A foamable polymeric mixture is provided that includes a polymer composition and at least one blowing agent. The blowing agent may comprise any blowing agents known not to deplete the ozone or increase the prevalence of global warming, such as CO.sub.2, HFO, HFC and mixtures thereof. The foamable polymeric mixture may further includes at least one processing aid comprising an organic phase changing material. The inventive foamable mixture is capable of processing at a pressure range of 800 to 1200 psi (5.5 to 8.3 MPa).

A process for manufacturing a rigid foam product includes processing a forest residue to obtain fibers having a mesh size of at most 5 mm mesh and an aspect ratio of between 0.5:1 and 20:1; preparing a slurry comprising the fibers, water, a foaming agent, and a polymer additive; foaming the slurry to yield a wet foam; and drying the wet foam to yield a rigid foam product.

Low-density thermoplastic expandable microspheres are disclosed. Various low-density structures, in particular, sandwich panels, based on foam prepared from the low-density microspheres, are also disclosed. Process of preparing low-density polymeric microspheres, per se, and the corresponding low-density structures, based on the microsphere foam, are also disclosed.

Blends comprising an aromatic polyester polyol and a 1 to 10 wt. % of a fatty acid derivative are disclosed. The fatty acid derivative is a C.sub.8 to C.sub.18 fatty acid ester or a C.sub.8 to C.sub.18 fatty acid amide. Also disclosed are rigid PU or PU-PIR foams that comprise a reaction product of water, a catalyst, a foam-stabilizing surfactant, a polyisocyanate, a blowing agent, and the polyester polyol/fatty acid derivative blends. Surprisingly, low-temperature R-values of rigid foams based on pentane blowing agents can be improved significantly by using blends of aromatic polyester polyols and a minor proportion of readily available fatty acid derivatives. In some aspects, the difference between initial R-values of the foam measured at 75 F. and 40 F. is at least 5% greater than that of a similar foam prepared in the absence of the fatty acid derivative.

The present invention provides dialkyl phosphorus-containing compounds, namely reactive mono-hydroxyl-functional dialkyl phosphinates, serving as highly efficient reactive flame retardants in flexible polyurethane foams. The invention further provides fire-retarded polyurethane compositions comprising said the reaction product of the mono-hydroxyl-functional dialkyl phosphinates with polyol and isocyanate foam forming components.

Embodiments may include an insulated structure. The insulated structure may include a plurality of structural support members coupled together to form a frame. The insulated structure may also include a plurality of first wall boards attached to an exterior side of the frame to form an exterior wall or surface of the structure. The insulated structure may further include a spray foam insulation positioned within at least one of the wall cavities of the structure. The spray foam insulation may have an insulative R-value greater than or equal to 6.0 per inch at 40 F. The spray foam formulation may be made from a formulation that includes a reaction product of a polyisocyanate compound and a polyol compound and a blowing agent. The blowing agent may include a mixture of n-pentane and isopentane, where the mixture is at least 75% isopentane.

A method of forming a polyurethane foam article includes the step of forming a resin composition. The resin composition includes a polyol component, an amine catalyst, and a blowing component. The blowing component includes a hydrofluoroolefin and formic acid. The method also includes the steps of combining the resin composition, a recycled resin composition, and an isocyanate component to form a reaction mixture and discharging the reaction mixture to form the polyurethane foam article.

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.

The invention relates to a method for depositing nano-objects on the surface of a gel comprising the steps of: a) providing a gel having a polymer matrix and a solvent within the polymer matrix, the polymer matrix forming a three-dimensional network which is capable of swelling in the presence of the solvent, wherein the solubility of the polymer matrix in the solvent at 1 bar and 25 C. is less than 1 g/l, wherein the gel has a rigidity gradient on the micrometer scale of less than 10%, then b) depositing nano-objects on the surface of the gel, the nano-objects having a mean diameter greater than or equal to the mean diameter of the pores of the gel, then c) evaporating the solvent from the gel at least until the content of solvent no longer varies over time, under the proviso that, at the start of evaporation, the content of mineral salts in the solvent is less than 6 g/l, the gel capable of being obtained and the uses thereof.

A polyurethane catalyst comprises a sodium compound, the sodium compound being 1 to 60 wt % of the polyurethane catalyst by the mass percent, and further comprises a tertiary amine and/or pyridine compound. The sodium compound and the tertiary amine and/or pyridine compound achieve a synergistic effect; during the catalysis of the polymerization of isocyanate and polyalcohol, the speed of the polymerization reaction is increased; and the prepared polyurethane material has excellent physical properties, does not contain any heavy metal element at all, is an environment-friendly catalyst, solves the technical problem of ensuring environmental protection, safety and the catalytic efficiency of the polyurethane catalyst, and is particularly applicable to the preparation of polyurethane synthetic leather resin slurry, a polyurethane elastomer (prepolymer), a polyurethane coating, a polyurethane adhesive, a polyurethane composite material, flexible polyurethane foam, and a rigid polyurethane material.