RIGID, LOW DENSITY POLYURETHANE FOAM IS WIDELY USED IN CUSHIONING AND FLOTATION APPLICATIONS.

RIGID, LOW DENSITY POLYURETHANE FOAM IS WIDELY USED IN CUSHIONING AND FLOTATION APPLICATIONS. IT DOES POSSESS CERTAIN DISADVANTAGES, INCLUDING COMBUSTABILITY, TOXIC GAS EVOLUTION IN A FIRE AND POOR DIMENSIONAL STABILITY. PHENOLIC FOAMS ARE MORE STABLE, DO NOT SUPPORT COMBUSTION AND LACK THE FUNCTIONAL GROUPS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE GASES, BUT THEY LACK STRENGTH AND RESISTANCE TO ABRASION. WE PROPOSE TO DEVELOP PHENOLIC FOAMS WITH IMPROVED PHYSICAL PROPERTIES AND SUITABLE FOR FOAM-IN-PLACE APPLICATIONS. THESE FOAMS ARE TO CONSIST OF TWO COMPONENTS, BOTH BEING PHENOL-ALDEHYDE BASED, WITH ONE COMPONENT BEING AN ALKALI-CATALYZED AND THE OTHER AN ACID-CATALYZED PRECONDENSATE. SURFACTANT AND BLOWING AGENT WILL BE ADDED TO THE SYSTEM TO PROVIDE THE CELLULAR STRUCTURE. THE PHYSICAL PROPERTIES TO BE IMPROVED INCLUDE FLEXIBILITY, FRIABILITY AND MECHANICAL STRENGTH. TO ACHIEVE THIS THE BASIC RESINS WILL BE MODIFIED TO REDUCE FUNCTIONALITY AND CONTROL CROSS-LINKING DURING THE CURE.