Polyurethane-polyisocyanurate foams are prepared using a polyether polyol made from an alkylene oxide mixture that contains a specified proportion of ethylene oxide. The selection of proper polyol equivalent weight and ethylene oxide content leads to the production of foams having a useful combination of properties.

The present invention relates to the use of tertiary amines as catalysts for the cross-linking of isocyanate groups which are aliphatically and/or cyclo-aliphatically bonded. The catalysts according to the invention have the particular advantage that they are thermally latent.

The present invention relates to open- and fine-celled rigid polyurethane foams which contain not only urethane groups (PUR) but also isocyanurate groups (PIR) and carbodiimide groups (CD) and to the use thereof in vacuum insulation panels.

In certain non-limiting, aspects, the present invention relates to storage stable premixes of a polyol suitable for polyurethane or polyisocyanurate foam preparation having, at least, 1,1,1,4,4,4-hexafluoro-2-butene (1336mzzm) as the blowing agent and optional one or more additional additives and/or auxillary blowing agents in amounts suitable for polyurethane or polyisocyanurate foam preparation.

A method for manufacturing a body made of a porous material derived from precursors of the porous material in a sol-gel process, including (i) providing a mold, containing a lower part defining an interior volume for receiving the precursors of the porous material, wherein the lower part comprises a first opening, and surfaces of the lower part facing the interior volume are at least partially provided with a coating made of a material being electrically dissipative and non-sticky to the precursors of the porous material and/or the body, (ii) filling precursors of the porous material into the lower part in a first inert or ventilated region, wherein the precursors include two reactive components and a solvent, (iii) removing the body from the lower part through the first opening after a predetermined time, (iv) disposing the body onto a support, and (v) removing the solvent from the body.

A synthetic polymer film (34A), (34B) having a surface which has a plurality of raised portions (34Ap), (34Bp), wherein a two-dimensional size of the plurality of raised portions (34Ap), (34Bp) is in a range of more than 20 nm and less than 500 nm when viewed in a normal direction of the synthetic polymer film (34A), (34B), the surface having a microbicidal effect, and a concentration of a total of a nitrogen element which is a constituent of a primary amine and a nitrogen element which is a constituent of a secondary amine is not less than 0.29 at %, and a number of moles of an ethylene oxide unit included in one gram is more than 0.0020 and not more than 0.0080.

A polyisocyanurate foam insulation product includes polyisocyanurate foam produced from reacting an isocyanate and a polyol blend having a functionality of at least 2.2. The isocyanate and the polyol blend are reacted so that the polyisocyanurate foam has an isocyanate index equivalent with or greater than 300. The polyisocyanurate foam includes a fire retardant and includes between 0.02 and 0.45 weight percent of a zinc salt compound. The foam insulation board exhibits a flame spread of no greater than 25 and a smoke index of no greater than 50 when exposed to flame conditions in accordance with an ASTM E-84 test.

A spray foam formulation used to form a spray foam insulation layer in a wall structure is described. The formulation may include the reaction product of a polyisocyanate compound and a polyol compound; a fire retardant chosen from at least one of a non-halogenated fire retardant; and a reactive halogen-containing fire retardant, and a carbohydrate. The spray foam insulation layer has an insulative R value of 3.0 to 7.2 per inch, and a density of between about 0.3 to about 4.5 pcf. Further, spray foam insulation made from the spray foam formulation may have fire retardant characteristics that are equivalent to or better than a similar spray insulation foam insulation using non-reactive halogenated fire retardants such as tris(1-chloro-2-propyl)phosphate (TCPP).

A process for producing rigid PUR/PIR foams via the reaction of a reaction mixture comprising A1 an isocyanate-reactive component, A2 a flame retardant, A3 a blowing agent, A4 a catalyst, and A5 optionally auxiliaries and additives with B an organic polyisocyanate component. Component A1 comprises a diurethane diol A1.1 and a compound A1.2 selected from the group consisting of polyether polyol, polyester polyol, polyether carbonate polyol, and polyether ester polyol. Also disclosed is a rigid PUR/PIR foam, an insulating material, a composite element, and a mixture.

Blends, polyol premix compositions, methods of forming such compositions, foamable compositions using the premix compositions, methods of preparing foams containing the premix compositions, and foams made using the premix compositions are described. The polyol premix composition includes a polyester polyol; halogenated olefin blowing agent; and a distribution-enhancing component. In the polyol premix composition, the blowing agent, the polyester polyol, and the distribution-enhancing component form a substantially uniform composition.