Abstract: A method for alcoholising and hydrolysing polyurethane (PUR) materials made from at least one polyol compound and at least one toluene diisocyanate based compound; wherein the method comprises the following steps: contacting the polyurethane material with at least one alcoholising compound, thereby forming a reaction mixture (M0) and allowing the polyurethane material and the alcoholising compound to react in said reaction mixture (M0), thereby forming a mixture (M); allowing the mixture (M) to separate into at least an upper phase and a lower phase, wherein phase (A) and phase (B) are two immiscible phases; subjecting phase (B) to at least one hydrolysis step, thereby forming a phase (B1); wherein the at least one alcoholising compound is characterized by a melting point of lower than 200° C.; wherein the at least one alcoholising compound is characterized by a hydroxyl functionality of at least 2; and with the proviso that the at least one alcoholising compound is not glycerol.

Abstract: A method for alcoholising polyurethane (PUR) materials made from at least one polyol compound having a hydroxyl value X and at least one polyisocyanate compound; wherein the method includes contacting the polyurethane material with at least one alcoholising compound, thereby forming a reaction mixture (M0) and allowing the polyurethane material and the alcoholising compound to react in the reaction mixture (M0), thereby forming a mixture (M); allowing the mixture (M) to separate into at least two immiscible phases; wherein at least one phase is characterized by a hydroxyl value Y wherein Y?3.5*X; wherein at least one alcoholising compound is characterized by a hydroxyl functionality of at least 4 and by an equivalent weight of at most 65.0 g/mol; with the proviso that when a mixture of alcoholising compounds is used, the average hydroxyl functionality of all alcoholising compounds is at least 4 and the average equivalent weight of all alcoholising compounds is at most 65.0 g/mol.

Abstract: The compressible sealing element (1) comprises at least one piece made of a resilient foam (17). This foam has an open-cell content of at least 50% and has such a hardness that it requires a force of less than 2000 N to compress the sealing element (1) per meter length thereof to such an extent that the volume of a rectangular cuboid circumscribing the sealing element is reduced by 40%. The sealing element comprises a water-impermeable cover layer (18) which extends at least over its top surface. The sealing element is intended for filling at least partially the gaps between the stock rails (13) and the switch rails (12) in a railway switch to prevent the switch from being blocked in particular by snow. Advantages of the new sealing element is that it can easier be inserted in these gaps and that it has a smaller effect on the force required to close the switch so that it can also be applied closer to the free extremity of the switch rail (12).

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for functionalizing a thermoset, crosslinked isocyanate-based polymeric solid material which is made of isocyanate and isocyanate reactive components, at least one of which comprises an anchor component which has at least one anchor group. The anchor groups on the solid material are formed by terminal alkene and/or alkyne groups. To functionalize this polymeric solid material it is brought in contact with a solution which contains at least one functional component. This functional component comprises at least one thiol group and is allowed to bind covalently to the polymeric solid material by a free-radical addition reaction between the thiol groups on the functional component and the terminal alkene and/or alkyne anchor groups on the undissolved solid material. An effective functionalization of the polymeric material can thus be achieved notwithstanding the heterogeneous reaction conditions.

Abstract: The flexible, resilient polyurethane foam is prepared by reacting at least one polyisocyanate with one or more liquid compounds which have at least two isocyanate reactive groups and at least one of which contain one or more solid polymers stably dispersed therein in an amount of 2.5 to 35 parts per 100 parts of said liquid isocyanate reactive groups containing compounds. The wet compression set of the flexible polyurethane foam could be considerably reduced by including in said liquid isocyanate reactive groups containing compounds, per 100 parts thereof, (I) 50 to 80 parts of one or more polyoxyalkylene polyols having an oxyethylene unit content of at least 40 wt. %, a hydroxyl number of between 20 and 100, and a nominal functionality of 2 to 4; and (II) 20 to 50 parts of one or more further polyoxyalkylene polyols containing no oxyethylene units or having an oxyethylene unit content lower than 40 wt. %, and having a hydroxyl number of between 20 and 100 and a nominal functionality of 2 to 4.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a process for the preparation of a flexible polyurethane foam and to the polyurethane foam prepared by that process. The foam is in particular a flexible polyurethane foam which has a density of between 25 and 120 kg/m3, a resilience, measured at 20° C. in accordance with ASTM D 3574 H, higher than 35%, and an ILD 40% hardness, measured in accordance with ISO 2439 B, of between 60 and 500 N. It is prepared by allowing a reaction mixture, which comprises a blowing agent, to foam. In order to influence the physical and/or thermophysiological properties of the foam, in particular the pressure distribution properties, at least one organogel material is dispersed in the reaction mixture before allowing it to foam.

Abstract: The foamed article is produced starting from a core layer (1) which comprises a flexible, open-cell foam having voids forming at least 90% of the volume of the open-cell foam. The core layer (1) is applied in a mold (6, 8), optionally together with an upper (3) and/or a lower cover layer (2), between a lower (5) and an upper mold surface (9) thereof. The mold (6, 8) is closed and a curable, foamable composition (7) is allowed to foam in the mold to produce a further foam filling the voids of the open-cell foam. In order to enable to use less foamable composition (7) to fill the voids of the open-cell foam, the core layer (1) is laid onto the lower mold surface (5) and the foamable composition (7) is sprayed onto the core layer (1) lying onto the lower mold surface so that the foamable composition (7) can penetrate at least partially by gravity into the open-cell foam core layer (1).

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for functionalising a thermoset, crosslinked isocyanate-based polymeric solid material which is made of isocyanate and isocyanate reactive components, at least one of which comprises an anchor component which has at least one anchor group. The anchor groups on the solid material are formed by terminal alkene and/or alkyne groups. To functionalise this polymeric solid material it is brought in contact with a solution which contains at least one functional component. This functional component comprises at least one thiol group and is allowed to bind covalently to the polymeric solid material by a free-radical addition reaction between the thiol groups on the functional component and the terminal alkene and/or alkyne anchor groups on the undissolved solid material. An effective functionalisation of the polymeric material can thus be achieved notwithstanding the heterogeneous reaction conditions.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a process for the preparation of a flexible polyurethane foam and to the polyurethane foam prepared by that process. The foam is in particular a flexible polyurethane foam which has a density of between 25 and 120 kg/m3, a resilience, measured at 20° C. in accordance with ASTM D 3574 H, higher than 35%, and an ILD 40% hardness, measured in accordance with ISO 2439 B, of between 60 and 500 N. It is prepared by allowing a reaction mixture, which comprises a blowing agent, to foam. In order to influence the physical and/or thermophysiological properties of the foam, in particular the pressure distribution properties, at least one organogel material is dispersed in the reaction mixture before allowing it to foam.

Abstract: The process comprises preparing a reaction mixture from a polyisocyanate component and from a polyol component which comprises one or more polyester polyols formed from at least one dimer fatty acid and/or at least one dimer fatty alcohol. In order to improve the processability of the polyurethane flexible foams so that these foams can be produced with the desired hardness and mechanical properties over a broad density range, the isocyanate reactive compounds contain, per 100 parts by weight thereof, 25 to 95 parts by weight of said polyester polyols and 5 to 75 parts by weight of one or more polyether polyols which are free of dimer fatty chains. In this way, no lipophilic filler is needed so that the fogging and emission properties of the foam can be improved. Moreover, softer foam can be produced without having to apply a too low NCO index resulting in better mechanical properties and in particular in a lower compression set.

Abstract: The flexible, resilient polyurethane foam is prepared by reacting at least one polyisocyanate with one or more liquid compounds which have at least two isocyanate reactive groups and at least one of which contain one or more solid polymers stably dispersed therein in an amount of 2.5 to 35 parts per 100 parts of said liquid isocyanate reactive groups containing compounds. The wet compression set of the flexible polyurethane foam could be considerably reduced by including in said liquid isocyanate reactive groups containing compounds, per 100 parts thereof, (I) 50 to 80 parts of one or more polyoxyalkylene polyols having an oxyethylene unit content of at least 40 wt. %, a hydroxyl number of between 20 and 100, and a nominal functionality of 2 to 4; and (II) 20 to 50 parts of one or more further polyoxyalkylene polyols containing no oxyethylene units or having an oxyethylene unit content lower than 40 wt. %, and having a hydroxyl number of between 20 and 100 and a nominal functionality of 2 to 4.

Abstract: The foamed article is produced starting from a core layer (1) which comprises a flexible, open-cell foam having voids forming at least 90% of the volume of the open-cell foam. The core layer (1) is applied in a mould (6, 8), optionally together with an upper (3) and/or a lower cover layer (2), between a lower (5) and an upper mould surface (9) thereof. The mould (6, 8) is closed and a curable, foamable composition (7) is allowed to foam in the mould to produce a further foam filling the voids of the open-cell foam. In order to enable to use less foamable composition (7) to fill the voids of the open-cell foam, the core layer (1) is laid onto the lower mould surface (5) and the foamable composition (7) is sprayed onto the core layer (1) lying onto the lower mould surface so that the foamable composition (7) can penetrate at least partially by gravity into the open-cell foam core layer (1).

Abstract: In a first treatment step part of at least one difficulty biodegradable or non-biodegradable organic compound is oxidized in polluted water by bringing said polluted water into contact with an ozone containing gas. The effluent is subsequently diluted with an aqueous liquid before a second treatment with ozone is carried out. If the concentration of the organic compound is still not sufficiently low, the treated effluent is diluted again and subjected to a further treatment with ozone. It was found that a more effective ozone treatment was obtained by the dilution or dilutions and that in particular no pH control was needed, so that no formation of additional salts occurred.

Abstract: The method according to the invention is a moulding method wherein a first layer (21), having a first colour, is produced against a first portion of a mould surface (10) and wherein, in a next step, a second layer (22), having a second colour, is produced against a second portion of the mould surface (10) and at least partially against the back of the first layer (21). The method is intended to obtain a qualitative transition between the colours of the two layers (21, 22) without having to hide the actual colour transition in a groove from view. This object is achieved by applying the material forming the first layer (21) in such a manner on the mould surface (10) that the edge (20) of the first layer (21), which will be situated on the mould surface underneath the second layer (22), is visually sharp and is produced without a mask.

Abstract: In a first treatment step part of at least one difficulty biodegradable or non-biodegradable organic compound is oxidized in polluted water by bringing said polluted water into contact with an ozone containing gas. The effluent is subsequently diluted with an aqueous liquid before a second treatment with ozone is carried out. If the concentration of the organic compound is still not sufficiently low, the treated effluent is diluted again and subjected to a further treatment with ozone. It was found that a more effective ozone treatment was obtained by the dilution or dilutions and that in particular no pH control was needed, so that no formation of additional salts occurred.

Abstract: For manufacturing a moulded article comprising at least an elastomeric polyurethane skin (9) and optionally a structural backing layer (10) and an intermediate foam layer (12) a mould is used having at least a first mould part (1) comprising at least two mutually movable mould sections (2-4). The skin (9) is moulded with its front against a surface (7) of the first mould part (1) by applying at least one reactive polyurethane mixture to this mould surface. In order to prevent the seam between the mutually movable mould sections (2-4) of the first mould part to leave traces on the front of the moulded skin (9), the first mould part (1) further comprises a removable, flexible liner (6) which is positioned onto these mould sections to cover at least partially the seam therebetween.

Abstract: A process for the production by a moulding process of a micro-cellular or non-cellular elastomeric polyurethane skin layer or, more generally, to a process for the production of a composite comprising a first layer shaped part, which is made by a moulding process from a polyurethane reaction mixture, and a second layer shaped part which is adhered to the first part to form the composite. In order to avoid the use of release agents on the back side of the first layer shaped part, and thus the negative effect on the adhesion of the second layer shaped part, and the penetration of reaction mixture on this back side between the slides (9–10) of the mould, the mould surface (4) is covered on the back side of the moulding with a removable flexible covering (12), with a removable rigid pre-shaped covering or with a permanent non-stick coating layer.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for manufacturing a multi-layered molded synthetic part comprising a preformed elastomeric molded skin (5), a molded carrier (8) of a thermoplastic material and optionally an intermediate foam layer (6). In this method, the elastomeric skin (5) is molded in a first step and the thermoplastic material for the carrier (8) is subsequently molded in molten state to the back of said molded skin (5). According to the invention, the molded skin is made of a thermosetting synthetic material. Compared to a thermoplastic skin, such a thermosetting skin is less subjected to visible defects, in particular in case it has been provided with a superficial texture such as a leather grain, when the thermoplastic carrier is molded thereto. Molding of the thermoplastic carrier can be done by an injection molding, an injection pressure molding or a low pressure molding technique.

Abstract: A process for the production by a moulding process of a micro-cellular or non-cellular elastomeric polyurethane skin layer or, more generally, to a process for the production of a composite comprising a first layer shaped part, which is made by a moulding process from a polyurethane reaction mixture, and a second layer shaped part which is adhered to the first part to form the composite. In order to avoid the use of release agents on the back side of the first layer shaped part, and thus the negative effect on the adhesion of the second layer shaped part, and the penetration of reaction mixture on this back side between the slides (9-10) of the mould, the mould surface (4) is covered on the back side of the moulding with a removable flexible covering, such as a film (12) or a membrane, with a removable rigid pre-shaped covering or with a permanent non-stick coating layer.

Abstract: The polyurethane material is produced from a reactive mixture comprising an isocyanate component composed of at least one isocyanate compound having at least two NCO-groups which are not directly attached to an aromatic group; isocyanate-reactive components and a catalyst component which is substantially free of lead and which comprises at least one organobismuth (III) catalyst. In order to be able to keep the emission or VOC value (Volatile Organic Compounds) of the polyurethane material below 250 ppm, preferably below 100 ppm, use is made of an organobismuth (m) and/or of an organotin (II or IV) catalyst comprising either C14-C20 carboxylate groups or C2-C20 carboxylate groups substituted with at least one isocyanate-reactive group. The catalyst component may further comprise an organozinc (11) carboxylate. The preferred catalysts are bismuth oleate, dimethyltin dioleate and zinc octoate.