The present invention enables the achievement of: an SMC which has excellent flexibility, while being suppressed in tackiness; and a fiber-reinforced composite material which uses this SMC, thereby being reduced in voids after molding. In order to achieve the above, a sheet molding compound according to the present invention has the configuration described below. Specifically, a sheet molding compound according to the present invention is formed from reinforcing fibers and a resin composition, and has a weight content of the fibers of from 40% to 60% (inclusive) and an air bubble content of from 5% by volume to 30% by volume (inclusive), while satisfying the formulae below in a dynamic viscoelasticity measurement at 25° C. 10.sup.5 Pa G′ (s)≤10.sup.9 Pa 1≤G′(s)/G″ (s)≤5 G′(s): storage elastic modulus (Pa) of sheet molding compound at 25° C. G″(s): loss elastic modulus (Pa) of sheet molding compound at 25° C.

The present invention provides compositions comprising the reaction product of an aliphatic diisocyanate, and a reactive intermediate made from one selected from the group consisting of oxazolidinones, benzoic sulfimides (saccharins), 1H-indole-2,3-diones (isatins), succinamides, N-hydroxysuccinamides, 4-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzaldehydes (vanillins), α-ketoamides, piperazines, benzofuranones, 3,4-dihydroxycyclobut-3-ene-1,2-diones (squaric acids), squaric acid esters, α-ketoamides, anilines, and α-ketoamide, phenols. The aliphatic diisocyanate comprises one selected from the group consisting of isocyanurates, biurets, iminooxadiazine diones, urethanes, uretdiones, carbodiimides, and allophanates. The resulting compositions may be useful in producing coatings, adhesives, sealants, castings, composites and films having durability, color stability, high gloss, and chemical resistance properties similar to those made from polyurethane.

A continuous process forms a unitary mat on a line having at least two conveyors spaced from each other. The process includes combining the isocyanate, an isocyanate catalyst, and a plurality of lignocellulosic particles to form a mixture and a self-polymerization product of the isocyanate in-situ in the mixture. The process also includes forming the unitary mat from the mixture on a first conveyer and transferring the unitary mat from the first conveyor to a second conveyor across a predetermined distance while maintaining structural integrity of the unitary mat. The lignocellulosic particles have a moisture content of 0.5 to 30 weight percent of water. Moreover, the continuous process is free of a step of adding water to the isocyanate, the isocyanate catalyst, the lignocellulosic particles, and/or the unitary mat.

To provide a catalyst composition excellent in cell openness properties and initial curing properties, and a method for producing a polyurethane resin using the same. A catalyst composition comprising an amine compound (A) of the formula (1), a hydroxy acid (B) of the formula (2) and a tertiary amine compound (C) is used for the production of a polyurethane resin. [Each of R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 which are independent of each other, is a methyl group or an ethyl group, R.sub.3 is a C.sub.2-4 linear or branched alkyl group, R.sub.4 is a C.sub.1-18 bivalent hydrocarbon residue, m is an integer of from 1 to 3, and n is an integer of from 1 to 6.] ##STR00001##

Disclosed herein are methods for reprocessing polyurethane compositions such as polyurethane foams. The method comprises introducing a polyurethane composition into a compounding device, heating the polyurethane composition to an effective bond-exchange temperature, and compounding the polyurethane composition for an effective bond-exchange time.

The invention relates to a method for producing a polyisocyanurate composite material, comprising the following steps: a) providing a polyisocyanate composition A) which contains monomer polyisocyanates at an amount of at least 2 wt. %, and b) catalytically trimerising the polyisocyanate composition A) in the presence of at least one fibrous filler material B) and a trimerisation catalyst C), to form the polyisocyanurate composite material, said trimerisation catalyst C) comprising at least one quaternary ammonium salt and/or a metal salt. The invention also relates to polyisocyanurate composite materials that can be obtained according to the claimed method, and to the use of same to produce a component and components consisting of or containing a claimed polyisocyanurate composite material.

The present invention provides trimerization catalyst compositions having an α,β-unsaturated carboxylate salt and methods to produce a polyisocyanurate/polyurethane foam using such trimerization catalyst compositions.

A thixotropic agent for increasing the yield point of a curable composition, wherein the thixotropic agent includes (i) at least one urea compound from the reaction of at least one isocyanate with at least one amine and (ii) at least one polyether having blocked hydroxyl groups. The thixotropic agent is preparable in a simple manner and forms a spreadable paste which is firm at room temperature. It is particularly suitable as a constituent of moisture-curing polyurethane or SMP compositions, giving a good increase in the yield point thereof, without adversely affecting storage stability or migration characteristics. It enables phthalate-free adhesives, sealants or coatings that have surprisingly good conveyability coupled with a high yield point, and do not cause any problems with odor or fogging.

A polycarbodiimide compound represented by the following general formula (1): ##STR00001## wherein R.sup.1 and R.sup.3 are defined in the specification; R.sup.2 comprises a group represented by formula (i) or (ii) as defined in the specification; the proportion of the groups represented by the formula (i) relative to all the R.sup.2 groups in the polycarbodiimide compound is 30 to 70 mol %, and the proportion of the groups represented by the formula (ii) relative to all the R.sup.2 groups in the polycarbodiimide compound is 30 to 70 mol %; X.sup.1 and X.sup.2 each represent a group formed by the reaction of the organic compound and isocyanate, and X.sup.1 and X.sup.2 may be the same as or different from each other; and n represents an integer of 2 to 50.

The present invention relates to a polyol composition for obtaining a polyurethane foam through a reaction with a polyisocyanate compound. The polyol composition comprises a polyol, a catalyst, a foam stabilizer, a foaming agent, and ammonium carboxylate, wherein the ammonium carboxylate has a quaternary ammonium cation as a cationic moiety, and a carboxylic acid anion represented by formula (1) as an anionic moiety.