Foam materials for insulation, derived from high internal phase emulsions
US5753359A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jul 15, 1996 |
| Grant date | May 19, 1998 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 15, 2016 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10T428/249978
- WIPO fieldMacromolecular chemistry, polymers
- WIPO sectorChemistry
Abstract
The present invention relates to compressable polymeric foam materials useful as insulation. These polymeric foams are prepared by polymerization of certain water-in-oil emulsions having a relatively high ratio of water phase to oil phase, commonly known as "HIPEs." The polymeric foam materials comprise a generally hydrophobic, flexible or semi-flexible, nonionic polymeric foam structure of interconnected open-cells. The foam structures have: PA1 (a) a specific surface area per foam volume of at least about 0.01 m.sup.2 /cc; PA1 (b) an expanded density of less than about 0.05 g/cc; and PA1 (c) a ratio of expanded to compressed thickness of at least about 3:1; PA1 wherein when the foam is compressed to 33% of its original expanded thickness and is thereafter maintained without artificial restraint on its surface, said foam will reexpand by no more than 50% after 21 days at ambient temperature (22.degree. C.). In a preferred embodiment, the foams of the present invention, when heated to their Tg or higher, will reexpand to 90% of their original thickness within about 1 day or less. The invention also relates to a process for making the compressible polymeric foam material comprising …
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.