Abstract: Non-crystallizing N,N′-disubstituted N-(2-hydroxyalkyl)-ureas are used as hydrolysis protection agents in plastics containing ester groups. These disubstituted hydroxy-alkylureas impart excellent protection from hydrolysis to plastics containing ester groups and can be added directly to the plastics to be stabilized without the addition of special solvents.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a novel photochromic polyurethane consisting essentially of an isocyanate reactive mixture consisting essentially of: i) from about 40 to about 85% by weight of one or more polyols having a nominal functionality of from 2 to 4 and molecular weights of from 500 to 6000 g/mole; ii) from about 15 to about 60% by weight of one or more diols or triols or mixtures thereof having a functionality of from 2 to 3 and molecular weights of from 62 to 499; b) an aliphatic polyisocyanate having a functionality ranging from about 2 to about 3; and c) a photochromic compound selected from a group consisting of spirooxazines, fulgides, fulgimides, and naphthopyrans, wherein the photochromic compound is present in an amount of 0.01 to 5 parts per hundred parts by weight of the isocyanate reactive mixture.

Abstract: An apparatus is described which consists of a rigid plate and a vacuum insulation panel, in which the vacuum insulation panel is fixed to the rigid plate by a polyurethane foam applied as a liquid reaction mixture, wherein the vacuum insulation panel contains open-cell rigid plastics foam and/or open-cell rigid plastics foam recyclate. A refrigerated cabinet element containing said apparatus is additionally described.

Abstract: Molded polyurethane articles are made by reacting polyisocyanates with polyol compositions obtained by chemical decomposition of polyurethane and/or polyurea waste in a mold. The polyol compositions employed in this invention have an OH value of from about 100 to about 500 mg KOH/g, a water content of from 0 to about 5 wt. % and a viscosity at 20.degree. C. of more than 2,000 mPa.s. These molded polyurethane articles preferably have a sandwich structure in which the core is a polyurethane and there is at least one outer layer made from an optionally fiber-reinforced plastic material. These molded polyurethane articles are useful in the motor vehicle, furniture, machine and equipment manufacturing industries.

Abstract: A process is provided for the purification of sulfuric acid contaminated with impurities, such as nitric acid, nitrosylsulfuric acid, dinitrotoluenes and mononitrotoluenes, wherein this contaminated sulfuric acid was obtained from the production of nitrated toluene using toluene and nitric acid. The contaminated sulfuric acid is preheated to a temperature in the range of 50 to 180.degree. C. in a heat exchanger. The heated, contaminated sulfuric acid is freed from steam-volatile impurities, such as dinitrotoluenes and mononitrotoluenes, and the nitrogen-containing compounds within the sulfuric acid are decomposed by counter currently contacting the contaminated sulfuric acid with steam and vapors from a downstream concentration step in a steam stripper, which is operated at a pressure ranging from 300 to 1,000 mbars. The steam-stripped sulfuric acid is fed into a first concentration stage, which is operated at the same pressure used in the steam stripper.

Abstract: A process and a device are described for the continuous production of block foam by the foaming of a mixture which reacts to form polyurethane and which contains carbon dioxide dissolved under pressure, wherein the pressure of the reactive mixture is reduced on passing through a pressure reduction zone in the form of an aperture, and blockage of the aperture is prevented by the relative movement of the aperture-delimiting faces with respect to each other.

Abstract: Isocyanates or isocyanate mixtures which are substantially free of color-imparting components are made by treating the isocyanate with hydrogen in the presence of a catalyst at a pressure of from about 3 to about 150 bar, a temperature of from about 100 to about 180.degree. C. for from about 15 minutes to about 4 hours. These isocyanates are particularly useful for the preparation of light-colored polyurethane rigid foams.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for preparing solid, microcellular or expanded plastic molded items, characterized in that said molded items are produced in molds in which the internal surfaces consist of steel with the percentage composition:a) Fe: having a wt % greater than 0 wt % and less than 100 wt %;b) at least one element selected from the group consisting of W, Mo, or V, wherein if W is selected, W is present from a range greater than 0 wt % to 40 wt %; wherein if Mo is selected, Mo is present from a range greater than 0 wt % to 12 wt %; and if V is selected, V is present from a range greater than 0 wt % to 5 wt %;c) at least one element selected from the group consisting of Cr, Al, wherein if Cr is selected, Cr is present in a concentration of greater than 0 wt % to 15 wt %; and if Al is selected, Al is present in a concentration of greater than 0 wt % to 15 wt %;d) optionally, carbon at a concentration ranging from 0.1 to 1.5 wt %;e) optionally, cobalt at a concentration ranging from 0.

Abstract: N-Phenyl-1-naphthylamine can be prepared by reaction of aniline and 1-naphthylamine in the liquid phase at 100-400.degree. C. under normal pressure, a catalyst mixture comprising boron and fluorine being employed. Such catalyst mixtures can be obtained, for example, by reaction of hydrogen fluoride, boric acid and aniline and/or 1-naphthylamine. The catalyst is recovered and can be employed again. The reaction can be carried out discontinuously or continuously.

Abstract: A process is described for the continuous production of polyurethane block foam using carbon dioxide which is physically dissolved under pressure as a foaming agent, wherein before the polyol and isocyanate components are mixed the carbon dioxide is dissolved in the polyol component and air or nitrogen is dissolved in the isocyanate component, both components are fed to a mixing chamber in which a pressure prevails which is 70 to 150% of the solution pressure of the CO.sub.2 in the polyol component, the isocyanate component is fed to the mixing chamber at a pressure of at least 30 bar and is injected therein with depressurization down to the mixing chamber pressure, wherein air or nitrogen in an amount of at least 1 g per kg CO.sub.2 is dissolved in the isocyanate component, and after emerging from the mixing chamber the mixture is depressurization to atmospheric pressure.

Abstract: A multilayer flat molding with a visible side and a supporting layer, for example bathtubs or shower fittings, is described, the visible side consisting of a polyurethane surface coating layer and the supporting layer consisting of a reinforced polyurethane layer.

Abstract: Polyol formulations, containing polyether polyols possessing 40 to 80 wt. % of tertiary amino groups and having an OH number of 300 to 500, preferably 350 to 420, obtainable by addition of exclusively propylene oxide to o-toluene diamine, which contain cyclopentane and/or n- and/or i-pentane and/or hydrofluoroalkanes as blowing agent, are used for the manufacture of rigid polyurethane foams by reacting with organic polyisocyanates, optionally further compounds with at least two hydrogen atoms reactive to isocyanates, optionally in the presence of water, and further blowing agents known per se as well as conventional auxiliaries and additives.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a novel photochromic polyurethane consisting essentially of an isocyanate reactive mixture consisting essentially of: i) from about 40 to about 85% by weight of one or more polyols having a nominal functionality of from 2 to 4 and molecular weights of from 500 to 6000 g/mole; ii) from about 15 to about 60% by weight of one or more diols or triols or mixtures thereof having a functionality of from 2 to 3 and molecular weights of from 62 to 499; b) an aliphatic polyisocyanate having a functionality ranging from about 2 to about 3; and c) a photochromic compound selected from a group consisting of spirooxazines, fulgides, fulgimides, and naphthopyrans, wherein the photochromic compound is present in an amount of 0.01 to 5 parts per hundred parts by weight of the isocyanate reactive mixture.

Abstract: A process for antifelt finishing of wool material composed of especially animal hairs by means of a low temperature plasma treatment, characterized in that moist wool material having a water content of 4 to 40% by weight is exposed, prior to further processing into textile fabrics or webs, to a high frequency discharge having a frequency of 1 kHz to 3 GHz and a discharge power density of 0.001 to 3 W/cm.sup.3 at a pressure of 10.sup.-2 to 10 mbar for a period of 1 to 600 sec in the presence or absence of non-polymerized gases.

Abstract: Storage-stable, one-component polyurethane compositions which cure at elevated temperature are made up of (a) an isocyanate which has been blocked with a phenol or an oxime, (b) at least one compound selected from polyketimines, polyenamines and oxazolidines, and (c) a compound which generates water at elevated temperature. Components (a), (b) and (c) are used in amounts such that the equivalent ratio of a:b:c is from about 1.0:0.1:0.5 to about 1:2:2.

Abstract: Polyether polyols are produced by acid-catalyzed polyaddition of alkylene oxides to starter compounds having active hydrogen atoms. Perfluoroalkylsulfonic acid salts of metals from Group IIIA of the Periodic Table of Elements (corresponding to the IUPAC Convention of 1970) are used as the catalyst. The polyaddition reaction is carried out at a temperature of from 40 to 200.degree. C. at normal pressure or pressures from 0 to 20 mbar (absolute). An inert organic solvent may optionally be included in the reaction mixture. Substantially all of the catalyst is removed from the polyether polyol-containing reaction mixture by lowering the temperature and/or by addition of a precipitating agent and/or by extraction with water. If desired, the recovered catalyst may be used in subsequent polyaddition reactions.

Abstract: Aromatic amines are produced by catalytic hydrogenation of corresponding aromatic nitro compounds in the gas phase, by carrying out the hydrogenation in the presence of catalysts which, besides palladium, vanadium and lead, contain in addition molybdenum, tungsten and/or rhenium on a ceramic support having a BET surface area of less than 40 m.sup.3 /g, at temperatures of from 180.degree. C. to 500.degree. C. in a catalyst bed and in a molar ratio of hydrogen to the nitro group or nitro groups of 3:1 to 30:1.

Abstract: Rigid polyurethanes are obtained by reacting (1) a polyisocyanate with (2) a polyol mixture made up of(a) an OH-functional polyester based on a C.sub.9-22 fatty acid with a molecular weight of from about 260 to about 2,000,(b) a non-functional oligomeric polyolefin with a molecular weight of from about 700 to about 6,000 and optionally(c) an at least difunctional polyol and/or polyamine with a molecular weight of from about 62 to about 8,000 (preferably from about 62 to about 400) which is different from (a),optionally in the presence of (3) a blowing agent such as water and (4) an auxiliary agent and/or additive of the type typically used in polyurethane chemistry.

Abstract: A process for preparing polyurethane rigid foams from polyols and polyisocyanates as well as blowing agents and optionally foam auxiliary agents, characterized in that the polyurethane rigid foam is obtained by reactingA) a polyol component with on average at least 3 hydrogen atoms, containing1. 60 to 100% of polyethers and/or polyesters with at least 2 hydroxyl groups and a molecular weight of 250 to 1,500, which have a surface tension of 6 to 14 mN/m with respect to i-pentane and/or n-pentane as blowing agent,2. i-pentane and/or n-pentane as blowing agent,3. water and4. optionally auxiliary agents and additiveswithB) a polyisocyanate with an NCO-content of 20 to 48 wt. % which has a surface tension of 4.0 to 8 mN/m with respect to i-pentane or n-pentane as blowing agentis described.

Abstract: Cure of the binder used to produce a lignocellulosic composite material in a press is monitored by (1) inserting a transmitter probe and a receiver probe into the composite-forming mixture at parallel points; (2) passing an ultrasonic signal from the transmitter probe through the composite-forming mixture to the receiver probe; (3) measuring the pulse velocity of the ultrasonic signal; and (4) comparing the measured pulse velocity to that of a standard (i.e., velocity of pulse through a composite article in which the binder is completely cured). When the measured velocity and the velocity of the standard are equal, the composite article is removed from the press. This technique is particularly useful for monitoring the commercial production of composite and engineered wood products.