Isocyanate-based foam having improved anti-yellowing properties and process for production thereof

Abstract

There is described an isocyanate-based polymer foam having improved anti-yellowing properties. The foam produced from a formulation comprising an isocyanate, a blowing agent, a first active hydrogen-containing compound and a second active hydrogen-containing compound different than the first active hydrogen-containing compound. The second active hydrogen-containing compound comprises an active hydrogen-containing phosphite compound. A process for producing such a foam is also described.

1 . An isocyanate-based polymer foam produced from a formulation comprising an isocyanate, a blowing agent, a first active hydrogen-containing compound and a second active hydrogen-containing compound different than the first active hydrogen-containing compound, the second active hydrogen-containing compound consisting essentially of an anti-yellowing amount of an active hydrogen-containing phosphite compound.  
     
     
         2 . The foam defined in  claim 1 , wherein the second active hydrogen-containing compound is reactive with at least one other component of the formulation.  
     
     
         3 . The foam defined in  claim 1 , wherein active hydrogen-containing phosphite compound comprises one or more of the following moieties: hydroxyl, amino, carboxy, thiol and amido.  
     
     
         4 . The foam defined in  claim 1 , wherein the active hydrogen-containing phosphite compound comprises one more hydroxyl groups.  
     
     
         5 . The foam defined in  claim 1 , wherein the active hydrogen-containing phosphite compound has the following formula  
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         wherein:  
         R 1 , R 2  and R 3  may be the same or different and each is selected from the group comprising a C 1 -C 40  aliphatic group optionally containing one or more heteroatoms, C 5 -C 40  aromatic group optionally containing one or more heteroatoms and a C 5 -C 50  araliphatic group optionally containing one or more heteroatoms;  
         X 1 , X 2  and X 3  may be the same or different and each is selected from the group comprising hydroxyl, amino, carboxy, thiol and amido; and  
         n is an integer in the range of from 1 to 10.  
       
     
     
         6 . The foam defined in  claim 1 , wherein R 1 , R 2  and R 3  are the same.  
     
     
         7 . The foam defined in  claim 1 , wherein R 1 , R 2  and R 3  are different.  
     
     
         8 . The foam defined in  claim 1 , wherein X 1 , X 2  and X 3  are the same.  
     
     
         9 . The foam defined in  claim 1 , wherein X 1 , X 2  and X 3  are different.  
     
     
         10 . The foam defined in  claim 1 , wherein: R 1 , R 2  and R 3  are the same, and X 1 , X 2  and X 3  are the same.  
     
     
         11 . The foam defined in  claim 1 , wherein the second active hydrogen-containing compound comprises tris(dipropyleneglycol)phosphite.  
     
     
         12 . The foam defined in  claim 1 , wherein the second active hydrogen-containing compound is present in the formulation in an amount in the range from of about 0.5 to about 3.0 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of the first active hydrogen-containing compound.  
     
     
         13 . The foam defined in  claim 1 , wherein the first active hydrogen-containing compound comprises a polyol.  
     
     
         14 . The foam defined in  claim 1 , wherein the isocyanate is selected from the group comprising 2,4-toluene diisocyanate, 2,6-toluene diisocyanate and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         15 . The foam defined in  claim 1 , wherein the isocyanate is selected from the group consisting essentially of (i) 2,4′-diphenylmethane diisocyanate, 4,4′-diphenylmethane diisocyanate and mixtures thereof, and (ii) mixtures of (i) with an isocyanate selected from the group comprising 2,4-toluene diisocyanate, 2,6-toluene diisocyanate and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         16 . The foam defined in  claim 1 , wherein the blowing agent comprises water.  
     
     
         17 . The foam defined in  claim 16 , wherein the water is used in an amount in the range of from about 1.0 to about 10 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of active hydrogen-containing compound used in the reaction mixture.  
     
     
         18 . A process for producing a foamed isocyanate-based polymer comprising the steps of: 
 contacting an isocyanate, a blowing agent, a first active hydrogen-containing compound and a second active hydrogen-containing compound different than the first active hydrogen-containing compound and a blowing agent to form a reaction mixture; and    expanding the reaction mixture to produce the foamed isocyanate-based polymer;    wherein the second active hydrogen-containing compound consists essentially of an anti-yellowing amount of an active hydrogen-containing phosphite compound.    
     
     
         19 . The process defined in  claim 18 , wherein the second active hydrogen-containing compound is reactive with at least one other component of the formulation.  
     
     
         20 . The process defined in  claim 18 , wherein active hydrogen-containing phosphite compound comprises one or more of the following moieties: hydroxyl, amino, carboxy, thiol and amido.  
     
     
         21 . The process defined in  claim 18 , wherein the active hydrogen-containing phosphite compound comprises one more hydroxyl groups.  
     
     
         22 . The process defined in  claim 18 , wherein the active hydrogen-containing phosphite compound has the following formula  
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         wherein:  
         R 1 , R 2  and R 3  may be the same or different and each is selected from the group comprising a C 1 -C 40  aliphatic group optionally containing one or more heteroatoms, C 5 -C 40  aromatic group optionally containing one or more heteroatoms and a C 5 -C 50  araliphatic group optionally containing one or more heteroatoms;  
         X 1 , X 2  and X 3  may be the same or different and each is selected from the group comprising hydroxyl, amino, carboxy, thiol and amido; and  
         n is an integer in the range of from 1 to 10.  
       
     
     
         23 . The process defined in  claim 18 , wherein R 1 , R 2  and R 3  are the same.  
     
     
         24 . The process defined in  claim 18 , wherein R 1 , R 2  and R 3  are different.  
     
     
         25 . The process defined in  claim 18 , wherein X 1 , X 2  and X 3  are the same.  
     
     
         26 . The process defined in  claim 18 , wherein X 1 , X 2  and X 3  are different.  
     
     
         27 . The process defined in  claim 18 , wherein: R 1 , R 2  and R 3  are the same, and X 1 , X 2  and X 3  are the same.  
     
     
         28 . The process defined in  claim 18 , wherein the second active hydrogen-containing compound comprises tris(dipropyleneglycol)phosphite.  
     
     
         29 . The process defined in  claim 18 , wherein the second active hydrogen-containing compound is present in the reaction in an amount in the range from of about 0.5 to about 3.0 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of the first active hydrogen-containing compound.  
     
     
         30 . The process defined in  claim 18 , wherein the first active hydrogen-containing compound comprises a polyol.  
     
     
         31 . The process defined in  claim 18 , wherein the isocyanate is selected from the group comprising 2,4-toluene diisocyanate, 2,6-toluene diisocyanate and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         32 . The process defined in  claim 18 , wherein the isocyanate is selected from the group consisting essentially of (i) 2,4′-diphenylmethane diisocyanate, 4,4′-diphenylmethane diisocyanate and mixtures thereof; and (ii) mixtures of (i) with an isocyanate selected from the group comprising 2,4-toluene diisocyanate, 2,6-toluene diisocyanate and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         33 . The process defined in  claim 18 , wherein the blowing agent comprises water.  
     
     
         34 . The process defined in  claim 33 , wherein the water is used in an amount in the range of from about 1.0 to about 10 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of active hydrogen-containing compound used in the reaction mixture.  
     
     
         35 . A molded isocyanate-based polymer foam produced from a formulation comprising an isocyanate, a blowing agent, a first active hydrogen-containing compound and a second active hydrogen-containing compound different than the first active hydrogen-containing compound, the second active hydrogen-containing compound consisting essentially of an anti-yellowing amount of an active hydrogen-containing phosphite compound.  
     
     
         36 . An isocyanate-based polymer foam produced from a formulation comprising an isocyanate, a blowing agent, a first active hydrogen-containing compound and a second active hydrogen-containing compound different than the first active hydrogen-containing compound, the second active hydrogen-containing compound consisting essentially of an anti-yellowing amount of an active hydrogen-containing phosphite compound, with the proviso that the active hydrogen-containing phosphite compound is not present in an amount of 2 percent by weight of the foam.  
     
     
         37 . An isocyanate-based polymer foam produced from a formulation comprising isocyanate, a blowing agent, a first active hydrogen-containing compound and a second active hydrogen-containing compound different than the first active hydrogen-containing compound, the second active hydrogen-containing compound consisting essentially of an anti-yellowing amount of an active hydrogen-containing phosphite compound, wherein, for a period of 48 hours after production, the foam has a B* value of up to about 90 percent of the B* value of a control foam produced from a control formulation identical to the formulation with the proviso that the control formulation is free of the second active hydrogen-containing compound.  
     
     
         38 . An isocyanate-based polymer foam produced from a formulation comprising isocyanate, a blowing agent, a first active hydrogen-containing compound and a second active hydrogen-containing compound different than the first active hydrogen-containing compound, the second active hydrogen-containing compound consisting essentially of an anti-yellowing amount of an active hydrogen-containing phosphite compound, wherein, for a period of 48 hours after production, the foam has a B* value of up to about 85 percent of the B* value of a control foam produced from a control formulation identical to the formulation with the proviso that the control formulation is free of the second active hydrogen-containing compound.  
     
     
         39 . An isocyanate-based polymer foam produced from a formulation comprising isocyanate, a blowing agent, a first active hydrogen-containing compound and a second active hydrogen-containing compound different than the first active hydrogen-containing compound, the second active hydrogen-containing compound consisting essentially of an anti-yellowing amount of an active hydrogen-containing phosphite compound, wherein, for a period of 48 hours after production, the foam has a B* value of up to about 80 percent of the B* value of a control foam produced from a control formulation identical to the formulation with the proviso that the control formulation is free of the second active hydrogen-containing compound.