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
               
            
           
         
       
       wherein the diflouromethoxy-bis (difluoromethyl ether) parts contains up to 40% by weight of 1-difluoromethoxy-1,1,2,2-tetrafluoroethyldifluoromethyl ether.  
     
     
         10 . Polyurethane polymer foaming compositions according to  claim 9  comprising foaming agent selected from the group consisting of:  
       
         
           
                 
                 
                 
                 
               
                     
                     
                 
                     
                     
                 
                     
                     
                     
                   composition % 
                 
                     
                     
                     
                   by weight 
                 
                     
                     
                 
                     
                   D) 
                   difluoromethoxy 
                   60% by wt. 
                 
                     
                     
                   bis(difluoromethyl ether) 
                 
                     
                     
                   (HCF 2 OCF 2 OCF 2 H); 
                 
                     
                     
                   1,1,1,3,3-pentafluorobutane 
                   40% by wt. 
                 
                     
                     
                   (CF 3 CH 2 CF 2 CH 3 , HFC 365 mfc) 
                 
                     
                   E) 
                   difluoromethoxy 
                   20% by wt. 
                 
                     
                     
                   bis(difluoromethyl ether) 
                 
                     
                     
                   (HCF 2 OCF 2 OCF 2 H); 
                 
                     
                     
                   1,1,1,4,4,4-hexafluorobutane 
                   80% by wt. 
                 
                     
                     
                   (CF 3 CH 2 CH 2 CF 3 , HCF 356 ffa).