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##

An open cell spray polyurea foam for use in an insulation layer in a wall structure may include a polyurea. The polyurea may be a reaction product of an isocyanate compound and water. The open spray polyurea foam may also include a filler. The majority of the filler may exist in the spray foam formulation as an unreacted first fire retardant. The spray foam formulation may further comprise a second fire retardant, and the insulation layer may exhibit a fire retardancy sufficient to pass Appendix X and/or ASTM E-84.

Polyurethane composites and methods of preparing polyurethane composites are described herein. The polyurethane composite can comprise (a) a polyurethane formed by the reaction of (i) one or more isocyanates selected from the group consisting of diisocyanates, polyisocyanates, and mixtures thereof, and (ii) one or more polyols; (b) fly ash comprising 50% or greater by weight, fly ash particles having a particle size of from 0.2 micron to 100 microns; and (c) a coarse filler material comprising 80% or greater by weight, filler particles having a particle size of from greater than 250 microns to 10 mm. The coarse filler material can be present in the composite in an amount of from 1% to 40% by weight, based on the total weight of the composite. The weight ratio of the fly ash to the coarse filler material can be from 9:1 to 200:1.

Polyurethane/polyisocyanurate foam insulation described herein is derived from a composition that contains an organic polyisocyanate, an isocyanate reactive material containing at least about 20% by weight, based on the total weight of the composition, of an aromatic polyester polyol, a hydrocarbon blowing agent, a first catalyst selected from the group consisting of a carboxylate salt of an alkali metal, a carboxylate salt of an alkaline earth metal, a carboxylate salt of a quaternary ammonium, and combinations thereof, and a second catalyst comprising a non-reactive tertiary amine, wherein a molar ratio of the first catalyst to the second catalyst is less than about 1.25, the composition gels quickly, and the composition has an isocyanate index greater than about 175. Such an insulating foam has a ratio of thermal conductivity at 75° F. to thermal conductivity at 25° F. between about 0.98 and about 1.10.

The invention relates to reaction mixtures having a high ratio of isocyanate groups to isocyanate-reactive groups, which reaction mixtures mostly cure through the formation of isocyanurate groups, and to the use of such reaction mixtures for producing semifinished materials.

A molded flexible polyurethane foam having a hardness gradient going from soft to hard from the top to the bottom of the foam. The hardness gradient in the foam is a result of a foam elasticity gradient which arises from a polymer elasticity gradient and/or density gradient. A method for producing a flexible foam having a hardness gradient and a reactive mixture suitable for making said flexible foam is disclosed. Furthermore, the use of the flexible foams having a hardness gradient in matrasses, cushions for seating (more in particular for use in automotive seating), furniture, automotive under-carpets and dash insulators is disclosed.

Tertiary amine catalysts having isocyanate reactive groups that are capable of forming thermally stable covalent bonds able to withstand temperatures up to 120° C. are disclosed. These catalyst can be used to produce polyurethane foam having the following desirable characteristics: a) very low chemical emissions over a wide range of environmental conditions and isocyanate indexes (e.g., indexes as low as 65 but higher than 60) while meeting all physical property requirements; b) sufficient hydrolytic stability to maintain the catalyst covalently bound to foam without leaching of tertiary amine catalyst when foam is exposed to water or aqueous solutions even at temperatures higher than ambient (temperature range 25° C. to 90° C.); and c) stable contact interface between the polyurethane polymer and other polymers (for example polycarbonate) with minimal migration of tertiary amine catalyst from polyurethane polymer to other polymers yielding no noticeable polymer deterioration at the point of contact even under conditions of heat and humidity.

This disclosure provides methods for the chemical modification of triglycerides that are highly enriched in specific fatty acids and subsequent use thereof for producing functionally versatile polymers.

Described herein is a process for producing polyurethane foams having a density of 30 g/dm.sup.3 to 70 g/dm.sup.3, in which (a) aromatic polyisocyanate is mixed with (b) polymeric compounds having isocyanate-reactive groups, (c) optionally chain extender and/or crosslinking agent, (d) catalyst, (e) blowing agent including water, (f) 0.1% to 5% by weight of lactam, and (g) optionally additives, at an isocyanate index of 50 to 95 to form a reaction mixture, and the reaction mixture is converted to the polyurethane foam, wherein the catalyst includes metal catalyst and amine catalyst, and the amine catalyst has tertiary nitrogen atoms and the content of tertiary nitrogen atoms in the amine catalyst is from 0.0001 to 0.003 mol/100 g of foam. Also described herein is a polyurethane foam and a method of using such a flexible polyurethane foam for the production of cushions, seat cushions, or mattresses.

The invention relates to a continuous method for producing an isocyanurate-containing isocyanate mixture, in which in a step a) a mixture of a first and a second isocyanate component and an isocyanate group trimerization catalyst is provided; in a step b) the mixture obtained in step a) is reacted in a first residence time zone at an elevated temperature; in a step c), the reaction mixture obtained in step b) is further heated in a second residence time zone, optionally after adding a stopper; and in a step d), the reaction mixture obtained in step c) is cooled down in a third residence time zone by way of lowering the temperature, thus obtaining the desired isocyanurate-containing isocyanate mixture.