A method of producing a polyurethane or polyisocyanurate foam is provided which involves the use of a specific combination of hydrofluoroolefin blowing agents and cell nucleators. The resulting foams have excellent long term thermal insulating performance and have reduced thickness in comparison to conventional thermal insulating boards. The rigid polyurethane and polyisocyanurate boards may be used to insulate refrigeration bodies, such as those employed in vehicles comprising refrigeration units, and cold storage containers.

The invention relates to a method for producing isocyanurates and isocyanurate-containing polyurethanes, comprising the step of reacting an isocyanate in the presence of a catalyst.

The present disclosure is directed to articles that include one or more coated fiber(s) (i.e., fiber(s) with a cured coating disposed thereon), where the coating includes a matrix of crosslinked polymers and optionally a colorant (e.g., pigment particles or dye or both). The cured coating is a product of crosslinking a coating composition including uncrosslinked polymers (e.g., a dispersion of uncrosslinked polymers in a carrier, wherein the uncrosslinked polymers are crosslinked to form the matrix of crosslinked polymers). The present disclosure is also directed to articles including the coated fibers, methods of forming the coated fibers and articles, and methods of making articles including the coated fibers.

Panel systems and related methods of controlling sound transmission are discussed. For example, the panel system may include a sound control component, which may include a foam composite of a polymer and an inorganic filler. The panel system may further include an attachment mechanism, e.g., including at least one fastener, at least one bracket, and/or at least one rail or rail system. The attachment mechanism may be configured to secure the sound control component between a first wall and a second wall, such that the panel system controls sound transmission between the first and second walls.

The disclosed aliphatic thermoplastic polyurethane composition is well suited for use in thin, flexible light directing articles to impart flexibility, toughness, or protection to the light directing articles that contain optically active elements. The disclosed aliphatic thermoplastic polyurethanes have improved thermostability at higher temperatures. Specifically, the disclosed aliphatic thermoplastic polyurethanes have a cross-over temperature greater than 110° C. In one embodiment, the cross-over temperature is greater than 130° C. In one embodiment, the cross-over temperature is less than 170° C. and a Tg greater than 35° C. and less than 70° C.

The present invention relates to a process for the preparation of a coating, a coated substrate, an adhesive, film or sheet, which process comprises the application of a formulation mixture containing a reactive system onto a substrate. According to the invention a low VOC formulation mixture is used, wherein more than 40% of the carbon in the combined amount of the formulation mixture is modern carbon according to ASTM D6866.

Modified lignin products, processes for making them, and their use to produce rigid polyurethane or polyisocyanurate foams are disclosed. The processes comprise heating a lignin source with a nitrogen source and a starved concentration of a C.sub.1-C.sub.5 aldehyde to give a reaction mixture comprising a Mannich condensation product, neutralizing the reaction mixture, and isolating the modified lignin product. The process is performed at a mass ratio of lignin source to nitrogen source within the range of 1:1 to 1:5 and at a molar ratio of nitrogen source to C.sub.1-C.sub.5 aldehyde within the range of 3.5:1 to 1:1. Polyol blends and performance additives that contain the modified lignin products are described. Rigid foams that process well and incorporate up to 60 wt.%, based on the amount of polyol component, of the modified lignin contribute to excellent flame retardancy and low-temperature R-value performance.

A method for preparing rigid polyurethane (PUR) foams or rigid polyisocyanurate (PIR) foams in which method the rigid PUR or PIR foam is prepared by reacting a composition (C) comprising: at least one isocyanate-reactive component (B1) having functional groups selected from hydroxyl, amine and thiol groups; at least one isocyanate component (A1) having an average functionality of less than 2.70; and at least one blowing agent [blowing agent (BA), herein after]; with the proviso that the overall average functionality [F.sub.n,avg(A), herein after] of all isocyanate components present in the composition (C) is less than 2.70; wherein the composition (C) is characterized by an isocyanate index X, wherein the rigid PUR or PIR foams are produced by depositing the composition (C) between two gas-tight facing sheets and wherein the rigid PUR or PIR foam is characterized by a difference Δλ between the initial thermal conductivity value λ.sub.ini and the aged thermal conductivity value λ.sub.aged of said rigid PUR or PIR foam wherein: when X≤200 then Δλ<1.35; and when X>200 then Δλ<[6.49−(4.46*F.sub.n,avg(A))−(0.02348*X)+(0.492*F.sub.n,avg(A)*F.sub.n,avg(A))+(0.01343*F.sub.n,avg(A)*X)+0.3].

The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a solids-incorporating polymer comprising the steps of: I) providing an aqueous polymer dispersion, the dispersion comprising crystallizing polyurethane particles having a mean particle size of ≤500 nm and further comprising inorganic particles; II) storing the dispersion of step I) at a temperature of ≤0° C. until a precipitate is formed; III) Isolating the precipitate of step II) and IV) removing water from the isolated precipitate of step III), thereby obtaining a water-depleted precipitate. The invention also relates to a solid particulate composition which is obtainable by the method and the use of the composition as a build material in additive manufacturing processes, as a coating, an adhesive or as a rubber.

The invention provides a gelcoat composition for coating a sanitised water pool, the composition comprising: curable polymeric components comprising: (i) an unsaturated polyester base resin and (ii) a polyester-polyurethane prepolymer, wherein the polyester-polyurethane prepolymer is terminally functionalised with polymerizable ethylenically unsaturated functional groups; and reactive diluent, wherein the unsaturated polyester base resin is present in an amount of greater than 50 wt. % of the curable polymeric components, and wherein the polyester-polyurethane prepolymer is present in an amount of no more than 25 wt. % of the gelcoat composition.