Tag Polyurethane Foam

Properties of Pentane Blowing Agent and Properties of Rigid Polyurethane Foam

Polyurethane foam is widely used in construction, refrigeration, piping and other fields due to its low density, good thermal insulation, low water absorption, low toxicity, and good processability. The blowing agent is an important auxiliary agent for the production of polyurethane foam plastics. Since the second-generation blowing agent HCFC-141b has an ODP value of 0.11 and a GWP value of 725, it has a great impact on the ozone layer and the greenhouse effect, so it can only be used as a transitional agent. use of sex substitutes. According to China’s polyurethane foam industry HCFC-141b phase-out plan (second phase), the polyurethane foam industry will gradually reduce HCFC-141b consumption based on the results achieved in the first phase, and will achieve industry-wide phase-out by the end of 2025. At present, the commonly used substitutes for HCFC-141b blowing agent mainly include pentane, water, hydrofluorocarbon (HFC), liquid carbon dioxide, hydrofluoroolefin (HFO) and methyl formate. Among them, pentane is widely used due to its advantages of environmental protection, low price, and easy availability. However, pentane is flammable and explosive, and is a dangerous chemical. The use of this kind of blowing agent requires safety renovation of production equipment and workshops. Although the initial investment of pentane foaming replacement technology is relatively high, in the long run, the comprehensive economic benefits are obvious, and it is an ideal substitute for HCFC-141b.

Isopentane (iC5) vs n-Pentane (nC5), What’s the difference?

Isopentane (IC5)

  • Description


Isopentane (IC5) is a volatile flammable liquid hydrocarbon (CH3)2CHC2H5 and one of three isomers of pentane. Pentanes are components of some fuels, such as gasoline, and are also used as specialty solvents in the laboratory. Hydrocarbons are a diverse group of organic compounds that are made up of primarily carbon and hydrogen atoms. Hydrocarbons are derived from petroleum, coal tar and natural gas, as well as from plants and animals.

Iso-Pentane (IC-5) is used in the Polyethylene reaction and catalyst for the Gas Phase process in order to increase the production of the PE. Isopentane (iC5) It is supplied in the form of an Isopentane fraction with a base material content of up to 99.8% (grade A), is used for foaming polymers and as a component of motor fuel. Although hydrocarbon foaming using Isopentane (iC5) requires more complex and expensive equipment, it allows to produce polyurethane foam of better characteristics.

  • Boiling point: 81.86°F (27.70°C)
  • Density: 0.62 g/cm³
  • Chemical formula: C5H12
  • Average Molar mass: 72.15 g/mol
  • Classification: Alkane


Why Use Pentane, a Hydrocarbon?

Polyisocyanurate foams were traditionally produced using CFC-11 (a chloro-fluorocarbon) as the blowing agent.When evidence became irrefutable that CFCs destroyed stratospheric ozone, most of the world adopted the ground-breaking Montreal Protocol, which mandated the phaseout of CFCs for non-essential uses by 1996.

Isopentane (iC5) vs n-Pentane (nC5)- What’s the difference?

Isopentane Versus n-Pentane as a Noun. Isopentane differs from n-Pentane (as nouns) because Isopentane means “ an aliphatic hydrocarbon with the chemical structure CH₂CH₂CH(CH₃)₂; isomeric with pentane and neopentane,” while n-Pentane is “ the saturated aliphatic hydrocarbon (CH₃(CH₂)₃CH₃).”

ISOPENTANE

It is supplied in the form of an Isopentane fraction with a base material content of up to 99.8% (grade A), is used for foaming polymers and as a component of motor fuel.

Although hydrocarbon foaming using Isopentane requires more complex and expensive equipment, it allows to produce polyurethane foam of better characteristics compared to analogues. The coefficient of thermal conductivity of the gas formed during Isopentane foaming is lower than when using pure water foaming and, consequently, the panel filled with polyurethane foam on Isopentane provides better thermal insulation. The use of Isopentane as a foaming agent makes working at a lower density possible. The filling density of foam on Isopentane is 42 kg / m3 against 45-50 kg / m3 in the case of water foaming.

This means that holding the dimensions fixed the sandwich panel with the pentane-foamed polyurethane filling is lighter in comparison with the one with a CO2 – foamed polyurethane filling. In the end, it reduces the weight of the entire mobile building envelope as a whole and the load on its elements, making it more reliable and economical to use. Fine uniform porosity of the foam makes it possible to obtain maximum thermal insulation characteristics.

Hydrocarbon foaming allows to achieve the best characteristics of polyurethane foam, and, consequently, to improve the characteristics of sandwich panels, as well as manufactured from them mobile enclosing structures. It provides:

  •     better energy saving due to high thermal insulation characteristics;
  •     high durability thanks to better adhesion to metal sheets of the panel;
  •     efficiency and an advanced technological design due to it being lighter;
  •     durability of the structure.

You can place an order for Isopentane (iC5) with Junyuan Petroleum Group, send email to: info@junyuanpetroleumgroup.com.

Why is pentane used as blowing agent?

Why is pentane used as blowing agent? Pentaneblown foams have another advantage: better dimensional stability due to the fact that pentane does not condense as much as HCFC-141b at temperatures normally experienced by the foam in use. The condensation of HCFC-141b causes the cells to shrink and expand on a cyclical basis, reducing dimensional stability.”

Blowing agents are used to decrease the density of the polymer, typically by 40–60% with loading levels of 0.5–20.5% by weight on the amount of polymer.

n-Pentane, Isopentane, Pentane Blends

Releated Terms:

Extrusion, Carbon Dioxide, Flame Retardant, Polyurethane Foam, Polyurethanes, Resin, Injection Moulding, Foaming Agent, Porosity

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