Propoxylated Polyols Reducing Viscosity via Blended Starter Mixtures
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for producing polyols with high functionality and low viscosity are economically and ecologically inefficient, as they result in high viscosities that hinder industrial processing, particularly in polyurethane foam formulations.
Innovation Solution
The use of propoxylated starter mixtures comprising sucrose, sorbitol, glycerol, and biodiesel, which significantly reduces viscosity while maintaining high hydroxy values and functionality, enabling the synthesis of polyols with improved processing capabilities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If sucrose-started polyols with high starter functionality (up to 8) are used to achieve improved pressure resistances, then the pressure resistance is improved, but the viscosity becomes too high for industrial processing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines sucrose and sorbitol starters in a single polyol system, where sorbitol (functionality 6) is integrated with sucrose (functionality 8) to create a blended starter system. This merging allows achieving high functionality (7-8) through sucrose while sorbitol contributes to reducing overall viscosity, resolving the contradiction between pressure resistance and processability
Solution Approach 2:
The invention creates a composite polyol system containing both sucrose-derived and sorbitol-derived polyether chains. This composite structure leverages the high functionality of sucrose for pressure resistance while incorporating sorbitol segments that provide lower viscosity, enabling both improved reliability and ease of operation
2Quantity of substance
If polyol blends of sorbitol- and sucrose-started polyols are used to reach higher starter functionalities, then the starter functionality is improved, but the mix viscosity remains approximately the stoichiometric mean and is still too high for existing formulations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary propoxylation of the sucrose-sorbitol-glycerol-biodiesel mixture before combining with polyol. This preliminary action creates a modified starter system where propylene oxide chains are already attached, reducing the viscosity contribution of the high-functionality sucrose component before blending occurs, thereby achieving high functionality with lower than expected viscosity
3Ease of operation
If sorbitol proportions are increased to reduce viscosity, then the viscosity is reduced, but the cost and complexity of the formulation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the specific parameter ranges of the starter mixture components, particularly maintaining sucrose at 30-70 wt% and sorbitol at 5-40 wt% within the total starter mixture. This parameter optimization achieves the desired viscosity reduction while controlling formulation complexity through defined compositional boundaries
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
This approach allows for the production of polyols with lower viscosities than traditional blends, facilitating their use in polyurethane formulations by reducing viscosity even with low sorbitol proportions, thus overcoming the limitations of high viscosity in existing methods.
Implementation Method 1
reacting a mixture of a1) 0.5-43% of sucrose, a2) 0.5-36% of sorbitol, a3) 0.5-12% of glycerol, a4) 0.5-30% of one or more fatty acids and/or fatty acid esters, and a5) 21-82% of one or more alkylene oxides having 2 to 4 carbon atoms, in the presence of a catalyst
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to polyols and the preparation and use thereof.