This invention relates to a method of preparing a microcellular polyurethane elastomer by reacting naphthalene diisocyanate with a polyol to prepare a prepolymer containing an isocyanate (NCO) group, followed by mixing the prepared polyurethane prepolymer with a plasticizer, water, an emulsifier and the like, and then foaming the prepolymer blend to prepare a polyurethane elastomer, wherein the emulsifier is a mixture of (a) a compound selected from the group consisting of 2,4-toluene diisocyanate, 2,6-toluene diisocyanate, 2,4-diphenylmethane diisocyanate, 4,4′-diphenylmethane diisocyanate, hexamethylene diisocyanate, 1,4′-cyclohexane diisocyanate and mixtures thereof, and (b) a C.sub.2-10 hydrocarbon having a molecular weight of 500 or less with two to four hydroxyl groups, or mixtures thereof. The method of the invention can optimize the viscosity and properties of the prepolymer resulting from the reaction of naphthalene diisocyanate with a polyol, thus improving processability.

A polyurethane elastomer, e.g., for use in polyurethane mats, includes the reaction product of an isocyanate component that includes at least one isocyanate and an isocyanate-reactive component that includes (a) a first polyol component including from 40 wt % to 90 wt % of at least one polyether polyol having an average hydroxyl functionality that is greater than 2.5 and a number average molecular weight from 300 g/mol to 1,500 g/mol; (b) a second polyol component including from 2 wt % to 20 wt % of at least one ethylene oxide capped polyoxypropylene-polyoxyethylene polyol having an average hydroxyl functionality greater than 1.5 and less than 4.0, a number average molecular weight from 4,000 g/mol to 6,000 g/mol, and from 60% to 85% of a primary hydroxyl group content; and (c) a third polyol component including from 1 wt % to 20 wt % of at least one polyoxypropylene polyol having an average hydroxyl functionality greater than 1.5 and less than 4.0 and a number average molecular weight from 300 g/mol to 1,500 g/mol.

A composition comprising thermoset polymer, shape memory polymer to facilitate macro scale damage closure, and a means for molecular scale healing is disclosed; the composition has the ability to resolve structural defects by a bio-mimetic close-then heal process. In use, the shape memory polymer serves to bring surfaces of a structural defect into approximation, whereafter use of the means for molecular scale healing allowed for movement of the healing means into the defect and thus obtain molecular scale healing. The means for molecular scale healing can be a thermoplastic such as fibers, particles or spheres which are used by heating to a level at or above the thermoplastic's melting point, then cooling of the composition below the melting temperature of the thermoplastic. Compositions of the invention have the ability to not only close macroscopic defects, but also to do so repeatedly even if another wound/damage occurs in a previously healed/repaired area.

A polyurethane, in particular a thermoplastic polyurethane, is obtainable or obtained by reacting at least a polyisocyanate composition and a polyol composition. The polyol composition contains at least one polyester diol or polyether diol, having a number-average molecular weight in the range from 500 to 3000 g/mol, and at least one polysiloxane having two terminal isocyanate-reactive functionalities selected from a thio group, a hydroxyl group, and an amino group. A process can be used for preparing this polyurethane, and a molded body containing the polyurethane is useful. Foam beads based on polyurethane can be obtained or obtainable from the polyurethane, and a process can be used for producing foam beads. Corresponding bead foams are useful.

Provided is a porous layer structure including a base material (A) and a urethane foam layer provided on the base material (A), wherein the urethane foam layer is a foam layer formed by foaming a urethane prepolymer having an isocyanate group, the urethane foam layer has a density of 0.10 to 0.60 g/cm.sup.3, and the urethane prepolymer substantially contains no volatile component and satisfies a predetermined composition.

Disclosed are thermoplastic vulcanizates comprising a plastic phase and a rubber phase and process for preparing such thermoplastic vulcanizates, wherein the plastic phase comprises a thermoplastic polymer and the rubber phase comprises a carboxylated nitrile rubber.

In an example, a process of forming a flame-retardant polyurethane material includes chemically reacting a polyisocyanate (that includes at least three isocyanate groups) with a phosphonate that includes at least one hydroxyl group to form a polyisocyanate-phosphonate compound. The process also includes forming a mixture that includes the polyisocyanate-phosphonate compound and a polyol. The process further includes polymerizing the mixture to form a flame-retardant polyurethane material.

In an example, a process includes chemically reacting a polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) material having a carboxylic-acid terminated side-chain with an azide material to form a polyisocyanate material.

A polyurethane foam for comfort application, includes the reaction product of a first composition that includes from 20 wt % to 80 wt % of an aqueous component and from 20 wt % to 80 wt % of a hydrophilic isocyanate-terminated prepolymer component. The aqueous component includes at least 90 wt % of water based on the total weight of the aqueous component and the hydrophilic isocyanate-terminated prepolymer component has a free NCO content from 1 wt % to 15 wt % and is a reaction product of a second composition that includes an isocyanate component and an isocyanate-reactive component. The isocyanate component includes at least 90 wt % of methylenediphenyl diisocyanate (MDI) and a weight ratio of 4,4′-methylene diphenylisocyanate isomer to 2,4′-methylene diphenylisocyanate isomer greater than 1:1 and less than 10:1, the isocyanate-reactive component including polyethylene glycol and a polyoxypropylene-polyoxyethylene polyol having a molecular weight of from 3000 g/mole to 7500 g/mole and a polyoxyethylene content of at least 50 wt %, and the hydrophilic isocyanate terminated prepolymer component having an polyoxyethylene content from 45 wt % to 75 wt %, based on the total weight of the second composition.

Noise, vibration, or harshness (NVH) properties of an industrial or consumer product are reduced by incorporating therein an effective amount of a polyether- or polyester-epoxide polymer (PEEP) composition. The PEEP compositions are one-component or two-component reaction products of a polyepoxide compound and a polyol composition. The PEEP compositions have a glass-transition temperature within the range of −50° C. to 50° C. and a loss factor of at least 0.5 by ASTM D5992 over a temperature range of at least 15 Celsius degrees at one or more frequencies within the range of 0.1 to 10,000 Hz. The PEEP compositions provide NVH damping over a broad temperature range, have improved flexibility compared with conventional epoxy technologies, avoid amine and isocyanate reactants, and can be tailored to meet target specifications.