Using a polyol mixture comprising PBD for creating a PU-based artificial turf
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Artificial turf fibers face issues with mechanical wear, UV resistance, thermal cycling, chemical interactions, and environmental conditions, leading to reduced durability and surface characteristics over time, especially due to weak Van-der-Waals forces between hydrophobic polyolefin fibers and hydrophilic polyurethane backings, and susceptibility to water-induced swelling and saponification.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the creation of a polyurethane (PU) backing by reacting polyether or polyester polyols with isocyanates, incorporating polybutadiendiol to increase hydrophobicity and stability, and using a wetting agent to enhance fiber fixation, resulting in a hydrolytically stable and strongly adhering PU backing that exhibits a stick-slip effect for improved fiber retention.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If polyurethane backing is used to fix artificial turf fibers, then fiber fixation is achieved, but the Van-der-Waals forces between hydrophobic polyolefin fibers and hydrophilic polyurethane are weak causing fibers to be easily pulled out
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the chemical composition parameters of the polyurethane by incorporating polybutadiendiol (PBD) at specific weight percentages (0.1-10% of total polyol weight). This changes the hydrophobicity parameter of the PU, enabling stronger Van-der-Waals forces with hydrophobic polyolefin fibers while maintaining the backing's structural integrity and fiber fixation capabilities.
2Ease of manufacture
If standard polyurethane is used for the backing, then manufacturing is straightforward, but the PU is susceptible to water-induced swelling and saponification reducing durability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a composite polyurethane system by combining standard polyurethane with polybutadiendiol (PBD). This composite material retains the ease of manufacture of conventional PU while adding hydrolytic stability through PBD's hydrophobic character, preventing water-induced swelling and saponification that would otherwise degrade the backing over time.
3Strength
If polybutadiendiol is added to increase hydrophobicity, then fiber attachment is improved, but the reaction mixture complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent systematically varies the PBD concentration parameter within an optimized range (0.1-10% of total polyol weight) to achieve the desired balance between hydrophobicity and mixture manageability. This parameter optimization allows improved fiber attachment through enhanced Van-der-Waals forces while keeping the reaction mixture complexity within acceptable manufacturing limits.
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 method provides a durable and long-lasting artificial turf with enhanced resistance to mechanical wear, UV exposure, and water, ensuring the fibers are firmly fixed and resistant to tuft withdrawal forces, maintaining surface characteristics and appearance over the turf's lifespan.
Implementation Method 1
By adding polybutadiendiol (PBD) in the reaction mixture used for creating the PU in a polyaddition reaction, the PU is made more hydrophobic and the attachment of the PU to the fiber via Van-der-Waals forces is increased.
Implementation Method 2
Van-der-Waals forces between the fibers and the PU backing are weak and fibers may easily be pulled out of a PU backing when a tuft-withdrawal force is applied. By adding polybutadiendiol (PBD) in the reaction mixture used for creating the PU in a polyaddition reaction, the PU is made more hydrophobic and the attachment of the PU to the fiber via Van-der-Waals forces is increased.
Implementation Method 3
US 2009/0275690 A1 describes a method for promoting adhesion between an apolar material, e.g. polyethylene and a polar material, e.g. polyurethane.
Data Source
AI summary
Method of manufacturing an artificial turf includes: creating fluid polyurethane mass, the creation comprising reacting first and second polyols with an isocyanate, the first polyol being a polyether polyol and/or a polyester polyol having at least 2 hydroxyl groups per molecule, the second polyol being polybutadiendiol; the isocyanate comprising isocyanate monomers, isocyanate polymers or isocyanate prepolymers or a mixture thereof, the isocyanate monomers, isocyanate polymers and the isocyanate prepolymers having two or more isocyanate groups per molecule; incorporating an artificial turf fiber into a carrier such that a first portion of the fiber protrudes to the front side of the carrier and that a second portion of the fiber is located at the back side of the carrier; and adding the fluid polyurethane mass on the back side of the carrier; and hardening the fluid polyurethane mass.