A thermal insulating phenolic foam and method of manufacture thereof is provided. A phenolic foam is formed by foaming and curing a phenolic resin composition that comprises a phenolic resin, an acid catalyst, a blowing agent comprising a hydrocarbon having 6 carbon atoms or less, and an alkoxy alcohol. The resulting foam has low thermal conductivity and has excellent long term thermal stability.

The present application provides foams having improved insulation and thermal performance and processes of forming said foams. Exemplary foams described herein are prepared according to a process comprising reacting or extruding a foamable composition comprising (i) a compound selected from E-CHCl═CHCF.sub.3, Z—CF.sub.3CH═CHCF.sub.3, and E-CF.sub.3CH═CHCF.sub.3, or any mixture thereof, and (2) a C.sub.5 hydrocarbon (e.g. cyclopentane), under conditions effective to form the foam.

A phenolic resin foam has a density of 30 kg/m.sup.3 to 80 kg/m.sup.3, a closed cell ratio of 85% or more, and reaches a total amount of heat release of 8 MJ/m.sup.2 in a time of 20 minutes or more in a heat release test performed using a cone calorimeter.

A thermoset foam comprises from 0.2 to 4.0 wt. % of at least one aliphatic brominated polyether polyol, from 2.0 to 7.0 wt. % of at least one aromatic brominated polyester polyol, and from 2.0 to 7.5 wt. % of at least one flame retardant comprising organo-phosphate, organo-phosphonate, or organo-phosphite, wherein the ratio of the amount of aliphatic bromine expressed as a percentage of total bromine to the amount of aromatic bromine expressed as a percentage of total bromine is from 10:90 to 50:50.

The present invention relates to processes for the preparation of polyurethane foams comprising a step wherein a chemical compound with a low particle size releases a chemical and/or physical blowing agent by decomposition, polyurethane foams prepared by such processes as well as compositions comprising at least one polyol and a chemical compound with a low particle size capable of releasing a chemical and/or physical blowing agent by thermally- and/or chemically-induced degradation and uses of such compositions.

A polyurethane foam is disclosed having unique load bearing characteristics rendering it suitable for a variety of applications. The foam exhibits high surface-softness and smoothness properties, making it well-suited for use in articles such as pillows and mattress toppers. However, upon continued application of pressure, the resilience of the foam increases sharply, translating into a remarkable support characteristics that make the foam suitable for use in the seat portions of chairs and sofas, as well as in the base portion of mattresses. The foams therefore address the limitations of conventional, high-resilience and visco-elastic polyurethane foams. A process of making the foam and its use in various articles is also disclosed.

Described herein are processes for producing a polyurethane foam by mixing the following: (a) polymeric MDI with less than 40% by weight content of difunctional MDI and an aliphatic halogenated hydrocarbon compound (d1) composed of 2 to 5 carbon atoms and of at least one hydrogen atom and of at least one fluorine and/or chlorine atom, where the compound (d1) includes at least one carbon-carbon double bond, to give an isocyanate component (A), and reacting with a polyol component (b) to give the polyurethane foam. Also described herein is a polyurethane foam obtainable by said process.

A reactive composition is disclosed for making a polyisocyanurate-polyurethane comprising rigid foam (PIR-PUR), said reactive composition comprising a polyisocyanate composition, an isocyanate-reactive composition, at least one catalyst compound suitable for making the PIR-PUR comprising foam, at least one blowing agent; and optionally one or more surfactants, one or more flame retardants, one or more antioxidants, or combinations thereof characterized in that the reactive composition further comprises a reactive viscosity reducer selected from at least one acrylate and/or methacrylate compound having no isocyanate-reactive groups and having a viscosity at 25° C. below 100 mPa.Math.s.

Provided are resin composition and a molded article produced therefrom, the resin composition comprising: a polycarbonate resin; a rubber-modified aromatic vinyl-based copolymer resin; a conductive additive including a carbon fiber and a carbon nanotube; talc; and a foaming agent, wherein the carbon fiber and the carbon nanotube are contained in a weight ratio of 1:0.1 to 1:0.4.

Foam composites and methods of preparation thereof are discussed. For example, the foam composite may include a polymeric material and a particulate filler, wherein the compressive strength of the foam composite is equal to or greater than 20 psi, the density is 4 pcf to 40 pcf, and wherein the thermal conductivity is equal to or less than 0.050 W/m K. the particulate filler may include fly ash, e.g., in an amount of about of 45% to about 75% by weight with respect to the total weight of the foam composite. The foam composite may be prepared from a mixture of a polyol, an isocyanate, the particulate filler, and a liquid blowing agent having a boiling point equal to or greater than 25° C. or 30° C.