Composite panel

Abstract

Composite panel which comprises a layer of foamed material having a density of less than 100 kg/m.sup.3 which layer is sandwiched between 2 layers of fiber reinforced polyisocyanurate material.

Claims

1. A process for making a composite panel, wherein the composite panel comprises a foam material sandwiched between two fiber containing polyisocyanurate layers, the method comprising: applying a reactive composite comprising (i) a polyisocyanate, (ii) a polyether polyol, (iii) a trimerization catalyst, and (iv) a fiber onto at least a portion of two sides of the foam material thereby forming a coated foam material; placing the coated foam material into a mould; and forming the polyisocyanurate layers by reacting components (i), (ii), and (iii) at a temperature ranging from 50 C. to 200 C. while the coated foam material is in the mould thereby forming the composite panel, wherein (a) the foam material is selected from the group consisting of polystyrene, foam polyethylene, foamed polypropylene, and foamed polyurethane, (b) the foam material has a density of less than 100 kg/m.sup.3, and (c) the reactive composite has been pre-formed and stored at a temperature less than or equal to ambient temperature for a period of time before being applied onto the foam material.

2. The process according to claim 1, wherein the mould comprises a release agent disposed on at least those surfaces of the mould which will be in contact with the foam material or the reactive composition.

3. The process according to claim 1, wherein the temperature ranges from 80 C. to 150 C.

4. The process according to claim 1, wherein the foam material in the composite has a density ranging from 10 kg/m.sup.3 to 50 kg/m.sup.3.

5. The process according to claim 1, wherein the foam material in the composite has a density ranging from 10 kg/m.sup.3 to 35 kg/m.sup.3.

6. The process according to claim 1, wherein the foam material in the composite has a density ranging from 10 kg/m.sup.3 to 25 kg/m.sup.3.

7. The process according to claim 1, wherein the thickness of the foam material is greater than the thickness of the polyisocyanurate layers together.

8. The process according to claim 7, wherein the foam material is a polyurethane foam material.

9. The process according to claim 1, wherein components (i), (ii), and (iii) are reacted at a pressure ranging from 0.1 mPA to 100 mPA above atmospheric pressure.

10. The process according to claim 1, further comprising removing the composite panel from the mould.

Description

EXAMPLE 1

(1) An open cell, acoustic polyurethane foam having a density of 22 kg/m.sup.3 was used as the light weight layer. The size of the layer was 100501 cm. 450 g of glass matt was evenly spread and positioned upon one side of the light weight layer and sprayed with 450 g of a reactive binder composition. Then the layer and the glass matter were turned upside down and another 450 g of glass matt was evenly spread and positioned upon the other (opposite) side of the light weight layer. This glass matt was also sprayed with 450 g of said reactive binder composition. Then these 3 layers were put in a mould having as internal size: 100501.2 cm. The mould was treated with external mould release agent (Acmosil 35-5119). The mould temperature was 140 C. Subsequently the mould was closed. After 10 minutes a light weight, very strong composite panel according to the present invention was demoulded. Without treating the mould with further external mould release agent, 50 composite panels were made following the above procedure. The experiment was voluntarily stopped. All panels could be demoulded without damage.

(2) The reactive binder composition was sprayed with a mix gun combining 225 pbw of Suprasec 5115, ex Huntsman and a polyol composition (index 181). The polyol composition was made before, by combining and mixing the following ingredients: 59.04 pbw Daltolac R200, ex Huntsman; 25.27 parts by weight (pbw) of Simulsol TOFP ex Seppic SA; 6.7 pbw of Loxiol G71S, ex Cognis; 4.33 pbw Sylfat 2R ex Arizona Chemical; 0.79 pbw of Priolube 1414 ex Uniqema, 0.55 pbw of catalyst LB ex Huntsman, 2.35 pbw of black Repitan IN99430 ex Repi, 0.5 pbw of BYK LPX7102 ex BYK-chemie and 0.47 pbw of water.

EXAMPLE 2

(3) An open cell, acoustic polyurethane foam having a density of 22 kg/m.sup.3 was used as the light weight layer. The size of the layer was 100501 cm. 450 g of glass matt was evenly spread and positioned upon one side of the light weight layer and sprayed with 450 g of a reactive binder composition. Then the layer and the glass matter were turned upside down and another 900 g of glass matt was evenly spread and positioned upon the other (opposite) side of the light weight layer. This glass matt was sprayed with 900 g of said reactive binder composition. Then these 3 layers were put in a mould having as internal size: 100501.2 cm. The mould was treated with external mould release agent (Acmosil 35-5119). The mould temperature was 100-120 C. Subsequently the mould was closed. After 10 minutes a light weight, very strong composite panel according to the present invention was demoulded.

(4) The reactive binder composition was sprayed with a mix gun combining 225 pbw of Suprasec 5115, ex Huntsman and a polyol composition (index 181). The polyol composition was made before, by combining and mixing the following ingredients: 59.04 pbw Daltolac R200, ex Huntsman; 25.27 parts by weight (pbw) of Simulsol TOFP ex Seppic SA; 6.7 pbw of Loxiol G71S, ex Cognis; 4.33 pbw Sylfat 2R ex Arizona Chemical; 0.79 pbw of Priolube 1414 ex Uniqema, 0.55 pbw of catalyst LB ex Huntsman, 2.35 pbw of black Repitan IN99430 ex Repi, 0.5 pbw of BYK LPX7102 ex BYK-chemie and 0.47 pbw of water.

EXAMPLE 3 (COMPARATIVE)

(5) Example 2 was repeated with the proviso that trimerization catalyst, catalyst LB, was not used, that the index was 100 and that 0.5 pbw of urethane catalyst Dabco EG was employed.

(6) The panels obtained according to examples 2 and 3 had the following properties:

(7) TABLE-US-00001 Overall Flexural Tensile Impact Burn density, Modulus, Strength, Pendulum, through, kg/m.sup.3 MPa MPa kJ/m.sup.2 min Example 2 210 421 280 4.92 6.5 Example 3 210 381 122 3.86 0.75

(8) The following tests were used: density: DIN 53420; flexural modulus: ISO 14125; tensile strength: ISO 527 pt 1 and 2; impact pendulum: ISO 180; and burn through: this is a test wherein the time is measured which it takes for a flame to burn from one side to the other through a test piece as made above but cut to pieces of 1515 cm, wherein a propane torch is used with a flame temperature of about 1200 C., wherein the torch is kept at a distance of about 5 cm from the middle of the thin glass mat layer side with the flame on the thin glass mat layer side.