Liquid-type nucleating agent for improving thermal insulating properties of rigid polyurethane foams by HFC-365mfc as a blowing agent

Yeongbeom Lee, Myung Geun Jang, Kun Hyung Choi, Chonghun Han, Woo Nyon Kim

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

    24 Citations (Scopus)

    Abstract

    The effects of liquid-type additives on the morphology, thermal conductivity, and mechanical strength of polyurethane (PUR) foams were investigated. The PUR foams synthesized with perfluoroalkane showed a smaller average cell diameter and a lower thermal conductivity than PUR foams prepared with propylenecarbonate or acetone. The average cell diameter of the PUR foams decreased from 228 to 155 μm and the thermal conductivity decreased from 0.0227 to 0.0196 kcal/mh °C when the perfluoroalkane content was 0.0 to 2.0 php (parts per hundred polyol by weight). The perfluoroalkane likely acted as a nucleating agent during the formation of the PUR foams. The addition of perfluoroalkane induced the smaller cells size of the PUR foams probably due to lower surface tension of the polyol and perfluoroalkane mixture, resulting in high nucleation rate. The smaller cell size appears to be the main reason for the improvement in the thermal insulating and the mechanical properties of these PUR foams. The compressive strength of the PUR foams prepared with perfluoroalkane was higher than the PUR foams prepared with the propylenecarbonate and acetone. Based on the morphology, thermal conductivity, and compressive strength, it is suggested that the perfluoroalkane is an efficient liquid-type additive for the improving the thermal insulation of PUR foams.

    Original languageEnglish
    Article number43557
    JournalJournal of Applied Polymer Science
    Volume133
    Issue number25
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 2016 Jul 5

    Bibliographical note

    Publisher Copyright:
    © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

    Keywords

    • foams
    • morphology
    • polyurethanes
    • thermal properties

    ASJC Scopus subject areas

    • Materials Chemistry
    • Surfaces, Coatings and Films
    • General Chemistry
    • Polymers and Plastics

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