Reaction Injection Molded Elastomers Containing High Molecular Weight Organic Acids

This application is related to Ser. No. 579,236 Ser. No. 579,234 and Ser. No. 579,231, all filed of even date.

1. Field of the Invention

This invention concerns the field of reaction injection molded elastomers.

2. Description of Other Publications in the Field

U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,254,069 and 4,272,618 concern the curing of RIM polyurethane elastomers. In the Glossary of these patents, a "polyol" is defined as a di- or greater functionality high molecular weight alcohol or an amine terminated molecule composed of ether groups. In the discussion of chain extenders in these patents, low molecular weight hydroxyl terminated molecules; e.g., ethylene glycol, are disclosed. However, the actual examples are of polyether polyurethanes using polyols (hydroxyl terminated) of high molecular weight. The chain extenders, ethylene glycol and monoethanolamine, were used as crosslinkers.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,838,076 discloses foams made from amine terminated polyethers, wherein the amine termination ranges from 10 to 50 percent.

Turner's U.S. Pat. No. 4,246,363 claims a RIM polyurethane composition derived from using at least three different active hydrogen containing materials having specific relationships and reactivity and solubility parameters to one another. Examples 22 and 23 of Turner use JEFFAMINE.RTM. D-2000, diethylene glycol and the reaction product of one mole of aminoethylethanolamine with three moles of propylene oxide.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,379,100 describes a polyurethane RIM process wherein the carboxyl function internal mold release agents are used. See, for example, column 4, lines 34-43.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,396,729 describes RIM processes and materials made from high molecular weight amine terminated polyethers (used in this invention), amine terminated chain extenders, polyisocyanates and internal mold release agents such as those mentioned in U.S. Pat. No. 4,379,100.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,376,834 describes "polyurethane" materials prepared fom amine terminated polyethers, hydroxyl terminated chain extenders and polyisocyanates.

Also, Vanderhider's U.S. Pat. No. 4,269,945 claims a process for preparing RIM polyurethanes wherein a relatively high molecular weight hydroxyl containing polyol, a chain extender and a polyisocyanate are used. The chain extender may be an aliphatic amine containing material having at least one primary amine group.

The invention is a reaction injection molded (RIM) elastomer comprising a cured reaction product of ingredients comprising primary or secondary amine terminated polyethers of greater than 2,500 molecular molecular weight having greater than 50% of their active hydrogens in the form of amine hydrogens, a chain extender, an aromatic polyisocyanate and a carboxylic acid of carbon number 10 or more. It has been discovered that these acids add green strength and aid mold release to the molded part which will facilitate commercial production.

The amine terminated polyethers useful in this invention include primary and secondary amine terminated polyether polyols of at least 2,500 average molecular weight having from 2 to 6 functionality, preferably from 2 to 3. Mixtures of amine terminated polyethers may be used. In a preferred embodiment the amine terminated polyethers have an average molecular weight of at least 4,000. An especially preferred embodiment uses amine terminated polyethers with an average molecular weight of at least about 5,000.

The amine terminated polyether resins useful in this invention are polyether resins made from an appropriate initiator to which lower alkylene oxides such as ethylene oxide, propylene oxide, butylene oxide or mixtures thereof are added with the resulting hydroxyl terminated polyol then being aminated. When two or more oxides are used, they may be present as random mixtures or as blocks of one or the other polyether. In the amination step it is highly desirable that the terminal hydroxyl groups in the polyol be essentially all secondary hydroxyl groups for ease of amination. Normally, the amination step does not completely replace all of the hydroxyl groups in the amine group. However, the majority of hydroxyl groups are replaced by amine groups. Therefore, the amine terminated polyether resins useful in this invention have greater than 50 percent of their active hydrogens in the form of amine hydrogens. If ethylene oxide is used it is desirable to cap the hydroxyl terminated polyol with a small amount of higher alkylene oxide to ensure that the terminal hydroxyl groups are essentially all secondary hydroxyl groups. The polyols so prepared may then be reductively aminated as outlined in U.S. Pat. No. 3,654,370, which is incorporated herein by reference or other prior art techniques.

In the practice of this invention, a single high molecular weight amine terminated polyether resin may be used. Also, mixtures of high molecular weight amine terminated polyols such as mixtures of di- and trifunctional materials and/or different molecular weight or different chemical composition materials may be used.

The chain extenders useful in this invention include low molecular weight linear diols such as 1,4-butane diol, propylene glycol and ethylene glycol. Ethylene glycol is especially preferred. Other chain extenders, including cyclic diols such as 1,4-cyclohexane diol would also be suitable as chain extenders in the practice of this invention. These chain extenders may be used alone or in combination.

The aromatic amine terminated chain extenders useful in this invention include, for example, 1-methyl-3,5 diethyl-2-6 diaminobenzene (both of these materials are also called diethyltoluene diamine or DETDA), 1,3,5-triethyl-2,6 diaminobenzene, 3,5,3',5'-tetraethyl-4,4"diaminodiphenylmethane and the like. Particularly preferred aromatic diamine chain extenders are 1-methyl-3,5-diethyl-2,4 diaminobenzene or a mixture of this compound with 1-methyl-3,5-diethyl-2,6 diaminobenzene. It is within the scope of this invention to include some aliphatic chain extender materials as described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,246,363 and 4,269,945.

A wide variety of aromatic polyisocyanates may be used here. Typical aromatic polyisocyanates include p-phenylene diisocyanate, polymethylene polyphenylisocyanate, 2,6-toluene diisocyanate, dianisidine diisocyanate, bitolylene diisocyanate, naphthalene-1,4-diisocyanate, bis(4-isocyanatophenyl)methane, bis(3-methyl-3-isocyantophenyl)methane, bis(3-methyl-4-isocyanatophenyl)methane, and 4,4'-diphenylpropane diisocyanate.

Other aromatic polyisocyanates used in the practice of the invention are methylene-bridged polyphenyl polyisocyanate mixtures which have a functionality of from about 2 to about 4. These latter isocyanate compounds are generally produced by the phosgenation of corresponding methylene bridged polyphenyl polyamines, which are conventionally produced by the reaction of formaldehyde and primary aromatic amines, such as aniline, in the presence of hydrochloric acid and/or other acidic catalysts. Known processes for preparing polyamines and corresponding methylene-bridged polyphenyl polyisocyanates therefrom are described in the literature and in many patents, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,683,730; 2,950,263; 3,012,008; 3,344,162 and 3,362,979.

Usually methylene-bridged polyphenyl polyisocyanate mixtures contain about 20 to about 100 weight percent methylene diphenyldiisocyanate isomers, with the remainder being polymethylene polyphenyl diisocyanates having higher functionalities and higher molecular weights. Typical of these are polyphenyl polyisocyanate mixtures containing about 20 to 100 weight percent methylene diphenyldiisocyanate isomers, of which 20 to about 95 weight percent thereof is the 4,4'-isomer with the remainder being polymethylene polyphenyl polyisocyanates of higher molecular weight and functionality that have an average functionality of from about 2.1 to about 3.5. These isocyanate mixtures are known, commercially available materials and can be prepared by the processs described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,362,979, issued Jan. 9, 1968 to Floyd E. Bentley.

By far the most preferred aromatic polyisocyanate is methylene bis(4-phenylisocyanate) or MDI. Pure MDI, quasi-prepolymers of MDI, modified pure MDI, etc. Materials of this type may be used to prepare suitable RIM elastomers. Since pure MDI is a solid and, thus, often inconvenient to use, liquid products based on MDI are often used and are included in the scope of the terms MDI or methylene bis(4-phenylisocyanate) used herein. U.S. Pat. No. 3,394,164 is an example of a liquid MDI product. More generally uretonimine modified pure MDI is included also. This product is made by heating pure distilled MDI in the presence of a catalyst. The liquid product is a mixture of pure MDI and modified MDI: ##STR1## Examples of commercial materials of this type are Upjohn's ISONATE.RTM. 125M (pure MDI) and ISONATE 143L ("liquid" MDI). Preferably the amount of isocyanates used is the stoichiometric amount based on all the ingredients in the formulation or greater than the stoichiometric amount.

Of course, the term polyisocyanate also includes quasi-prepolymers of polyisocyanates with active hydrogen containing materials.

Catalysts such as tertiary amines or an organic tin compound or other polyurethane catalysts may be used. The organic tin compound may suitably be a stannous or stannic compound, such as a stannous salt of a carboxylic acid, a trialkyltin oxide, a dialkyltin dihalide, a dialkyltin oxide, etc., wherein the organic groups of the organic portion of the tin compound are hydrocarbon groups containing from 1 to 8 carbon atoms. For example, dibutyltin dilaurate, dibutyltin diacetate, diethyltin diacetate, dihexyltin diacetate, di-2-ethylhexyltin oxide, dioctyltin dioxide, stannous octoate, stannous oleate, etc., or a mixture thereof, may be used.

Tertiary amine catalysts include trialkylamines (e.g., trimethylamine, triethylamine), heterocyclic amines, such as N-alkylmorpholines (e.g., N-methylmorpholine, N-ethylmorpholine, dimethyldiaminodiethylether, etc.), 1,4-dimethylpiperazine, triethylenediamine, etc., and aliphatic polyamines such as N,N,N'N'-tetramethyl-1,3-butanediamine.

The carboxylic acids useful in this invention are chosen from those represented by the following formula:

R(CO.sub.2 H ).sub.n where n=1-3 and where R contains 10-n carbon atoms or more. R may be alkyl, (cyclic, linear or branched), alkaryl, aralkyl or aryl, saturated or unsaturated, also contain other functional groups such as hydroxyl, amide, chloro, ester, ether, nitro, bromo. Examples of useful acids include n-decanoic acid, neodecanoic acid, sebasic acid, p-butylbenzoic acid, 10-undecenoic acid, dodecanoic acid, 12-hydroxystearic acid, tridecanoic acid, lauric acid, myristic acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid, isostearic acid, oleic acid, linoleic acid, arachidonic acid, and behenic acid. Polyunsaturated fatty acids such as linoleic acid may be converted to di- or trifunctional carboxylic acids. Dimer and trimer acids are of this type, as is Westvaco's DIACID.RTM., a C.sub.21 dicarboxylic acid. Resin acids may be used. These are polycyclic C.sub.20 carboxylic acids found in tall oil. The half ester of terephthalic acid and 2-ethylhexanol is an example of an acid containing a functional group. These acids may be used alone or in mixtures. They may be natural or synthetic in origin.

Preferred carboxylic acids are the liquids although the performance appears to be equally superior for many acids. Oleic acid is typical of the preferred liquid acids.

Other conventional formulation ingredients may be employed as needed such as; for example, foam stabilizers, also known as silicone oils or emulsifiers. The foam stabilizers may be an organic silane or siloxane. For example, compounds may be used having the formula:

wherein R is an alkyl group containing from 1 to 4 carbon atoms; n is an integer of from 4 to 8; m is an integer of from 20 to 40; and the oxyalkylene groups are derived from propylene oxide and ethylene oxide. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,194,773.

Reinforcing materials, if desired, useful in the practice of our invention are known to those skilled in the art. For example, chopped or milled glass fibers, chopped or milled carbon fibers and/or other mineral fibers are useful.

Post curing of the elastomer of the invention is desirable. Post curing will improve some properties such as heat sag. Employment of post curing depends on the desired properties of the end product.

The examples which follow exemplify the improvement obtained by the process of this invention. However, these examples are not intended to limit the scope of the invention.

Each of the example formulations which follow were processed on an Accuratio VR-100 high pressure impingement mixing RIM machine. The impingemenet mixing pressures were about 2,000 psi and the material was injected into a steel flat plaque mold after mixing. The mold is milled to produce plaques which are 18".times.18".times.1/8". The mold temperature is typically 150.degree.-160.degree. F.

A RIM elastomer with the following formulation has formed in a mold after injection by a RIM machine:

The above formulations had better hot tear (10.6 lbs) than the same formulations without the stearic acid (about 9 lbs tear). Thus, it had better green strength. It also appeared to release better than the elastomer without the stearic acid.

A RIM elastomer with the following formulation was formed in a mold after injection by a RIM machine:

The above formulation had better hot tear (11.2 lbs) than the same formulation without the oleic acid (5.4 lbs). Thus, it had superior and excellent "green strength". It also appeared to release better from the mold than without the oleic acid.

A RIM elastomer with the following formulation was formed in a mold after injection by a RIM machine:

The elastomer with the dimer acid had excellent hot tear (12.0 lbs) compared to the same elastomer without dimer acid (7.0 lbs). Thus, it had superior and excellent "green strength".

A RIM elastomer of the same formulation as in Example 3 except that it had 1.4 pbw neo-decanoic acid instead of dimer acid was produced in this example. It had improved hot tear (11.7 lbs) compared to the same elastomer without neo-decanoic acid (7.0 lbs).

A RIM elastomer identical to that of Example 3 except that it had 1.4 pbw Acintol EPG, a tall oil fatty acid, instead of dimer acid was produced in this example. It had improved hot tear (10.5 lbs) compared to the same elastomer without the Acintol EPG (7.0 lbs).

A RIM elastomer identical to that of Example 3 except that it had 1.4 pbw isostearic acid instead of dimer acid was produced in this example. It had improved hot tear (10.3 lbs) compared to the same elastomer without isostearic acid (7.0 lbs).

JEFFAMINE.RTM. T-4300--An approximately 4,300 molecular weight all propylene oxide amine terminated polyether

JEFFAMINE T-5000--An approximately 5,000 molecular weight all propylene oxide amine terminated polyether

Upjohn Code 205--A quasi-prepolymer made to our specifications consisting of a 2:1 by weight blend of ISONATE.RTM. 143L and THANOL.RTM. SF-5505

Upjohn Code 231--A quasi-prepolymer made to our specifications consisting of 1:1 by weight blend of ISONATE 143L and THANOL SF-5505

Dimer Acid (Emery)--A C.sub.36 liquid aliphatic acid produced by the polymerization of unsaturated fatty acids.

ISONATE.RTM. 143L--Pure MDI isocyanate modified so that it is a liquid at ambient temperatures. A product of the Upjohn Co.

THANOL.RTM. SF-5505--A 5500 molecular weight polyether triol containing approximately 80% primary hydroxyl groups.

Dow-Corning Q2-7119--A dimethylsiloxane release agent. A product of Dow-Corning. See U.S. Pat. No. 4,379,100, col. 4, lines 34-43.