A process for preparing polyurethane composites includes (i) providing a dispersion of nanocrystalline cellulose in (a) one or more polyols, (b) one or more isocyanates, or (c) one or more polyols and one or more isocyanate, mixed together; wherein the amount of water in the nanocrystalline cellulose is less than about 1% w/w; (ii) mixing the dispersion of (i)(a) with an isocyanate or (i)(b) with a polyol and a catalyst to allow polymerization; or mixing the dispersion of (i)(c) and a catalyst to allow polymerization; and (iii) isolating the polyurethane composite. A method for improving properties of polyurethanes includes dispersing nanocrystalline cellulose into one or both parts of a two part polyol/isocyanate precursors prior to allowing polymerization of the precursors, wherein the amount of water in the nanocrystalline cellulose is less than about 1% w/w; mixing the dispersion with a catalyst; and polymerizing the precursors to provide the polyurethane.

A process for producing a melamine-formaldehyde foam by heating and foaming an aqueous mixture M using microwave radiation, said mixture M comprising at least one melamine-formal-dehyde precondensate, at least one curative, at least one surfactant, at least one blowing agent and at least one linear polymer with a number average molecular weight M.sub.n in the range from 500 to 10,000 g/mol and at least two functional groups selected from OH, NH.sub.2 or COOH as well as a melamine-formaldehyde foam obtainable by this process and its use.

The present invention relates to a method for producing polyethercarbonate-polyoxymethylene block copolymers, comprising the step of polymerizing formaldehyde, wherein formaldehyde is polymerized in the presence of a polyethercarbonate having at least one Zerewitinoff-active H atom, obtaining an intermediate product. The obtained intermediate product can be further reacted with a cyclic carboxylic acid ester or carbonic acid ester, a cyclic anhydride, an epoxide, and/or an isocyanate, wherein a hydroxyl- or carboxy-functional or NCO-modified polyethercarbonate-polyoxymethylene block copolymer is obtained. The present invention further relates to polyethercarbonate-polyoxymethylene block copolymers that can be obtained by means of such a method and to the use of same to produce polyurethane polymers.

The invention provides novel flame-retardant polymers and materials, their synthesis and use. More particularly, the flame-retardant polymers are deoxybenzoin-derived polymers.

A method of forming a flame resistant flexible polyurethane foam that has a V-0 rating, according to Underwriters Laboratories Standard 94 Flammability Test, includes forming a reaction mixture that has an isocyanate component and an isocyanate-reactive component, and the isocyanate-reactive component includes a polyol component. The isocyanate component includes at least 30 wt % of a biuret modified aromatic diisocyanate, based on a total weight of the isocyanate component, and an isocyanate index of the reaction mixture is less than 100. The polyol component includes at least 5 wt % of a filled polyether polyol and at least 65 wt % of one or more other polyols that are different from the filled polyether polyol, based on a total weight of the isocyanate-reactive component.

Disclosed are a polyurethane composition, a molded article, and a vehicle comprising the polyurethane composition or the molded article. The polyurethane composition comprises a polyol composition (A) in which polyether polyol (a1) and polymer polyol (a2) are mixed at a predetermined amount, an isocyanate composition (B) obtainable by polymerizing polyether polyol (b2) and an isocyanate composition (b1) that comprises i) methylene diphenyl isocyanate (M-MDI) and ii) polymethylene diphenyl isocyanate (P-MDI). As such, the molded article such as a vehicle seat pad can be manufactured with improved static and dynamic comfort.

The disclosure generally provides methods of making natural oil-derived polyol compounds from compositions that include self-metathesized oligomers of natural oils, including methods of using such polyols to make polyurethane compositions, such as polyurethane foams.

Improved soles and insoles for shoes, in particular sports shoes, are described. In an aspect, a sole for a shoe, in particular a sports shoe, with at least a first and a second surface region is provided. The first surface region comprises expanded thermoplastic polyurethane (“TPU”). The second surface region is free from expanded TPU.

Viscoelastic foam is made by reacting an isocyanate compound with water and a polyol mixture. The polyol mixture contains a dispersion of polyurethane or polyurethane-urea particles in a carrier polyol (a PIPA polyol) and at least one other polyol that is a homopolymer of propylene oxide or a copolymer of 20 to 99.9 weight-% propylene oxide and 0.1 to 80 weight-% ethylene oxide, has 2 to 4 hydroxyl groups per molecule and has a hydroxyl equivalent weight of 200 to 400. The VE foams are characterized by high airflows and long recovery times.

The present invention relates to a method for producing a viscoelastic polyurethane soft foam. The invention further relates to a viscoelastic polyurethane soft block foam or viscoelastic polyurethane soft molded foam having particularly high tensile strengths, which are produced by the method according to the invention, and to the use of said foams. The present invention further relates to polyol compositions which are suitable for the production of viscoelastic polyurethane foams.