The present invention relates to a process for producing flame-retarded polyurethane foams, in particular flexible polyurethane foams, using halogen-free flame retardants, wherein the resulting flame-retarded polyurethane foams exhibit low emission values coupled with good mechanical properties. The present invention further relates to halogen-free flame retardants.

A crosslinked polyolefin foam that is a crosslinked foam of a polyolefin resin composition, the composition comprising a polyolefin resin (A) and a rubber (B) having a Mooney viscosity (ML.sub.1+4, 100° C.) of 15 to 85. The rubber (B) is contained in an amount of 10 to 150 parts by mass relative to 100 parts by mass of the polyolefin resin (A). The foam has a thickness of 1.5 mm or more, a 25% compressive hardness of 60 kPa or less, and a crosslinking degree of at least one of surface layers at both surfaces with a depth of 500 μm from the surface that is at least 5% higher than the crosslinking degree of the middle layer excluding the both surface layers.

Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed towards using a carbon-Michael compound. As an example, a method of using a carbon-Michael compound to reduce heat transfer can include locating the carbon-Michael compound between a heat provider and a heat receptor, where the carbon-Michael compound is a reaction product of a multifunctional acrylate compound with a multifunctional Michael donor, and the heat provider has a temperature from 100 C to 290 C.

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.

Tertiary amine catalysts having isocyanate reactive groups capable of forming thermally stable covalent bonds able to withstand temperatures from 120° C. and higher and up to 250° C. are disclosed. These catalyst can be used to produce polyurethane foam having the following desirable characteristics: a) very low chemical emissions over a wide range of environmental conditions and isocyanate indexes (e.g., indexes as low as 65 but higher than 60); b) sufficient hydrolytic stability to maintain the catalyst covalently bound to foam without leaching of tertiary amine catalyst when foam is exposed to water or aqueous solutions even at temperatures higher than ambient (temperature range 25° C. to 90° C.); and c) stable contact interface between the polyurethane polymer and other polymers (for example polycarbonate) with minimal migration of tertiary amine catalyst from polyurethane polymer to other polymers yielding no noticeable polymer deterioration at the point of contact even under conditions of heat and humidity.

Embodiments herein are related to hydrophilic open cell foams with particulate fillers. In an embodiment, an article is provided that has an open cell foam structure including a hydrophilic polymer and about 0.1 wt. % to about 40.0 wt. % of a particulate filler dispersed within the hydrophilic polymer. The open cell foam structure can exhibit a rate of absorption of water greater than an otherwise identical foam lacking the particulate filler. Other embodiments are included herein.

A one component spray polyurethane foam formulation containing a polymeric isocyanate with nominal functionality of 2.5 to 3.5, a polyol component that is at least 85 percent aliphatic and having a mole ratio of polyol with three or more functionality to total polyol of 0.2 to 0.75, 15-30 wt % of a plasticizer, 1.5-3.5 wt % phosphorous, 5.5 to 11.5 halogen and 1.5 to 5 millimoles of blowing agent per gram of formulation and that is free of expandable graphite achieves a B2 rating in DIN 4102 testing.

The present invention provides a sensor having an improved sensitivity and precision, which is lighter and more flexible than conventional sensors, and a method of making the sensor. The present invention relates to a sensor comprising a resin foam containing a magnetic filler, and a magnetic sensor that detects a magnetic change caused by a deformation of the resin foam, wherein the resin foam is a polyurethane resin foam that comprises a polyisocyanate component, an active hydrogen component, a catalyst and a foam stabilizer, and wherein the resin foam has a hardness change (H.sub.1-H.sub.60) of 0 to 10 between a JIS-C hardness (H.sub.1) in one second after contact with a pressure surface of a hardness tester and a JIS-C hardness (H.sub.60) in 60 seconds after the contact.

Ageing-resistant and low-emission mattresses and/or cushions comprising at least one section of flexible polyurethane foam, wherein the flexible polyurethane foam has been obtained by reaction of at least one polyol component and at least one isocyanate component in the presence of the compound of the formula (I)

##STR00001##

and at least one blowing agent, are described.

Combinations of gelatinous elastomer and polyurethane foam may be made by introducing a plasticized A-B-A triblock copolymer resin and/or an A-B diblock copolymer resin into a mixture of polyurethane foam forming components including a polyol and an isocyanate. The plasticized copolymer resin is polymerized to form the gelatinous elastomer in-situ while simultaneously polymerizing the polyol and the isocyanate to form polyurethane foam. The polyurethane reaction is exothermmic and can generate sufficient temperature to melt the styrene-portion of the A-B-A triblock copolymer resin thereby extending the crosslinking and in some cases integrating the A-B-A triblock copolymer within the polyurethane polymer matrix. The combination has a marbled appearance. The gel component has higher heat capacity than polyurethane foam and thus has good thermal conductivity and acts as a heat sink. Another advantage of in situ gel-foam is that the gel component provides higher support factors compared to the base foam alone.