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.

An article is prepared by injection molding, wherein the article is formed from a hydrophilic thermoplastic polyurethane composition, wherein the thermoplastic polyurethane composition comprises the reaction product of a hydroxyl terminated polyol intermediate component, an aliphatic isocyanate component, and, optionally, a chain extender component. For injection molding, the hydrophilic thermoplastic polyurethane has a crystallization temperature measured by dynamic scanning calorimetry of at least 75? C.

An article is prepared by injection molding, wherein the article is formed from a hydrophilic thermoplastic polyurethane composition, wherein the thermoplastic polyurethane composition comprises the reaction product of a hydroxyl terminated polyol intermediate component, an aliphatic isocyanate component, and, optionally, a chain extender component. For injection molding, the hydrophilic thermoplastic polyurethane has a crystallization temperature measured by dynamic scanning calorimetry of at least 75? C.

A stable polyol pre-mix composition comprises a blowing agent, a polyol, a surfactant, and a catalyst composition comprising an oxygen-containing amine catalyst and a metallic salt. The oxygen-containing amine catalyst may be, for example, one or more of an alkanol amine, an ether amine, or a morpholine group-containing compound such as, for example, 2-(2-dimethylaminoethoxy)ethanol or N,N,N-trimethylaminoethyl-ethanolamine. The metallic salt may be, for example, alkali earth carboxylates, alkali carboxylates, and carboxylates of metals selected form the group consisting of zinc (Zn), cobalt (Co), tin (Sn), cerium (Ce), lanthanum (La), aluminum (Al), vanadium (V), manganese (Mn), copper (Cu), nickel (Ni), iron (Fe), titanium (Ti), zirconium (Zr), chromium (Cr), scandium (Sc), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), strontium (Sr), and barium (Ba)

A stable polyol pre-mix composition comprises a blowing agent, a polyol, a surfactant, and a catalyst composition comprising an oxygen-containing amine catalyst and a metallic salt. The oxygen-containing amine catalyst may be, for example, one or more of an alkanol amine, an ether amine, or a morpholine group-containing compound such as, for example, 2-(2-dimethylaminoethoxy)ethanol or N,N,N-trimethylaminoethyl-ethanolamine. The metallic salt may be, for example, alkali earth carboxylates, alkali carboxylates, and carboxylates of metals selected form the group consisting of zinc (Zn), cobalt (Co), tin (Sn), cerium (Ce), lanthanum (La), aluminum (Al), vanadium (V), manganese (Mn), copper (Cu), nickel (Ni), iron (Fe), titanium (Ti), zirconium (Zr), chromium (Cr), scandium (Sc), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), strontium (Sr), and barium (Ba)

A non-crosslinked, crosslinkable polyurethane has an acid number of 20-40 and a glass transition temperature of up to and including 40 C. It can be derived from an aromatic diisocyanate; and a diol mixture of at least D.sub.1, D.sub.2, D.sub.3, and D.sub.4 diols. D.sub.1 has a C.sub.3 to C.sub.7 aliphatic group and at least one pendant carboxy group or pendant neutralized carboxy group. D.sub.2 has a chain of repeating C.sub.2 to C.sub.6 alkylene oxide groups and a molecular weight of 250-3000. D.sub.3 is an alkoxylated bisphenol A or aliphatic cyclic diol present in an amount of at least 5 mol %. D.sub.4 is a hydroxy-terminated polybutadiene having a molecular weight of at least 1000, and is present in an amount of at least 0.1-5 mol %.

The invention relates to a method for preparing a hydrophobically modified clay, wherein the clay modifying agent corresponds to a quaternary ammonium based compound. The present invention further relates to a hydrophobically modified clay obtainable by such a method and to a suspension comprising such a clay, as well to the use of such a hydrophobically modified clay and of a suspension comprising such a hydrophobically modified clay. Furthermore, the present invention is also directed to a polymeric composition comprising a hydrophobically modified clay and/or a suspension comprising a hydrophobically modified clay.

The invention relates to a method for preparing a hydrophobically modified clay, wherein the clay modifying agent corresponds to a quaternary ammonium based compound. The present invention further relates to a hydrophobically modified clay obtainable by such a method and to a suspension comprising such a clay, as well to the use of such a hydrophobically modified clay and of a suspension comprising such a hydrophobically modified clay. Furthermore, the present invention is also directed to a polymeric composition comprising a hydrophobically modified clay and/or a suspension comprising a hydrophobically modified clay.

A two-component adhesive composition is disclosed. The adhesive composition comprises an isocyanate component comprising an isocyanate-terminated prepolymer that is the reaction product of a polyisocyanate and an isocyanate reactive component having an average molecular weight less than 1,500. The NCO content of the isocyanate component without solvent is between 9 and 18%. The composition further comprises a polyol component comprising a polyester polyol having a molecular weight greater than 1,500 that is the reaction product of a polyhydric alcohol and a polybasic acid. The composition still further comprises an adhesion promoter. The average functionality of the adhesive composition is from 2 to 2.4. The adhesive composition provides for improved performance and processability at a solid content greater than 45 wt %. A methods of forming the adhesive composition is also disclosed. A laminate formed by this method is also disclosed.

The present invention relates to a transparent member for an automotive interior part. In one embodiment, the transparent member for the automotive interior part includes: a light source; an optical pattern layer formed over the light source; and a first light-transmitting skin layer formed on the optical pattern layer and including about 1 part by weight to about 25 parts of a first inorganic filler dispersed in 100 parts by weight of a first transparent resin matrix, wherein the first inorganic filler includes spherical calcium carbonate (CaCO.sub.3).