Polyurethane Binder System Alkoxylated Diamine Curing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Two-component polyurethane binder systems used in food packaging face issues with toxic migration of monomeric polyisocyanates, leading to contamination and anti-sealing effects, requiring lengthy storage times to ensure compliance with regulatory limits, and existing solutions compromise on reactivity, pot life, or complexity.

Innovation Solution

A binder system utilizing a special polyol mixture containing at least one alkoxylated diamine to harden isocyanate-terminated polyurethane prepolymers, allowing for rapid chemical curing and minimizing migration of primary aromatic amines, while maintaining a long pot life for ease of processing.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If conventional isocyanate-terminated polyurethane prepolymers with high concentrations of isocyanate monomers are used, then adhesive strength and bonding performance are improved, but migration of primary aromatic amines increases and curing time extends

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveadhesive strengthVSAvoidstorage time
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the chemical parameters of the hardener component by using alkoxylated diamines with specific molecular weights (50-500 g/mol) and alkoxylate ratios (1-10), which fundamentally alters the curing kinetics and migration behavior of the system, enabling rapid curing with minimal PAA migration

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a composite binder system combining isocyanate-terminated polyurethane prepolymers with alkoxylated diamine hardeners, where the synergistic interaction between components achieves both high adhesive strength and rapid curing with low migration

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

2Speed

If conventional metal catalysts or amine catalysts are used to accelerate curing, then curing speed is improved, but pot life is reduced and processing becomes difficult

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecuring speedVSAvoidpot life
Core Design Contradiction:
SpeedVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs alkoxylated diamines that function as both hardener and curing accelerator, sacrificing some of the diamine's reactivity to achieve rapid curing without requiring separate catalyst systems, thereby maintaining long pot life for easy processing

Inventive Principle:
Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent optimizes the molecular weight and alkoxylate ratio parameters of the diamine hardener to achieve ideal pot life characteristics, balancing reactivity for fast curing with stability during processing

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Object-affected harmful factors

If the amount of aromatic polyisocyanates is reduced to prevent migration, then toxicity is reduced, but reactivity is reduced and catalysts are required

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovetoxicityVSAvoidreactivity
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses alkoxylated diamines as intermediary compounds that facilitate rapid curing of isocyanate prepolymers through a controlled reaction mechanism, enabling the system to achieve full cure with minimal free isocyanate and PAA migration without requiring additional catalysts

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

4Strength

If monomeric polyisocyanates migrate and react with fatty acid amides, then adhesive bonding is improved, but anti-seal effect occurs preventing uniform seal seams

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveadhesive bondingVSAvoidanti-seal effect
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs preliminary curing of the binder system using alkoxylated diamines to convert free isocyanate groups into bonded urea linkages before the lamination process, preventing subsequent migration and anti-seal effects during sealing operations while maintaining adhesive strength

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The binder system achieves rapid curing and low migration of primary aromatic amines, ensuring food packaging compliance within a shorter storage time, with a suitable pot life for industrial use, and produces strong adhesive bonds between various substrates.

Implementation Method 1

Upon contact with moisture, the isocyanate groups of the migrates are continuously converted to amino groups, transforming aromatic polyisocyanates into so-called primary aromatic amines (PAAs)

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectChemical reaction (isocyanate hydrolysis): Chemical Bonding

Implementation Method 2

A binder system utilizing a special polyol mixture containing at least one alkoxylated diamine to harden isocyanate-terminated polyurethane prepolymers, allowing for rapid chemical curing

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectChemical reaction (polyurethane curing): Chemical Bonding

Implementation Method 3

ensuring food packaging compliance within a shorter storage time, with a suitable pot life for industrial use, and produces strong adhesive bonds between various substrates

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectChemical bonding (adhesion): Adhesive

Data Source

PatentEP3288995B1Polyurethane-based binder system
Publication Date: 2024.03.20 HENKEL KGAA

AI summary

The present invention relates to a binder system which contains an isocyanate-terminated polyurethane prepolymer as the resin component and a polyol mixture as the curing agent, said polyol mixture containing at least one alkoxylated diamine. The invention also relates to the use of the binder system as an adhesive/sealing material, in particular as a laminating adhesive for food packaging.