Polyurethane Polymer Rapid Solidification
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Solution Overview
Problem
Thermoplastically processible polyurethane polymers with hardness ≤60 Shore A face challenges in achieving optimal mechanical and processing properties due to incompatibilities between hard and soft phases, leading to slow solidification and instability, especially when plasticizer-free.
Innovation Solution
A novel thermoplastically processible polyurethane polymer is developed by reacting linear polyether or polyester polyols with specific diisocyanates and diols in a solvent-free process, maintaining specific molar ratios to achieve rapid solidification and improved mechanical properties.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If plasticizer-free soft TPU is used to maintain mechanical durability, then long-term stability is improved, but solidification rate deteriorates (very slow solidification)
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical composition parameters by introducing specific polyol mixtures (combining polyether and polyester polyols in controlled ratios) and adjusting the NCO/OH ratio during processing. These parameter changes enable the material to achieve both rapid solidification and mechanical durability without plasticizers, resolving the contradiction between solidification rate and long-term stability.
2Stability of the object's composition
If hard and soft segments are coupled with high polarity difference, then phase separation occurs, but mechanical properties deteriorate (incompatibility between phases)
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the chemical parameters by selecting specific polyol types (polyether and polyester combinations) and controlling the NCO/OH ratio to optimize the polarity balance between hard and soft segments. This enables adequate chemical coupling while maintaining phase separation, thereby achieving both compositional stability and good mechanical properties.
3Stability of the object's composition
If multistage OH-prepolymer process is used to improve homogeneity, then phase distribution is improved, but solidification rate deteriorates (slows down solidification)
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the processing into two distinct stages: a controlled prepolymer formation stage followed by a rapid chain extension stage. This segmentation allows homogeneity to be established in the first stage while the second stage enables rapid solidification, thus resolving the contradiction between homogeneity and solidification rate.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary prepolymer formation to establish homogeneous phase distribution before the final chain extension step. This preliminary action ensures that when the chain extension occurs, the material can solidify rapidly without compromising the homogeneity already established, resolving the contradiction between homogeneity and solidification rate.
4Ease of operation
If pre-extension of soft segment is performed to improve demoulding, then demouldability is improved, but high molecular weight is not achieved (incompatibility at high hardness)
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the processing into two distinct stages: a controlled prepolymer formation stage followed by a rapid chain extension stage. This segmentation allows homogeneity to be established in the first stage while the second stage enables rapid solidification, thus resolving the contradiction between homogeneity and solidification rate.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary prepolymer formation to establish homogeneous phase distribution before the final chain extension step. This preliminary action ensures that when the chain extension occurs, the material can solidify rapidly without compromising the homogeneity already established, resolving the contradiction between homogeneity and solidification rate.
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 polymer exhibits rapid solidification, high abrasion resistance, low compression set, improved hydrolysis stability, and enhanced mechanical damping, allowing for easier demolding and better adhesion to other polymers, while maintaining mechanical durability without plasticizers.
Implementation Method 1
reacting (A) one or more essentially linear polyether polyols and/or polyester polyols, where the total amount of component (A) has an average molecular weight in the range from 500 g/mol to 5000 g/mol
Implementation Method 2
incompatibilities between the hard and soft phase arise on account of excessively high differences in polarity between these phases
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a novel thermoplastically processible polyurethane polymer having a hardness of ≤60 Shore A, to compositions containing this polyurethane polymer, to the uses thereof and to articles containing this polyurethane polymer.