There is described a process for producing a free-rise polyurethane foam having a density of less than or equal to about 0.75 pcf. the process comprises the steps of: (a) contacting: (i) an isocyanate, (ii) a first polyol comprising a first polymer chain consisting essentially of propylene oxide units and alkylene oxide units selected from ethylene oxide, butylene oxide and mixtures thereof in a weight ratio of propylene oxide units to alkylene oxide units in the range of from about 90:10 to about 25:75, the polymer chain being terminally capped with the ethylene oxide units, the first polyol having a primary hydroxyl content of at least about 70% based on the total hydroxyl content of the first polyol, (iii) water (iv) a surfactant and (v) a catalyst to form a foamable reaction mixture; and (b) expanding the foamable reaction mixture to produce the free-rise polyurethane foam.

The problem addressed by the present invention is to provide an antifogging coating film having excellent antifogging property, antifogging persistence, persistence of appearance, and elution resistance. The coating film according to the present invention contains a metal oxide (A) and a hydrophilic compound (B); the height of the eluate by a coating film surface elution test is 1.0 μm or less; this test is carried out by placing 10 μL of deionized water on the coating film, allowing the film to stand for 24 hours in a 23° C., 50% RH environment, measuring the eluate height of 20 locations selected randomly within a 10 cm.sup.2 range on the coating film surface, and determining the maximum height; and the water contact angle measured after subjecting the coating film to a moisture resistance test by exposure for 24 hours in an 85° C., 85% RH environment followed by standing for one hour in a 23° C., 50% RH environment, is less than 40°. Preferably, the elution level per coating film unit volume by a coating film total elution test is 40 mg/cm.sup.3 or less, and this test is carried out by immersing the coating film in 23° C. deionized water for 24 hours, then measuring the weight of the coating film eluate recovered from the deionized water.

Polyol blends are disclosed that include a saccharide-initiated polyether polyol, an aromatic polyester polyol, and a polyalkylene polyamine-initiated polyether polyol. Also disclosed are foam-forming compositions containing such polyol blends, rigid foams made using such polyurethane foam-forming compositions, and methods for producing such foams, including use of such foams as panel insulation.

A flexible discontinuous process produces a series of at least two articles containing thermally insulating polyurethane foam from at least three streams (A), (B) and (C). The process involves mixing the at least three streams with different mixing ratios and injecting the mixture into cavities of the articles. A production unit can be used for performing this process.

The present invention relates to an anhydrosugar alcohol-alkylene glycol composition, an anhydrosugar alcohol-based urethane-modified polyol composition, and use thereof for epoxy resin composition.

The present invention relates to a phosphorus containing polyol, obtainable or obtained by a process comprising the reaction of at least one polyol with a phosphorus containing compound of the general formula (I) as defined herein, as well as the process for preparing a phosphorus containing polyol, comprising the reaction of at least one polyol with a phosphorus containing compound of the general formula (I). Furthermore, the present invention relates to the use of a phosphorus containing polyol as disclosed herein as a flame retardant, to a process for the preparation of a polyurethane and the polyurethane as such. ##STR00001##

Methods are provided for producing bio-oil polyols, alkoxylating bio-oil polyols to provide polyols, and for employing the alkoxylated bio-oil polyols for making polymers or copolymers of polyesters or polyurethanes.

A flame-retardant polyether polyol is provided, including a Mannich base and an epoxide. The epoxide is selected from ethylene oxide, propylene oxide and butylene oxide. The Mannich base has a structure represented by a formula (I). In the Mannich base, flame-retardant groups, i.e., halogens are introduced at the second, fourth and sixth positions of a phenyl group, and flame-retardant elements, i.e., halogens and nitrogen are introduced into synthesized polyether polyol. The amount of active hydrogen in the Mannich base is small so that side reactions during synthesis of the polyether polyol are reduced, and the viscosity of the polyether polyol is lowered. A flame-retardant polyurethane material is also provided, synthesized from raw materials comprising the above-mentioned flame-retardant polyether polyol and an isocyanate. Due to autocatalytic performance of tertiary amido in the flame-retardant polyether polyol, use of a catalyst can be reduced and even avoided during the synthesis.

Polyol premixes and thermally insulating rigid polyurethane foams, such as those that can be used as a thermal insulation medium in the construction of refrigerated storage devices, are disclosed. A polymer polyol having a OH number of greater than 260 mg KOH/g is utilized. The resulting polyurethane foams can exhibit improved thermal insulation properties without sacrificing other important physical and processing properties.

There is described a process for producing a free-rise polyurethane foam having a density of less than or equal to about 0.75 pcf. the process comprises the steps of: (a) contacting: (i) an isocyanate, (ii) a first polyol comprising a first polymer chain consisting essentially of propylene oxide units and alkylene oxide units selected from ethylene oxide, butylene oxide and mixtures thereof in a weight ratio of propylene oxide units to alkylene oxide units in the range of from about 90:10 to about 25:75, the polymer chain being terminally capped with the ethylene oxide units, the first polyol having a primary hydroxyl content of at least about 70% based on the total hydroxyl content of the first polyol, (iii) water (iv) a surfactant and (v) a catalyst to form a foamable reaction mixture; and (b) expanding the foamable reaction mixture to produce the free-rise polyurethane foam.