Rigid foam applications

Flexible plastic foams may be found in the form of very soft cushioning materials used in upholstery, clothing interlayers, automobile seats, vibration absorbers, etc. The most common flexible foam resins are polyurethanes, foamed vinyls, cellular polyethylene, cross-linked polyethylene, and silicone foam. Semirigid foams are used for floatation devices, marine bumpers, special electrical insulation on television cables, packaging, and a host of other applications. Rigid foams are used in the production of airplane parts, boats, electronic encapsulation, and many furniture applications where wood was formerly used. 

Flexible foams are used in mattresses, cushions, and safety applications. Rigid and semiflexible foams are used in structural applications and to encapsulate sensitive components to protect them against shock, vibration, and moisture. Foam coatings are tough, hard, flexible, and chemically resistant. 

The mechanical properties of rigid foams vary considerably from those of flexible foams. The tests used to characterize these two classes of foams are, therefore, quite different, and the properties of interest from an application standpoint are also quite different. In this discussion the ASTM definition of rigid and flexible foams given earlier is used. 

The market is dominated by flexible foam applications (43% in the United States) and rigid and semi-rigid foam (29%). Cast elastomers (4%) and RIM elastomers (3%) have only specialised outlets. The remaining sizeable 21% of the market cover such diverse uses as thermoplastic rubbers, surface coatings, adhesives, sealants and synthetic leathers. 

Dichlorofluoro-ethane (CCI2FCH5) The leading substitute blowing agent for CFC-11 in rigid foam insulation applications such as construction (commercial, residential, and public), appliances, and transport vehicles. 

Chlorotetrafluoro-ethane (CHCIFCF5) A potential medium pressure refrigerant for chiller applications. It is designed to replace CFC-12 as a diluent in sterilizing gas. A potential replacement for CFC-11 and-12 in rigid foam insulation applications. 

Semi-rigid foams take much longer to return to their original dimensions after deformation than flexible foams. They offer exceptional shock absorbance, which suits them for many protective applications, especially in automobiles. In general, we use polyester diols in semirigid foams because of their superior mechanical properties. 

The European Parliament has adopted phase-out dates for the use of HCFCs in rigid foam applications which are basically in line with those in the USA and Japan. From 1 January 2000, the use of HCFCs for integral skin PU and PE foams is prohibited. From 1 January 2002, the use of HCFCs in expanded PS foams is prohibited. From 1 January 2003, the use of HCFCs in flexible-faced PU foam laminates, appliances and sandwich panels is prohibited. EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT... 

This rigid foam with closed cells was developed by the Rohm Company of the Hills group to be used as the core in lightweight structural sandwich composites particularly used in transport applications. 

Isosorbide polyurethanes, especially those based on aliphatic isocyanates, may be useful in the same applications as conventional polyurethanes i.e. thermoplastics, coatings, and foams. In fact, excellent rigid foams have been obtained from P(I-MDI)(5). Isosorbide has a low melting point of 61°C and it is suitable for use in reactive injection molding processes alone or in the form of a mixture with other conventional diols. In addition, its polymers may also find specific applications due to the anticipated high complexation ability of the two tetrahydrofuran rings in their isosorbide units. 

Las Vegas, Nv., 20th-23rd Oct. 1996, p. 179-89. 43C6 LOW DENSITY ALL WATER-BLOWN RIGID FOAM FOR POUR-IN-PLACE APPLICATIONS Kaplan W A Neill P L Staudte L C Brink C J Stepan Co. 

We have already been introduced to polyurethane chemistry in Chapter 10, Section 2, where we used toluene diisocyanate (TDI) reacting with a diol to give a polyurethane. Polyurethanes derived from MDI are more rigid than those from TDI. New applications for these rigid foams are in home insulation and exterior autobody parts. The intermediate MDA is now on the Reasonably Anticipated to Be Human Carcinogens list and the effect of this action on the market for MDI remains to be seen. The TLV-TWA values for MDA and MDI are some of the lowest of the chemicals we have discussed, being 0.1 and 0.005 ppm respectively. 

Isocyanates that are produced fi om aliphatic amines are utilized in a limited range of polyurethane products, mainly in weatherable coatings and specialty applications where the yellowing and photodegradation of the aromatic polyurethanes are undesirable [5]. The aliphatic isocyanates are not used more widely in the industry due to the remarkably slow reaction kinetics of aliphatic isocyanates compared to their aromatic counterparts [6]. Due to the slow reactivity of aliphatic isocyanates, it is not practical to use them in the preparation of flexible or rigid foams, which are the main commercial applications for polyurethane chemistry. 

For an adhesive bond, the peel strength (normal to the bonded surface) or the shear strength (in the plane of the bonded surface) may be measured. For other applications, the stress supportable in compression before yielding may be the most important parameter, as in a rigid foam, for example. 

One of the great benefits of polyurethane is versatility. With only slight changes in chemistry, one can make products ranging from soft furniture cushions to automobile bumpers and infinite numbers of other products. Depending on the application, a polyurethane chemist can vary density and stiffness to achieve acceptable product performance. The chemistry is in fact much more versatile than is required. Figure 2.19 covers soft foams, rigid foams, and other polyurethanes. We will provide more details later in this chapter, particularly as to how the independent properties of density and stiffness relate to end uses. 

Rigid foams are used for structural and insulation uses while the flexible materials are used for a vast variety of applications as seen in Figure 2.20. The versatility of polyurethane positions the product as unique in fire polymer world because of the breadth of applications. As we will show, small changes in chemistry can achieve a broad range of physical properties. This statement emphasizes the physical properties and serves as a testament, however, to the lack of chemical interest. It is supported by a description of the independent variables of density and stiffness and the range of products based on the primary attributes of polyurethanes. See Figure 2.21. 

It is impossible to list representative properties for the Reaction-Injection-Molded polyurethane structural foams, because their properties can be varied over a wide range depending on the specific application. The foams can be very tough, resilient, blown elastomers or highly rigid structural foams. Furthermore, very recent develop-... 

The bulk of the ngid polyurethane and polyisocyanurate foam is used in insulation. See also Insulation (Thermal) More than half (60%) of the rigid foam consumed in 1994 was in the form of board or laminate die remainder was used in pour-in-place and spray foam applications. 

Rigid foams are based primarily on polyfunctional, low molecular weight alcohols and amines. Most global applications conventionally use polymeric isocyanates, TDI, or an undistilled grade of mixed TDI isomers. TDI prepolymers which have hydroxyl and isocyanate groups have been marketed as a low vapor pressure alternative to undistilled TDI. Density reduction is effected via the addition of chlorofluorocarbons, low molecular weight alkanes, or via the in situ generation of carbon dioxide. The resultant closed cell foams find applications as insulators in construction, appliance, transportation, pipeline, and tank end uses. 

Foamed plastics can be classified in different ways, for instance by their nature (flexible vs. rigid), chemical composition of the matrix, density, cell size, cell structure (open-celled vs. closed-celled), processing method, and dimensions. It is the aimed combination of these properties that determines the final application of the cellular polymer. As an example, open-celled ultra-low density foams are highly desirable for acoustical insulation, while rigid foams with closed-cells and elevated densities are preferred as load-carrying core materials in composite materials. 

Polymers Unsaturated fatty-acid chains offer opportunities for polymerisation that can be exploited to develop uses in surface coatings and plastics manufacturing. Polyunsaturated fatty acids can be dimerised to produce feedstocks for polyamide resin (nylon) production. Work is also ongoing to develop polyurethanes from vegetable oils through manipulation of functionality in the fatty-acid chains, to produce both rigid foams and elastomers with applications in seals, adhesives and moulded flexible parts (see Chapter 5 for more information). 

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