Phenolic foam

Abstract

A phenolic foam is made by foaming and curing a formable phenolic resin composition that comprises a phenolic resin, a blowing agent, an acid catalyst and an inorganic filler. The blowing agent comprises a blend of chlorinated aliphatic hydrocarbon containing 2 to 5 carbon atoms and an aliphatic hydrocarbon containing from 3 to 6 carbon atoms mixed in a ratio of 60/40 to 95/5 parts by weight. The inorganic filler is at least one selected from a metal hydroxide, a metal oxide, a metal carbonate and metal powder. The phenolic foam has a pH of 5 or more and a water uptake less than 1 kg/m 2 . A phenolic foam with a higher pH value compared with conventional phenolic foam reduces corrosion risk when in contact with metallic materials. The phenolic foam maintains excellent long-term stable thermal insulation performance, low water uptake and fire resistance performance and by using the said blowing agent, does not harm the environment as an ozone or global warming depleting material.

1 - 64 . (canceled) 
     
     
         65 . A phenolic foam made by foaming and curing a foamable phenolic resin composition that comprises a phenolic resin, a blowing agent, an acid catalyst and an inorganic filler characterised in that the blowing agent comprises a blend of a chlorinated aliphatic hydrocarbon containing 2 to 5 carbon atoms and an aliphatic hydrocarbon containing from 3 to 6 carbon atoms, the inorganic filler is a metal hydroxide, or a metal carbonate with a Ksp less than 10 −8  and in that the phenolic foam has a pH of 5 or more. 
     
     
         66 . The phenolic foam as claimed in  claim 65  wherein the phenolic resin has a molar ratio of phenol groups to aldehyde groups in the range 1:1 to 1:3. 
     
     
         67 . The phenolic foam as claimed in  claim 66  wherein the molar ratio of phenol groups to aldehyde groups is from 1.5 to 2.3. 
     
     
         68 . The phenolic foam as claimed in  claim 65  wherein the phenolic resin has a weight average molecular weight of from 400 to 3,000. 
     
     
         69 . The phenolic foam as claimed in  claim 68  wherein the phenolic resin has a weight average molecular weight of from 700 to 2,000. 
     
     
         70 . The phenolic foam as claimed in  claim 65  wherein the blowing agent comprises 1 to 20 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of phenolic resin. 
     
     
         71 . The phenolic foam as claimed in  claim 65  wherein the blowing agent comprises isopropyl chloride and at least one hydrocarbon of butane, pentane, hexane, heptane and their isomers. 
     
     
         72 . The phenolic foam as claimed in  claim 65  wherein the blowing agent comprises 60% or more of isopropyl chloride. 
     
     
         73 . The phenolic foam as claimed in  claim 65  wherein the blowing agent comprises 75% or more of isopropyl chloride. 
     
     
         74 . The phenolic foam as claimed in  claim 65  wherein the blowing agent comprises 5% or more of hydrocarbon. 
     
     
         75 . The phenolic foam as claimed in  claim 65  wherein the blowing agent comprises 40% or less of hydrocarbon. 
     
     
         76 . The phenolic foam as claimed in  claim 73  wherein the hydrocarbon is iso-pentane and is present as 15% by weight of the blowing agent. 
     
     
         77 . The phenolic foam as claimed in  claim 65  wherein the blowing agent blend comprises isopropyl chloride and iso-pentane in a weight ratio of from 60:40 to 95:05. 
     
     
         78 . The phenolic foam as claimed in  claims 65  wherein the blowing agent blend comprises isopropyl chloride and iso-pentane in a weight ratio of from 65:35 to 90:10. 
     
     
         79 . The phenolic foam as claimed in  claim 65  wherein the blowing agent blend comprises isopropyl chloride and iso-pentane in a weight ratio of from 70:30 to 85:15. 
     
     
         80 . The phenolic foam as claimed in  claim 65  wherein the acid catalyst comprises 5 to 25 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of phenolic resin. 
     
     
         81 . The phenolic foam as claimed in  claim 65  wherein the acid catalyst comprises at least one of benzenesulphonic acid, para-toluene sulphonic acid, xylene sulphonic, naphthalene sulphonic acid, ethylbenzene sulphonic acid and phenol sulphonic acid. 
     
     
         82 . The phenolic foam as claimed in  claim 65  wherein the inorganic filler is present in an amount of from 1 to 20 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of phenolic resin. 
     
     
         83 . The phenolic foam as claimed in  claim 65  wherein the filler comprises a metal carbonate such as calcium carbonate, barium carbonate, zinc carbonate. 
     
     
         84 . The phenolic foam as claimed in  claim 65  wherein the filler comprises calcium carbonate. 
     
     
         85 . The phenolic foam as claimed in  claim 65  comprising a plasticiser for the phenolic resin, and wherein the plasticiser comprises 0.1 to 20 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of phenolic resin, and wherein the plasticiser comprises approximately 5 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of phenolic resin, and wherein the plasticiser comprises a polyester polyol that is the reaction product of a polybasic carboxylic acid selected from a dibasic to a tetra basic carboxylic acid with a polyhydric alcohol selected from a dihydric to a pentahydric alcohol. 
     
     
         86 . The phenolic foam as claimed in  claim 85  wherein the polyester polyol has a number average molecular weight of 250 to 350 and a weight average molecular weight of 400 to 550. 
     
     
         87 . The phenolic foam as claimed in  claim 86  wherein the polybasic carboxylic acid used to synthesise the polyester polyol comprises at least one of phthalic acid, isophthalic acid, terephthalic acid, naphthalene-2,3-dicarboxylic acid, naphthalene-1,4-dicarboxylic acid, napththalene-2,6-dicarboxylic acid, adipic acid, pimeric acid, suberic acid, azelaic acid, sebacic acid, cyclohexane-1,2-dicarboxylic acid, cyclohexane-1,3-dicarboxylic acid, and cyclohexane-1,4-dicarboxylic acid. 
     
     
         88 . The phenolic foam as claimed in  claim 87  wherein the polybasic carboxylic acid used to synthesise the polyester polyol comprises one or more of phthalic acid, isophthalic acid, or terephthalic acid. 
     
     
         89 . The phenolic foam as claimed in  claim 85  wherein the polyhydric alcohol used to synthesise the polyester polyol comprises at least one of ethylene glycol, diethylene glycol, propylene glycol, dipropylene glycol, 1,4-butane diol, 1,5-pentane diol, 1,6-hexane diol, neopentyl glycol, 1,2-cyclohexane dimethanol, 1,3-cyclohexane dimethanol, and 1,4-cyclohexane dimethanol. 
     
     
         90 . The phenolic foam as claimed in  claim 89  wherein the polyhydric alcohol used to synthesise the polyester polyol comprises one or more of diethylene glycol, propylene glycol, dipropylene glycol, 1,4-butane diol. 
     
     
         91 . The phenolic foam as claimed in  claim 65  comprising a surfactant for the phenolic resin, and wherein the surfactant comprises 1 to 6 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of phenolic resin, and wherein the surfactant is a castor oil-ethylene oxide adduct wherein more than 20 moles but less than 40 moles of ethylene oxide are added per 1 mole of castor oil. 
     
     
         92 . The phenolic foam as claimed in  claim 65  comprising an organic modifier for co-reacting with the phenolic resin, and wherein the modifier comprises 1 to 10 parts by weight of a compound having an amino group per 100 parts by weight of phenolic resin. 
     
     
         93 . The phenolic foam as claimed in  claim 92  wherein at least one amino group containing compound is selected from urea, dicyandiamide and melamine and wherein the modifier optionally comprises approximately 5 parts by weight of urea. 
     
     
         94 . The phenolic foam as claimed in  claim 65  having one or more of the properties selected from:—
 a thermal conductivity of 0.025 W/m.K or less (measured after heat ageing for 175+/−5 days at 70+/−2° C.); 
 the density of the phenolic foam is from 10 to 100 kg/m 3 ; 
 the density of the phenolic foam is from 10 to 45 kg/m 3 ; 
 having a closed cell content of 90% or more; 
 having a closed cell content of 92.5% or more; 
 having a limiting oxygen index of 30% or more; 
 having a water uptake of less than 0.9 kg/m2; and 
 having a water uptake of less than 0.8 kg/m2. 
 
     
     
         95 . The phenolic foam as claimed in  claim 65  having a facing on at least one surface thereof. 
     
     
         96 . The phenolic foam as claimed in  claim 95  wherein the facing comprises at least one of glass fibre-non woven fabric, spun bonded-non woven fabric, aluminium foil, bonded-non woven fabric, metal sheet, metal foil, ply wood, calcium silicate-board, plaster board, Kraft or other paper product, and wooden board.