The present invention relates to a process for preparing polyurethanes by mixing a) polyisocyanate, b) a mixture obtainable by introducing an alkali metal or alkaline earth metal salt into a compound comprising urethane groups, c) compounds comprising one or more epoxide groups, and, optionally, d) polyol, e) chain extenders, and f) fillers and further additives to form a reaction mixture and fully reacting the mixture to give the polyurethane, where the amount of alkali metal or alkaline earth metal ions per equivalent urethane groups in the compound (b) is 0.0001 to 3.5. The present invention further relates to a polyurethane obtainable by such a process, and to the use of such a polyurethane for producing bodywork components for vehicles.

Methods of printing a three-dimensional object using co-reactive components are disclosed. Thermosetting compositions for three-dimensional printing are also disclosed.

A surfactant and a method of forming the surfactant having the formula (I) where a is an integer from 1 to 10, b is an integer from 0 to 10, R.sub.1 is —CH.sub.3 or —H, n is an integer from 0 to 20, and R.sub.2 is a moiety selected from the group consisting of (II), (III), (IV), (V), (VI), (VII) or (VIII) where m is an integer from 0 to 4. The surfactant can be used in a method for preparing a rigid polyurethane foam.

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A surfactant and a method of forming the surfactant having the formula (I) where a is an integer from 1 to 10, b is an integer from 0 to 10, R.sub.1 is —CH.sub.3 or —H, n is an integer from 0 to 20, and R.sub.2 is a moiety selected from the group consisting of (II), (III), (IV), (V), (VI), (VII) or (VIII) where m is an integer from 0 to 4. The surfactant can be used in a method for preparing a rigid polyurethane foam.

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Nanoporous three-dimensional networks of polyurethane particles, e.g., polyurethane aerogels, and methods of preparation are presented herein. Such nanoporous networks may include polyurethane particles made up of linked polyisocyanate and polyol monomers. In some cases, greater than about 95% of the linkages between the polyisocyanate monomers and the polyol monomers are urethane linkages. To prepare such networks, a mixture including polyisocyanate monomers (e.g., diisocyanates, triisocyanates), polyol monomers (diols, triols), and a solvent is provided. The polyisocyanate and polyol monomers may be aliphatic or aromatic. A polyurethane catalyst is added to the mixture causing formation of linkages between the polyisocyanate monomers and the polyol monomers. Phase separation of particles from the reaction medium can be controlled to enable formation of polyurethane networks with desirable nanomorphologies, specific surface area, and mechanical properties. Various properties of such networks of polyurethane particles (e.g., strength, stiffness, flexibility, thermal conductivity) may be tailored depending on which monomers are provided in the reaction.

A high-recoverability resin particles having a mean particle size of 1 to 100 μm containing a crossdinked (meth)acrylic acid ester-based resin, wherein the high-recoverability resin particles have a recovery rate of 22% or greater, and a 30% compression strength of 1.5 to 5.0 kgf/mm.sup.2.

The present application discloses a wind turbine blade having on the outer surface thereof a polyurethane-based coating including a polyurethane binder prepared from polyol(s) having an average functionality of ≧2.0 and <8.0; at least 50% (w/w) of the polyols have aliphatic polyester segments included therein and have a Mw of 300-3,000 g/mol; and polyisocyanate(s) having an average functionality of <3.0; at least 50% (w/w) of the polyisocyanate(s) are selected from: (i) polyisocyanates having aliphatic polyester segments included therein, and having a molecular weight of 500-3,000 g/mol and a functionality of ≧2.0 and <3.0; (ii) polyisocyanates of the allophanate type having a Mw of 250-2,000 g/mol and a functionality of ≧2.0 and <3.0; and (iii) polyisocyanates of the uretdion type having a Mw of 250-2,000 g/mol and a functionality of ≧2.0 and <3.0. The application also discloses corresponding coating compositions and a method for coating a substrate.

An objective is to provide a surface-protective PSA sheet capable of reducing adherend damage and well maintaining appearance, etc. The surface-protective PSA sheet capable of reducing adherend damage and well maintaining appearance, etc., comprises a surface layer, a resin substrate layer and a PSA layer, and has a multilayer structure with the resin substrate layer placed between the surface layer and the PSA layer, wherein the surface layer is a layer obtainable by curing a heat-curable composition comprising the following components: (a) a hydroxyl group-containing (meth)acrylic copolymer having a glass transition temperature of −40° C. to 30° C.; (b) an allophanate polyisocyanate and/or a biuret polyisocyanate; and (c) a polysiloxane comprising a hydroxyl group-containing hydrocarbon group and/or polymer.

A process for producing an epoxy-group terminated polyoxazolidinone comprising the copolymerization of a polyisocyanate compound (A) with two or more isocyanate groups with a polyepoxide compound (B) with two or more epoxy groups in the presence of a specific catalyst (C), wherein the molar ratio of the epoxy groups of the polyepoxide compound (B) to the isocyanate groups of the polyisocyanate compound (A) is from 2.6:1 and less than 25:1, and wherein the copolymerization is operated in the absence of an additional solvent (D-1) with a boiling point higher than 170° C., preferred higher than 165° C., more preferred higher than 160° C., and most preferred higher than 150° C. at 1 bar (absolute). The epoxy-group terminated polyoxazolidinones resulting from the process are also provided.

Lactide-based random polyester polyols for use in polyurethane compositions are disclosed. The polyester polyols have an OH value in the range of greater than 400 mg KOH/g up to 1100 mg KOH/g and are the reaction product of at least one polycarboxylic acid, at least one lactide, and one or more polyalcohols. The polyester polyols can be formulated into the B-side of a two part polyurethane composition to obtain a polyurethane having improved hardness and solvent resistance and a low VOC content. The polyurethane composition is particularly suitable for polyurethane coating applications.