Azeotrope-like compositions containing hexafluoropropylene dimer and use thereof

Abstract

Azeotrope-like compositions comprising hexafluoropropylene dimer and a hydrocarbon or a hydrofluorocarbon, and uses thereof, are described.

1 . A process for preparing polymeric foam comprising vaporizing an azeotrope-like composition in the presence of at least one foamable polymer or the precursors of at least one foamable polymer, said azeotrope-like composition comprising: 
 (a) hexafluoropropylene dimer; and    (b) a hydrocarbon or a hydrofluorocarbon;    wherein said composition is selected from the group consisting of: 
 (i) compositions consisting essentially of about 2 to about 99 weight percent hexafluoropropylene dimer and about 1 to about 98 weight percent cyclopentane that boil below about 47° C. at about 760 torr;  
 (ii) compositions consisting essentially of about 1 to about 90 weight percent hexafluoropropylene dimer and about 10 to about 99 weight percent isopentane that boil below about 27.5° C. at about 760 torr; and  
 (iii) compositions consisting essentially of about 1 to about 90 weight percent hexafluoropropylene dimer and about 10 to about 99 weight percent 1,1,1,3,3-pentafluorobutane that boil below about 40° C. at about 760 torr.  
   
   
   
       2 . The process of  claim 1  wherein said azeotrope-like composition is selected from the group consisting of: 
 (i) compositions consisting essentially of about 5 to about 98 weight percent hexafluoropropylene dimer and about 2 to about 95 weight percent cyclopentane that boil below about 44° C. at about 760 torr;    (ii) compositions consisting essentially of about 5 to about 88 weight percent hexafluoropropylene dimer and about 12 to about 95 weight percent isopentane that boil below about 27° C. at about 760 torr; and    (iii) compositions consisting essentially of about 5 to about 87 weight percent hexafluoropropylene dimer and about 95 to about 13 weight percent 1,1,1,3,3-pentafluorobutane that boil below about 39° C. at about 760 torr.    
   
   
       3 . The process of  claim 1  wherein said azeotrope-like composition is selected from the group consisting of: 
 (i) compositions consisting essentially of about 12 to about 96 weight percent hexafluoropropylene dimer and about 4 to about 88 weight percent cyclopentane that boil below about 40° C. at about 760 torr;    (ii) compositions consisting essentially of about 11 to about 85 weight percent hexafluoropropylene dimer and about 15 to about 89 weight percent isopentane that boil below about 26° C. at about 760 torr; and    (iii) compositions consisting essentially of about 10 to about 84 weight percent hexafluoropropylene dimer and about 16 to about 90 weight percent 1,1,1,3,3-pentafluorobutane that boil below about 38° C. at about 760 torr.    
   
   
       4 . The process of  claim 1  wherein said azeotrope-like composition is selected from the group consisting of: 
 (i) compositions consisting essentially of about 77.4 weight percent hexafluoropropylene dimer and about 22.6 weight percent cyclopentane that boil at about 32° C. at about 729 torr;    (ii) compositions consisting essentially of about 67.5 weight percent hexafluoropropylene dimer and about 32.5 weight percent n-pentane that boil at about 27° C. at about 731 torr;    (iii) compositions consisting essentially of about 58.6 weight percent hexafluoropropylene dimer and about 41.4 weight percent isopentane that boil at about 22° C. at about 735 torr; and    (iv) compositions consisting essentially of about 54.4 weight percent hexafluoropropylene dimer and about 45.6 weight percent 1,1,1,3,3-pentafluorobutane that boil at about 34° C. at about 730 torr.    
   
   
       5 . A process according to  claim 1  wherein said precursors of said foamable polymer comprise one or more polyols and one or more polyisocyanates.  
   
   
       6 . A process according to  claim 1  wherein said precursors of said foamable polymer comprise one or more phenols and one or more aldehydes.  
   
   
       7 . A process according to  claim 5  wherein a surfactant is added to said mixture.  
   
   
       8 . A process according to  claim 5  further comprising adding the azeotrope-like composition to a polyol to form a first mixture and blending said first mixture with an isocyanate.  
   
   
       9 . A process according to  claim 5  further comprising adding the azeotrope-like composition to an isocyanate to form a first mixture and blending said first mixture with a polyol.  
   
   
       10 . A process according to  claim 5  further comprising adding hexafluoropropylene dimer to a polyol to form a pre-mixture, adding a hydrocarbon or a hydrofluorocarbon as provided in  claim 1  to said pre-mixture, and blending the resulting mixture with an isocyanate.  
   
   
       11 . A process according to  claim 5  further comprising adding hexafluoropropylene dimer to an isocyanate to form a pre-mixture, adding a hydrocarbon or a hydrofluorocarbon as provided in  claim 1  to said pre-mixture, and blending the resulting mixture with a polyol.  
   
   
       12 . A process according to  claim 5  further comprising adding hexafluoropropylene dimer to a polyol to form a first pre-mixture, adding a hydrocarbon or hydrofluorocarbon as provided in  claim 1  to an isocyanate to form a second pre-mixture and blending said first pre-mixture with said second pre-mixture.  
   
   
       13 . A process according to  claim 5  further comprising adding hexafluoropropylene dimer to an isocyanate to form a first pre-mixture, adding a hydrocarbon or hydrofluorocarbon as provided in  claim 1  to a polyol to form a second pre-mixture and blending said first pre-mixture with said second pre-mixture.  
   
   
       14 . A process according to  claim 6  further comprising adding a surfactant to said mixture.  
   
   
       15 . A process according to  claim 6  further comprising adding the azeotrope-like composition to a phenol to form a first mixture and blending said first mixture with an aldehyde.  
   
   
       16 . A process according to  claim 6  further comprising adding the azeotrope-like composition to an aldehyde to form a first mixture and blending said first mixture with a phenol.  
   
   
       17 . A process according to  claim 6  further comprising adding hexafluoropropylene dimer to a phenol to form a pre-mixture, adding a hydrocarbon or a hydrofluorocarbon as provided in  claim 1  to said pre-mixture, and blending the resulting mixture with an aldehyde.  
   
   
       18 . A process according to  claim 6  further comprising adding hexafluoropropylene dimer to an aldehyde to form a pre-mixture, adding a hydrocarbon or a hydrofluorocarbon as provided in  claim 1  to said pre-mixture, and blending the resulting mixture with a phenol.  
   
   
       19 . A process according to  claim 6  further comprising adding hexafluoropropylene dimer to a phenol to form a first pre-mixture, adding a hydrocarbon or hydrofluorocarbon as provided in  claim 1  to an aldehyde to form a second pre-mixture and blending said first pre-mixture with said second pre-mixture.  
   
   
       20 . A process according to  claim 6  further comprising adding hexafluoropropylene dimer to an aldehyde to form a first pre-mixture, adding a hydrocarbon or hydrofluorocarbon as provided in  claim 1  to a phenol to form a second pre-mixture and blending said first pre-mixture with said second pre-mixture.  
   
   
       21 . A process according to  claim 1  further comprising forming the azeotrope-like composition as a solution prior to vaporizing said azeotrope-like composition in the presence said foamable polymer or said precursors of at least one foamable polymer.  
   
   
       22 . A process according to  claim 5  wherein a catalyst is added to said mixture.  
   
   
       23 . A process according to  claim 6  wherein a catalyst is added to said mixture.  
   
   
       24 . A polymeric foam prepared by the process of  claim 1 .  
   
   
       25 . An article comprising the foam of  claim 24.