Water-Repellent Polyurethane Composition Using Perfluorohexyl Groups
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current polyurethane compositions lack high water repellency and resistance without using perfluorooctylethyl alcohol, which is being phased out for environmental reasons, and alternative materials with perfluoroalkyl groups of 1 to 6 carbon atoms fail to provide comparable water resistance.
Innovation Solution
A polyurethane composition with a specific structure featuring a perfluoroalkyl group attached to an aromatic ring via a urethane bond, forming a branched structure, which imparts high water repellency and resistance, using perfluorohexylethyl alcohol instead of perfluorooctylethyl alcohol.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If perfluorooctylethyl alcohol is used to manufacture water repellent polyurethane, then high water repellency is achieved, but environmental load increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the carbon chain length parameter of the perfluoroalkyl group from 8 carbons (perfluorooctyl) to 6 carbons (perfluorohexyl), thereby reducing environmental load while maintaining water repellency performance. This parameter modification allows the shorter-chain perfluorohexylethyl alcohol to achieve comparable water resistance without the harmful environmental effects of the longer perfluorooctyl chain.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite polyurethane structure combining polyisocyanate, polyol, and perfluorohexylethyl alcohol components. This composite material approach integrates the water-repelling properties of perfluorohexyl groups into the polyurethane matrix, achieving high water repellency while using environmentally friendlier shorter-chain fluorinated alcohol instead of the problematic perfluorooctylethyl alcohol.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If perfluoroalkyl groups with 1 to 6 carbon atoms are used instead of perfluorooctyl groups, then environmental load is reduced, but water repellency is significantly lower
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the perfluoroalkyl chain length to exactly 6 carbons (perfluorohexyl), which is the maximum length that maintains both reduced environmental load and high water repellency. This specific parameter value balances the trade-off between environmental friendliness and water resistance performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent develops a composite polyurethane system where perfluorohexylethyl alcohol is integrated with polyisocyanate and polyol components. This composite approach enhances the water repellency of shorter-chain perfluoroalkyl groups through synergistic interactions in the polyurethane matrix, compensating for the inherently lower water repellency compared to longer perfluorooctyl chains.
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 polyurethane composition achieves water repellency and resistance comparable to those with perfluorooctyl groups, suitable for skin layers of leather-like sheets and various coating applications, while reducing environmental impact.
Implementation Method 1
a polyurethane composition containing a polyurethane (A) having a structure [X]... can impart high water repellency... The perfluoroalkyl group... imparts high water repellency and resistance
Data Source
AI summary
An object of the present invention is to provide a polyurethane composition and a water repellent that have extremely high water repellency comparable to those of known water repellents having a perfluorooctyl group and that can therefore be used to manufacture, for example, coatings and molded products with extremely high water resistance, and also to provide a polyurethane resin composition, containing the water repellent, for forming a skin layer of a leather-like sheet. The present invention relates to a polyurethane composition and a water repellent that contain a polyurethane (A) having a structure [X] represented by general formula [I] and to a polyurethane resin composition, containing the water repellent, for forming a skin layer of a leather-like sheet.