Hydrofluoropropene blowing agents for thermoplastics

Abstract

The present invention relates to blowing agent compositions comprising the unsaturated halogenated hydroolefin 3,3,3-trifluoropropene (HFO 1243zf) and combinations including primarily 3,3,3-trifluoropropene (HFO 1243zf). The blowing agent compositions are useful in that they provide sufficient plasticization to permit the production of low density insulating thermoplastic foams with improved k-factor.

1 . A blowing agent composition for the production of thermoplastic foams comprising 3,3,3-trifluoropropene. 
   
   
       2 . The blowing agent composition of  claim 1  comprising greater than about 10 wt % 3,3,3-trifluoropropene 
   
   
       3 . The blowing agent composition of  claim 1  comprising greater than about 20 wt % 3,3,3-trifluoropropene. 
   
   
       4 . The blowing agent composition of  claim 1  comprising greater than about 30 wt % 3,3,3-trifluoropropene 
   
   
       5 . The blowing agent composition of  claim 1  comprising greater than about 40 wt % 3,3,3-trifluoropropene. 
   
   
       6 . The blowing agent composition of  claim 1  comprising greater than about 50 wt % 3,3,3-trifluoropropene. 
   
   
       7 . The blowing agent composition of  claim 1  further comprising a hydrocarbon, halogenated saturated alkane, a halogenated unsaturated alkane, a hydrofluoroether (HFE), an unsaturated hydrofluoroether, a ketone, a fluoroketone, an atmospheric gas, an inert gas, carbon dioxide, methyl formate, an alcohol, trans-1,2-dichloroethylene, CF 3 SCF 3 , water, or mixtures thereof. 
   
   
       8 . The blowing agent composition of  claim 7  where the halogenated saturated alkane is a hydrofluorocarbon (HFC). 
   
   
       9 . The blowing agent composition of  claim 8  where the HFC is selected from the group consisting of HFC-134a (1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane), HFC-134 (1,1,2,2-tetrafluoroethane), HFC-152a (1,1-difluoroethane), HFC-152 (1,2-difluoroethane), HFC-32 (difluoromethane), HFC-143a (1,1,1-trifluoroethane), HFC-143 (1,1,2-trifluoroethane), fluoroethane, HFC-236fa (1,1,1,3,3,3-hexafluoropropane), HFC-236ea, HFC-227ea (1,1,1,2,3,3,3-heptafluoropropane), HFC-125 (pentafluoroethane), HFC-365 mfc (1,1,1,3,3-pentafluorobutane), HFC-245fa (1,1,1,3,3-pentafluoropropane), and mixtures thereof. 
   
   
       10 . The blowing agent composition of  claim 7  where the halogenated unsaturated alkane is selected from the group consisting of hydrofluoroolefins (HFO), hydrochlorofluoroolefins (HCFO), and mixtures thereof. 
   
   
       11 . The blowing agent composition of  claim 10  where said HFO is selected from the group consisting of HFO-1234ze (1,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropene), HFO-1234yf (2,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropene), HFO-1225ye (1,2,3,3,3-pentafluoropropene), HFO-1225zc (1,1,3,3,3-pentafluoropropene), HFO-1438 mzz (1,1,1,4,4,5,5,5-octafluoropent-2-ene), HFO-1336 mzz (1,1,1,4,4,4-hexafluorobut-2-ene), and mixtures thereof. 
   
   
       12 . The blowing agent composition of  claim 10  where said HCFO is selected from the group consisting of HCFO-1233zd (1-chloro-3,3,3-trifluoropropene), HCFO-1233xf (2-chloro-3,3,3-trifluoropropene), and mixtures thereof. 
   
   
       13 . The blowing agent composition of  claim 7  where said hydrocarbon is a C3 to C6 hydrocarbon. 
   
   
       14 . The blowing agent composition of  claim 13  where said alkane is selected from cyclopentane, normal pentane, isopentane, isobutane, normal butane, or mixtures thereof. 
   
   
       15 . The blowing agent composition of  claim 7  where said atmospheric gas is nitrogen. 
   
   
       16 . The blowing agent composition of  claim 7  where said inert gas is selected from the group consisting of helium, argon, and mixtures thereof. 
   
   
       17 . The blowing agent composition of  claim 7  where said alcohol is selected from the group consisting of ethanol, isopropanol, ethyl hexanol, methanol, butanol, and mixtures thereof. 
   
   
       18 . A foamable resin composition comprising a thermoplastic resin and a blowing agent composition comprising 3,3,3-trifluoropropene. 
   
   
       19 . The foamable resin composition of  claim 18  comprising less than about 100 pph of said blowing agent composition with respect to said thermoplastic resin. 
   
   
       20 . The foamable resin composition of  claim 18  comprising from about 1 pph to about 100 pph of said blowing agent composition with respect to said thermoplastic resin. 
   
   
       21 . The foamable resin composition of  claim 18  comprising from about 2 pph to about 40 pph of said blowing agent composition with respect to said thermoplastic resin. 
   
   
       22 . The foamable resin composition of  claim 18  comprising from about 3 pph to about 25 pph of said blowing agent composition with respect to said thermoplastic resin. 
   
   
       23 . The foamable resin composition of  claim 18  comprising from about 4 pph to about 15 pph of said blowing agent composition with respect to said thermoplastic resin 
   
   
       24 . The foamable resin composition of  claim 18  where the thermoplastic resin comprises a polyolefin. 
   
   
       25 . The expandable resin composition of  claim 24  where said polyolefin is selected from the group consisting of polystyrene, polyethylene, polypropylene, and mixtures thereof. 
   
   
       26 . The foamable resin composition of  claim 18  further comprising a nucleating agent. 
   
   
       27 . The foamable resin composition of  claim 26  where said nucleating agent in talc. 
   
   
       28 . The foamable resin composition of  claim 27  where the talc content is less than about 2.5 wt % in the resin. 
   
   
       29 . The foamable resin composition of  claim 18  further comprising additives selected from the group consisting of dyes, pigments, cell-controlling agents, fillers, antioxidants, extrusion aids, stabilizing agents, antistatic agents, fire retardants, IR attenuating agents, thermally insulating additives, plasticizers, viscosity modifiers, impact modifiers, gas barrier resins, carbon black, surfactants, and mixtures thereof. 
   
   
       30 . A foamed product produced with the blowing agent composition of  claim 1 . 
   
   
       31 . The foamed product of  claim 27  with a density below 90 kg/m 3 , a closed-cell content less than about 20%, and an average cell size between about 0.05 mm and 1.0 mm. 
   
   
       32 . The foamed product of  claim 27  with a density below 70 kg/m 3 , a closed-cell content less than about 10%, and an average cell size between about 0.05 mm and 0.40 mm. 
   
   
       33 . A process for the production of the foamed product of  claim 27 .