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Decomposition of polyurethane foams by alkanolamines
Author(s) -
Kanaya Kouji,
Takahashi Shizuo
Publication year - 1994
Publication title -
journal of applied polymer science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.575
H-Index - 166
eISSN - 1097-4628
pISSN - 0021-8995
DOI - 10.1002/app.1994.070510412
Subject(s) - polyurethane , isocyanate , diethanolamine , decomposition , polyol , aminolysis , polymer chemistry , chemistry , materials science , methylene , amine gas treating , catalysis , organic chemistry , chemical engineering , engineering
Methylene diphenyl isocyanate (MDI)‐based polyurethane flexible foams were decomposed by alkanolamines without a catalyst at 150°C. The decomposition products were completely separated into two layers. The upper liquid layer was a polyether polyol, and the lower liquid layer was methylene diphenyl amine (MDA) and alkanolamine derivatives. These layers were analyzed using gel permeation chromatography (GPC) and 13 C‐NMR. The upper layer was obtained as a relatively pure polyether. The lower layer was observed to be MDA and 2‐hydroxyethyl carbamic acid ester prepared from alcoholysis products during the decomposition reaction. It was thought that the decomposition process of polyurethane foam by alkanolamines was not aminolysis but alcoholysis. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.