EP4448626A1 - Method for preparing silicone foam - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a novel method for preparing silicone foam, which is ideal for producing items in the fields of construction, transport, electrical insulation or household electrical goods, especially as an upholstery material for seats in the transport field. This method comprises a step (a) of preparing a silicone composition that is able to form a foam through the release of a gas; a step (b) of introducing this silicone composition into a closed mold; and a step (c) of crosslinking and/or curing this silicone composition to obtain the silicone foam, the walls of the mold being permeable to the gas at least for all or some of the step of crosslinking and/or curing this silicone composition.

Description

DESCRIPTION

TITLE: Silicone foam preparation process

Technical area

The present invention relates to the technical field of silicone foams. More specifically, the present invention aims to provide a new process for the preparation of silicone foam.

State of the prior art

The expression “silicone foam” or “silicone foam” denotes an organopolysiloxane composition in the form of a foam. Silicone foam materials are known in various fields of application such as thermal and/or acoustic insulation, production of soft seals, use as damping elements, etc. These applications use the known properties of silicone elastomers such as thermal stability, good mechanical properties and fire resistance.

The transport industry in particular is demanding low-density silicone foams that nevertheless retain excellent mechanical properties, thermal resistance and fire resistance.

Silicone foams are well known in the art and their preparation is described in a number of patents. In particular, patent application WO 2021/014058 describes organopolysiloxane compositions intended to generate, after crosslinking and/or hardening, a low density silicone foam, that is to say less than 0.20 g/cm ³ , having advantageously good mechanical properties, excellent fire resistance and not giving off toxic fumes during their combustion.

The silicone foam described in WO 2021/014058 is obtained by a foaming reaction which generates hydrogen: in summary, a polyaddition crosslinking composition is used comprising an organopolysiloxane carrying vinyl groups bonded to silicon, an organopolysiloxane containing hydrogen atoms bonded to silicon and water. The water reacts with the hydride functional organopolysiloxane producing hydrogen gas and a silanol. The silanol then reacts with the organopolysiloxane with hydride functions by a hydrogen condensation reaction thus generating a second molecule of gaseous hydrogen, whereas another polydiorganosiloxane bearing vinyl groups bonded to the silicon will simultaneously react by an addition reaction with another polydiorganosiloxane with hydride functions, thus participating in the construction of the network of the silicone foam.

It has been found that when foaming is done in a standard open mold, significant defects in the foam can appear, including depressions under the foam block, large bubbles in the foam, etc. Such deformations are not acceptable for industrial production of silicone foam articles.

Very few prior art documents describe the means and methods for implementing the process of foaming a silicone foam.

European patent application EP 0495566, published in 1992, describes a method for preparing silicone foam in which the foam precursor composition is introduced into a closed and sealed mold whose volume is at least 10% less than the volume of the foam would occupy in open mould. According to the inventors of this application, this foaming under restricted conditions makes it possible to improve the fire resistance of the foams. Nevertheless, a post-crosslinking step by annealing the hot mold for a few hours seems necessary. In addition, in a closed mould, the densities of the foams obtained are systematically greater than the densities of the foams obtained in an open mould. However, in the transport industry, it is preferable to obtain low density silicone foams.

Japanese patent application JP 2004-123836 describes a process for manufacturing a silicone foam in a closed mold under reduced pressure. This method makes it possible, according to this document, to obtain uniform silicone foams with the desired density. However, such a process is complex to implement and the management of the tightness of the mold is critical. Hydrogen being a very diffusive gas in the air, sealing is not guaranteed.

Patent application US 2011/0074061 Al describes a process for molding a silicone elastomer sponge, preferably in the form of a tube. According to this method, a silicone composition is introduced and cured in a closed mould, then the gas present in the cavity of the mold is released before the opening of the mould. This intermediate degassing step prevents damage, such as breakage or splinters, to the molded object during its demoulding. However, this degassing step only occurs after the crosslinking of the silicone composition. It cannot therefore have any effect on any defects appearing on the object at the time of its cross-linking. Moreover, as is apparent from the embodiment described in US 2011/0074061 Al, the holes used for the release of the gas are located on the small ends of the tube, and cannot be used to avoid the appearance of deformations on the essential surfaces of the tube such as the internal or external surface.

Other documents on foam molding methods exist in the prior art (for example US patent US 3,431,331), but they relate to polyurethane foams. Compared to silicone foams, the crosslinking chemistry is totally different, but also the foaming reaction, the gases released during expansion, the crosslinking and foaming kinetics, etc., are also different.

The improved foaming processes described in the prior art therefore do not easily produce a low density silicone foam. The objective of the present invention is therefore to propose a new process for the preparation of silicone foam which makes it possible to obtain blocks of low-density foam which do not have any major defect in shape. Advantageously, this process for preparing silicone foam is easy to implement and does not require an annealing step.

Summary of the invention

The subject of the present invention is therefore a method for preparing a silicone foam comprising the following steps: a) preparing a silicone composition capable of forming a foam by releasing a gas; b) introducing said silicone composition into a closed mould; and c) allowing said silicone composition to crosslink and/or harden to obtain the silicone foam; the walls of said mold being permeable to gas at least during all or part of the crosslinking and/or curing step of said silicone composition.

Furthermore, the present invention relates to a silicone foam article capable of being obtained by the method as defined above, as well as the use of a closed mold whose walls are permeable to gas for the manufacture of silicone foam. .

Brief description of figures

[Fig. 1] shows one embodiment of a mold according to the present invention.

[Fig. 2] represents four embodiments (2A, 2B, 2C and 2D) of the wall of a mold according to the present invention.

[Fig. 3] is a photograph of a block of silicone foam obtained according to the comparative example.

[Fig. 4] is a photograph of the mold used in the example according to the invention.

[Fig. 5] is a photograph of a block of silicone foam obtained according to the example according to the invention.

Detailed description of the invention

Unless otherwise indicated, all the viscosities of the silicone oils referred to in this presentation correspond to a magnitude of dynamic viscosity at 25° C. called "Newtonian", that is to say the dynamic viscosity which is measured, in a known per se, with a Brookfield viscometer at a sufficiently low shear rate gradient for the measured viscosity to be independent of the rate gradient. The present invention relates to a method for preparing a silicone foam. This method comprises a first step (a) which consists in preparing a silicone composition capable of forming a foam by releasing a gas. Such compositions are known in the literature.

According to a preferred embodiment, the silicone composition capable of forming a silicone foam is a composition crosslinking by polyaddition and which generates hydrogen during the foaming reaction. According to this preferred embodiment, said silicone composition comprises:

- at least one organopolysiloxane A having, per molecule, at least two C2-C12 alkenyl groups bonded to silicon,

- at least one organopolysiloxane B having, per molecule, at least two SiH units,

- a catalytically effective amount of at least one hydrosilylation catalyst C, and

- At least one blowing agent D comprising a hydroxyl group.

The organopolysiloxane A having, per molecule, at least two alkenyl groups, C2-C12 bonded to silicon, can preferably be a linear organopolysiloxane formed:

- at least two siloxyl units of the following formula: Y _a R ¹ bSiO(4-ab)/2 in which Y represents a C2-C12 alkenyl group, preferably a vinyl group; R ¹ represents a monovalent hydrocarbon group having from 1 to 12 carbon atoms, preferably chosen from alkyl groups having from 1 to 8 carbon atoms such as methyl, ethyl, propyl groups, cycloalkyl groups having from 3 to 8 atoms carbon and aryl groups having 6 to 12 carbon atoms; a = 1 or 2, b = 0, 1 or 2 and the sum a+b = 2 or 3, and

- optionally units of the following formula: R ¹ _c SiO(4-o/2 in which R ¹ has the same meaning as above and c = 2 or 3.

It is understood in the formulas above that, if several R ¹ groups are present, they may be identical to or different from each other.

Preferably, said organopolysiloxanes A are oils with a dynamic viscosity of between 100 mPa.s and 100,000 mPa.s, preferably between 100 mPa.s and 80,000 mPa.s, and more preferably between 1000 mPa.s and 50,000 mPa.s .

The linear organopolysiloxane A having, per molecule, at least two alkenyl groups, C2-C12 bonded to silicon, may preferably consist essentially of "D" siloxyl units chosen from the group consisting of the siloxyl units R^SiCLa, YR ¹ SiO2/2 and Y ₂ SiO2/2, and terminal “M” siloxyl units chosen from the group consisting of the siloxyl units YR ¹ ₂ SiOi/2, Y2R ¹ SiOi/2 and R′;SiOi 2. The symbols Y and R ¹ are as described above.

As examples of terminal “M” units, mention may be made of the trimethylsiloxy, dimethylphenylsiloxy, dimethylvinylsiloxy or dimethylhexenylsiloxy groups.

As examples of “D” units, mention may be made of the dimethylsiloxy, methylphenylsiloxy, methylvinylsiloxy, methylbutenylsiloxy, methylhexenylsiloxy, methyldecenylsiloxy or methyldecadienylsiloxy groups. Examples of linear organopolysiloxanes which can be an organopolysiloxane A according to the invention are:

- a poly(dimethylsiloxane) with dimethylvinylsilyl ends;

- a poly(dimethylsiloxane-co-methylphenylsiloxane) with dimethylvinylsilyl ends;

- a poly(dimethylsiloxane-co-methylvinylsiloxane) with dimethylvinylsilyl ends; And

- a poly(dimethylsiloxane-co-methylivinylsiloxane) with trimethyl-silyl ends.

Preferably, the organopolysiloxane A contains terminal dimethylvinylsilyl units and even more preferably the organopolysiloxane A is a poly(dimethylsiloxane) with dimethylvinylsilyl ends.

Preferably, the organopolysiloxane compound A has a mass content of alkenyl unit of between 0.001% and 30%, preferably between 0.01% and 10%, preferably between 0.02% and 5%.

The silicone composition preferably comprises from 40% to 80% by weight of organopolysiloxane A, even more preferably from 50% to 70% by weight of organopolysiloxane A. According to one embodiment, the silicone composition does not comprise organopolysiloxanes branches or resins comprising C2-C12 alkenyl units.

Organopolysiloxane B is an organopolysiloxane having, per molecule, at least two SiH units. It is therefore an organohydrogenpolysiloxane compound. Preferably, compound B comprises at least three SiH units.

The organopolysiloxane B can advantageously be an organopolysiloxane comprising at least two, preferably at least three, siloxyl units of the following formula: H _d R ² _e SiO(4-de)/2 in which R ² represents a monovalent radical having 1 with 12 carbon atoms, d=1 or 2, e=0, 1 or 2 and d+e=1, 2 or 3; and optionally other units of the following formula: R ² fSiO<4-f)/2 in which R ² has the same meaning as above, and f = 0, 1, 2, or 3.

It is understood that, if several R ² groups are present in the above formulas, they may be identical to or different from each other.

Preferably, R ² can represent a monovalent radical chosen from the group consisting of alkyl groups having 1 to 8 carbon atoms, optionally substituted by at least one halogen atom such as chlorine or fluorine, cycloalkyl groups having 3 with 8 carbon atoms and aryl groups having 6 to 12 carbon atoms. R ² can advantageously be chosen from the group consisting of methyl, ethyl, propyl, 3,3,3-trifluoropropyl, xylyl, tolyl and phenyl.

The symbol d is preferably equal to 1.

Organopolysiloxane B can have a linear, branched or cyclic structure. The degree of polymerization is preferably greater than or equal to 2. Generally, it is less than 5000. Preferably, the viscosity of the organopolysiloxane B is between 1 mPa.s and 5000 mPa.s, more preferably between 1 mPa.s and 2000 mPa.s, and even more preferably between 5 mPa.s and 1000 mPa.s.

In the case of linear polymers, these essentially consist of "D" siloxyl units chosen from the R ² 2SiO2/2 and R ² HSiO2/2 units, and of terminal "M" siloxyl units chosen from the R ² 3SiOi/2 and R ² 2HSiOi/2, where R ² has the same meaning as above.

Examples of organohydrogenpolysiloxanes which can be compounds B according to the invention are:

- a poly(dimethylsiloxane) with hydrogendimethylsilyl ends;

- a poly(dimethylsiloxane-co-methylhydrogenosiloxane) with trimethylsilyl ends;

- a poly(dimethylsiloxane-co-methylhydrogenosiloxane) with hydrogendimethylsilyl ends;

- a poly(methylhydrosiloxane) with trimethylsilyl ends; And

- a cyclic poly(methylhydrogensiloxane).

When the organohydrogenpolysiloxane B has a branched structure, it is preferably chosen from the group consisting of the silicone resins of the following formulas:

- M’Q where the hydrogen atoms bonded to silicon atoms are carried by the M groups;

- MM'Q where the hydrogen atoms bonded to silicon atoms are carried by part of the moüfs M;

- MD'Q where the hydrogen atoms bonded to silicon atoms are carried by the D groups;

- MDD'Q where the hydrogen atoms bonded to silicon atoms are carried by part of the D groups;

- MM'TQ where the hydrogen atoms bonded to silicon atoms are carried by part of the M units;

- MM'DD'Q where the hydrogen atoms bonded to silicon atoms are carried by part of the M and D units;

- and mixtures thereof, with M = siloxyl unit of formula R ² 3SiOi/2, M' = siloxyl unit of formula R ² 2HSiOi/2, D = siloxyl unit of formula R ² 2SiO2/2, D' = siloxyl unit of formula R ² HSiC>2/2, T = siloxyl unit of formula R ² 3SiOi/2 and Q = siloxyl unit of formula SiOjn- where R ² has the same meaning as above.

Preferably, the organopolysiloxane B has a mass content of hydrogenosilyl Si—H functions of between 0.2% and 91%, more preferably between 3% and 80% and even more preferably between 15% and 70%.

Advantageously, the molar ratio of the hydrogenosilyl Si-H functions of the organopolysiloxanes B to the alkene functions of the organopolysiloxanes A is between 5 and 100, preferably between 10 and 90, more preferably between 15 and 65, and even more preferably between 20 and 55 .

The silicone composition according to the invention preferably comprises from 1% to 20% by weight, and more preferably from 3% to 15% by weight, of organopolysiloxane B. The hydrosilylation catalyst C can in particular be chosen from platinum and rhodium compounds but also from silicon compounds such as those described in patent applications WO 2015/004396 and WO 2015/004397, germanium compounds such as those described in patent applications WO 20160/75414 or complexes of nickel, cobalt or iron such as those described in patent applications WO 2016/071651, WO 2016/071652 and WO 2016/071654. Catalyst C is preferably a compound derived from at least one metal belonging to the platinum group. These catalysts are well known. It is possible, in particular, to use the complexes of platinum and of an organic product described in US Pat. Nos. 3,159,601, US Pat. platinum and vinyl organosiloxanes described in US Patents 3,419,593, US 3,715,334, US 3,377,432 and US 3,814,730.

Preferably, catalyst C is a compound derived from platinum. In this case, the amount by weight of catalyst C, calculated by weight of platinum metal, is generally between 2 ppm and 400 ppm by mass, preferably between 5 ppm and 200 ppm, based on the total weight of the silicone composition.

Preferably, catalyst C is a Karstedt platinum.

The blowing agent D comprising a hydroxyl group can be chosen from the group consisting of water, polyols, monofunctional alcohols, organosilanes containing at least one silanol group, organosiloxanes containing at least one silanol group, and mixtures thereof .

According to a preferred embodiment, the blowing agent D is water. Water can be added directly to the silicone composition. Alternatively, the water can be introduced in the form of an aqueous emulsion, for example an oil-in-water direct silicone emulsion or a water-in-oil inverse silicone emulsion comprising a silicone oily continuous phase, an aqueous phase and a stabilizing. According to one embodiment, the water is introduced via an emulsion of silicone oil in water with a water content of the order of 60% by weight. When water is introduced into the silicone composition via an emulsion, the dispersion of water in the silicone composition and its storage stability are improved.

According to another embodiment, the blowing agent D is a polyol. Preferably, it is an organic polyol having 3 to 12 carbon atoms and comprising at least 2 hydroxyl groups per molecule. The polyol can be linear or branched, and it can optionally comprise one or more aromatic rings. Mention may be made, for example, of saturated polyhydric alcohols having at least 2 hydroxyl groups per molecule, such as those described in US Pat. No. 4,871,781. Examples of polyols which can be used as a blowing agent according to the invention are:

- diols, for example 1,2-ethanediol, 2,3-propanediol, 1,3-propanediol, 1,4-butanediol, 1,5-pentanediol and 1,6-hexanediol;

- triols, for example 1,2,3-propanetriol and 2,2-bis-hydroxymethyl-butanol;

- tetritols, for example erythritol and pentaerythritol; - pentitols, for example arabitol, xylitol, and methylpentitol;

- hexitols, for example mannitol and sorbitol; And

- cycloaliphatic polyols, for example cyclohexanediols, cyclohexane triols, and inositol.

According to another embodiment, the blowing agent D is a monofunctional alcohol. Preferably, it is an organic alcohol having 1 to 12 carbon atoms and comprising a single hydroxyl group per molecule. The alcohol can be linear or branched, and it can optionally include one or more aromatic rings. Examples of monofunctional alcohols which can be used as a blowing agent according to the invention are methanol, ethanol, n-propanol, isopropanol, n-butanol, 2-butanol, tert-butanol, n -octanol, benzyl alcohol, and mixtures thereof.

According to yet another embodiment, the blowing agent D is an organosilane containing one or more silanol groups. These compounds can for example be represented by the following formula (1) or formula (2):

(1) ( ^R3 ) _3SiOH

(2) (R ³ ) ₂ Si(OH) 2 in which R ³ represents a monovalent radical chosen from the group consisting of alkyl groups having 1 to 8 carbon atoms, optionally substituted by at least one halogen atom such as chlorine or fluorine, cycloalkyl groups having 3 to 10 carbon atoms and aryl groups having 6 to 12 carbon atoms.

It is understood that, if several R ³ groups are present in the above formulas, they may be identical to or different from each other.

Examples of organosilanes containing one or more silanol groups which can be used as a blowing agent according to the invention are (CH ₃ ) ₃ SiOH, (C6H ₅ )SiOH, (OLXC6Hs^SiOH and (C6H ₅ ) ₂ Si(OH)2 .

According to yet another embodiment, the blowing agent D is an organosiloxane containing one or more silanol groups. Preferably, it may be an organopolysiloxane compound formed:

- at least one siloxyl units of the following formula: R ³ _g (OH)hSiO(4- _g -h)/2 in which R ³ has the same meaning as above; g = 0, 1 or 2, h = 1 or 2, and the sum g+h = 1, 2 or 3, and

- optionally units of the following formula: R ³ iSiO(4-i>/2 in which R ³ has the same meaning as above and i = 0, 1, 2 or 3.

The silicone composition may also comprise other compounds, in particular:

- at least one mineral filler, in particular silica, quartz, or a mixture thereof;

- at least one heat resistance and/or fire resistance additive;

- at least one diorganopolysiloxane gum;

- a diorganopolysiloxane oil blocked at each end of its chain by a triorganosiloxy unit whose organic radicals bonded to the silicon atoms are chosen from alkyl radicals having 1 to 8 carbon atoms;

- a crosslinking inhibitor;

- a coloring base;

- optionally other charges.

According to a preferred embodiment, the silicone composition comprises an inorganic filler, which is preferably a combustion silica or a precipitation silica. Mineral fillers of silica type preferably have a specific surface, measured according to BET methods, of at least 50 m ² /g, in particular between 50 m ² /g and 400 m ² /g, preferably greater than 70 m ² / g, an average dimension of the primary particles of less than 0.1 μm (micrometer) and an apparent density of less than 200 g/litre. Very preferably, the mineral filler is a combustion silica whose specific surface is between 100 m ² /g and 300 m ² /g.

Mineral fillers of silica type, preferably hydrophilic, can be incorporated as such in the silicone composition or optionally be treated with a compatibilizer. According to a variant, these silicas can optionally be treated with one or more organosilicon compounds, for example organosilane or organosilazane, usually used for this use. These compounds include methylpolysiloxanes such as hexamethyldisiloxane, octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane, methylpolysilazanes such as hexamethyldisilazane, hexamethylcyclotrisilazane, tetramethyldivinyldisilazane, chlorosilanes such as dimethyl-dichlorosilane, trimethylchlorosilane, methylvinyldichlorosilane, dimethylvinylchlorosilane, alkoxysilanes such as dimethyl-dimethoxysilane, dimethylvinylethoxysilane, trimethylmethoxysilane. These compounds can be used alone or as a mixture (see French patents FR 1 126 884, FR 1 136 885, FR 1 236 505 and British patent GB 1 024 234). According to a preferred embodiment, the silica is treated during the mixture with all or part of the organopolysiloxane A according to an in-situ process. According to an advantageous embodiment, the silica is treated with one or more hexaorganodisilazanes. Even more preferably, the silica is treated with hexamethyldisilazane alone or mixed with divinyltetramethyldisilazane.

The silica can optionally be predispersed in a silicone oil, so as to obtain a suspension. It is particularly preferred to use a suspension of fumed silica treated, in particular with hexamethyldisilazane, in a polyorganosiloxane oil, in particular vinyl-coated.

Alternatively or in addition, the silicone composition according to the invention may also contain at least one other mineral filler which is a quartz. It is preferably used a crushed natural quartz with an average grain size of less than 10 microns. Quartz can optionally be treated to improve its compatibility with organopolysiloxanes.

According to a preferred embodiment, the silicone composition contains a mixture of silica and quartz, with a mass ratio between quartz and silica preferably between 0.5 and 4, more preferably between 1 and 3.6 , even more preferably between 1.5 and 3.2, and even more advantageously between 1.5 and 2.8. Other mineral fillers can be envisaged, in particular fillers, such as for example diatomaceous earth, calcium carbonate and/or kaolin.

The silicone composition may optionally comprise at least one heat resistance and/or fire resistance additive. These heat resistance and/or fire resistance additives are well known to those skilled in the art. It can advantageously be chosen from the group consisting of: salts, oxides and hydroxides of metals such as iron, titanium, aluminum, nickel and copper; salts, hydroxides and oxides of rare earths such as cerium and lanthanum; organophosphorus compounds; platinum derivatives; carbon black; and calcium, aluminum and/or potassium silicates such as, for example, mica and wollastonite. Mention may also be made of hydrated mineral fillers, oxides or carbonates of calcium, magnesium or aluminum, such as magnesium hydroxide Mg(OH)2, aluminum hydroxide Al(OH)3, hydromagnesite with the structural formula Mg^CO3)4(OH)2.4H2O. and calcium hydroxide. According to another embodiment, it is possible to add hollow glass microspheres to the silicone composition.

The silicone composition can optionally comprise at least one diorganopolysiloxane gum. Diorganopolysiloxane gums are linear polymers, of high molecular weight with a viscosity greater than 1000 Pa.s at 25° C., preferably greater than 2000 Pa.s and whose diorganopolysiloxane chain consists essentially of units of formula R ₂ SiO ₂ /2 and blocked at each end by units of formula R; S iO 1 2. the radical R represents an alkyl radical having from 1 to 8 carbon atoms or an alkenyl radical having from 2 to 6 carbon atoms. The presence, along the diorganopolysiloxane chain, of small quantities of units other than R ₂ SiO2/2, for example of RSiCh/2 and/or SiO4/2 units, is however not excluded in the proportion of at most 2% relative to the number of R 2 S iC>22 units. Preferably, the diorganopolysiloxane gums comprise at least two C2-C12 alkenyl groups bonded to silicon. Advantageously, the diorganopolysiloxane gum has a mass content of vinyl units greater than 0.3%, preferably greater than 0.5%, more preferably between 0.5% and 6%, even more preferably between 0.5% and 4 %, and even more preferably between 1% and 3.5%.

When the silicone composition comprises a crosslinking inhibitor (or addition reaction retarder), this may be chosen from the following compounds: an organopolysiloxane, advantageously cyclic, and substituted by at least one alkenyl, tetramethylvinyltetrasiloxane being particularly preferred , pyridine, organic phosphines and phosphites, unsaturated amides, alkylated maleates, and acetylenic alcohols, for example 1-ethynyl-l-cyclohexanol, methyl-3-dodecyne-l-ol-3, trimethyl -3,7,1 l-dodecyne-l-ol-3, diphenyl-l,l-propyne-2-ol-l, ethyl-3-ethyl-6-nonyne-l-ol-3 and methyl-3-pentadecyne-1-ol-3.

According to one embodiment, the silicone composition comprises (by weight relative to the total weight of the silicone composition): a. from 40% to 80% by weight of at least one organopolysiloxane A having, per molecule, at least two C2-C12 alkenyl groups bonded to silicon, b. from 1% to 20% of at least one organopolysiloxane B having, per molecule, at least two SiH units and preferably at least three SiH units, c. from 2 ppm to 400 ppm by mass of a hydrosilylation catalyst C chosen from platinum compounds (amount calculated by weight of platinum-metal), d. from 0.3% to 2.5% by weight of a blowing agent D, e. at least 3% by weight of a fumed silica whose specific surface is between 100 m ² /g and 300 m ² /g, f. at least 6% by weight of at least one mineral filler which is ground quartz, and g. from 0.4% to 5% by weight of at least one heat resistance and/or fire resistance additive.

According to another embodiment, the silicone composition comprises (by weight relative to the total weight of the silicone composition): a. from 40% to 80% by weight of at least one organopolysiloxane A having, per molecule, at least two C2-C12 alkenyl groups bonded to silicon, b. from 1% to 20% by weight of at least one organopolysiloxane B having, per molecule, at least two SiH units and preferably at least three SiH units, c. from 2 ppm to 400 ppm by mass of a hydrosilylation catalyst C chosen from platinum compounds (amount calculated by weight of platinum metal), d. from 0.3% to 2.5% by weight of a blowing agent D, e. from 3% to 14% by weight of at least one mineral filler which is a fumed silica whose specific surface area is between 100 m ² /g and 300 m ² /g, f. from 6% to 25% by weight of at least one mineral filler which is a ground quartz, g. from 0.4% to 5% by weight of at least one fire resistance additive, h. from 0 to 3000 mass ppm of a crosslinking inhibitor, and i. from 0 to 4% by weight of a diorganopolysiloxane gum comprising at least two C2-C12 alkenyl groups bonded to silicon.

Although the composition crosslinking by polyaddition as described above is the preferred embodiment of the silicone foam according to the present invention, other silicone compositions capable of forming a foam are entirely possible, insofar as the composition releases a gas allowing the phenomenon of foaming. According to one embodiment, the silicone composition contains a pore-forming agent which expands the material under the action of heat by decomposition with release of gas, in particular the case of derivatives of the azo type, for example azodicarbonamide, which will make it possible to release nitrogen, carbon dioxide and ammonia. According to another embodiment, the silicone composition contains a blowing agent which expands the material under the action of heat by phase change, typically liquid to gas, in particular the case of solvents with a low boiling point. According to one embodiment, the silicone composition according to the invention can be prepared from a two-component (or multi-component) system characterized in that it comes in two (or more) distinct parts intended to be mixed to form said silicone composition. In particular, in the case of the preferred silicone compositions as described above, the silicone composition can be prepared from a two-component system characterized in that one of the parts comprises the catalyst C and does not comprise the 'organopolysiloxane B, while the other part comprises the organopolysiloxane B and does not include the catalyst C. Other multi-component systems can be provided to improve the shelf life and / or optimize the viscosity of each of the components . For example, the silicone composition according to the invention can be prepared from a three-component system characterized in that it comes in three separate parts intended to be mixed to form said silicone composition.

The mixing of the parts of said two-component (or multi-component) system can typically take place at a temperature close to room temperature, that is to say between 10°C and 40°C. An increase in the temperature of the silicone composition is sometimes observed during this mixing depending on the type of mixer and the shear applied. If it is desired to accelerate the crosslinking or hardening of the silicone foam, the mixture can be carried out at a higher temperature, advantageously between 40°C and 70°C.

It is important to have a good quality mix to obtain a homogeneous silicone foam with good mechanical properties.

The method according to the present invention further comprises a step (b) consisting in introducing the said silicone composition prepared during step (a) into a closed mould.

The closed mold defines a hollow volume corresponding to the shape of the article to be molded. The mold can have a simple geometric shape, for example a parallelepipedal shape as illustrated in FIG. 1, or a complex shape corresponding to the use of the molded object, for example a seat having an ergonomic shape.

The dimensions of the mold can be chosen by the user according to the article he wishes to mold. The present method is particularly suitable for large articles, having a length and a width typically between 10 cm and 3 m, and a thickness at least greater than 2 cm, typically between 5 cm and 30 cm, or between 10 cm and 20cm.

Preferably, the bottom and top walls of the mold define the largest surfaces of the molded article, while the side walls define the thickness of the molded article.

According to a first embodiment illustrated by Figure 1, the mold (1) consists of side walls (2) (four side walls are shown here), a bottom wall (3) and a lid (4) . The cover (4) constitutes the upper wall of the mold (1). The lower wall (3) is provided with feet (5) serving as a support for the mould. The cover (4) is preferably removable. During the implementation of step (b) of the process according to the present invention, the silicone composition can be poured or injected into the mold (1), then the cover (4) can be fixed to the side walls, thus defining a closed hollow volume.

According to another embodiment (not shown), the mold may consist of two half-molds which define a closed hollow volume when they are assembled. During the implementation of step (b) of the method according to the present invention, the silicone composition can typically be injected into the closed hollow volume defined by the 2 assembled half-molds.

The closed mold used in the present invention is characterized by its walls which are permeable to gas at least during all or part of the crosslinking and/or curing step of said silicone composition. Preferably all the walls of the mold according to the invention are permeable to gas. By “gas permeable”, is meant in the present invention the ability for the material under consideration to pass the gas generated during the foaming reaction of the silicone composition according to the present invention.

According to one embodiment, all the walls of the molds are made of the same material(s). They are all permeable to gas at least during all or part of the step of crosslinking and/or curing of said silicone composition.

According to another embodiment, the permeability of the mold is not homogeneous. For example, one can envisage an embodiment in which certain walls of the mould, typically the lower wall (3) and the cover (4) in FIG. 1, are permeable to gas during all or part of the crosslinking step and / or curing of said silicone composition, while the side walls (2) are little or not permeable to gas during all or part of the step of crosslinking and / or curing of said silicone composition.

The walls must also be sufficiently rigid to ensure the mechanical strength of the mold and must be capable of containing the silicone composition in its liquid form before its crosslinking and/or hardening reaction. The walls of the mold according to the present invention are therefore both:

- permeable to gas at least during all or part of the crosslinking and/or hardening step of said silicone composition,

- sealed against the silicone composition before its crosslinking and/or curing reaction, and

- sufficiently rigid to ensure the mechanical strength of the mould.

Several embodiments can be envisaged by those skilled in the art.

In a first embodiment, the walls of the mold according to the invention consist of a rigid material to ensure the mechanical strength of the mold, permeable to gas and impermeable to liquid. Such an embodiment is for example illustrated by FIG. 2A, the wall (6a) consists of a material having an inner face (7) and an outer face (8). This material is permeable to gas but impermeable to liquid. In addition, this material is rigid enough to ensure the mechanical strength of the mould. For example, it may be a microporous composite material or a microporous plastic material, such as a microporous PET.

In a second embodiment, the walls of the mold according to the invention consist of two adjacent materials: a rigid outer material to ensure the mechanical strength of the mold, said outer material being for example a grid or a perforated plate to ensure permeability gas, and an inner material permeable to gas and impermeable to liquid. Such an embodiment is for example illustrated by FIG. 2B and FIG. 2C: the wall (6b)/(6c) consists of a first material (9)/(12) defining the interior of the mold and of a second material (10)/(13) defining the exterior of the mould. The first and second materials are both permeable to gas. The second material (10)/(13) ensures the mechanical support function of the mold while the first material (9)/(12) ensures liquid impermeability. The second material (10)/(13) is rigid. It ensures the mechanical strength of the mould. To ensure gas permeability, the second material (10) is provided with perforations (11) as shown in Figure 2B. The total surface of the perforations can represent at least 30%, more preferentially at least 40%, even more preferentially at least 50%, of the total surface of the second material (10). The second material (10) can be metal, for example steel or aluminum, rigid plastic, typically PET, polypropylene or even polycarbonate, or a composite material. In FIG. 2C, the second material (13) is a metallic or plastic grid or netting. The first material (9)/(12) is preferably adjacent to the second material (10)/(13) and has the function of ensuring the liquid impermeability of the wall. Preferably, it is a flexible material, typically a fibrous material. Said fibrous material can be of natural, artificial and/or synthetic origin. It can be a woven, knitted or non-woven fibrous material. When it is a woven or knitted fibrous support, that is to say a fabric or a knit, the yarns are advantageously based on a thermoplastic polymer. By way of example, suitable thermoplastic (co)polymers include: polyolefins, polyesters, polyalkylene oxides, polyoxyalkylenes, polyhalogenoalkylenes, poly(alkylene-phthalate or terephthalate), poly(phenyl or phenylene), poly(phenylene oxide or sulfide), polyvinyl acetates, polyvinyl alcohols, polyvinyl halides, polyvinylidene halides, polyvinyl nitriles, polyamides, polyimides, polycarbonates, polysiloxanes, polymers of acrylic or methacrylic acid, polyacrylates or methacrylates, natural polymers such as cellulose and its derivatives, synthetic polymers such as synthetic elastomers, or thermoplastic copolymers comprising at least one monomer identical to any of the monomers included in the aforementioned polymers, as well as mixtures and/or alloys of all these (co)polymers. When the fibrous material is made of thermoplastic polymer, it is preferably made of polyester, such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polypropylene terephthalate (PPT), polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), their copolymers and mixtures, or of polyamide such as polyamide 6, polyamide 6.6, polyamide 4, polyamide 1.1, polyamide 1.2, polyamides 4-6, 6-10, 6-12, 6-36, 12-12, their copolymers and mixtures. In a third embodiment, the walls of the mold according to the invention consist of:

- a rigid outer material to ensure the mechanical strength of the mould, fitted with vents to ensure gas permeability, and

- a removable device ensuring the impermeability to the liquid of the wall.

The vent or vents can be arranged with regular spacing to allow a homogeneous release of the gas on the wall of the mold. Their size and number can be adapted according to the quantity of gas generated during the crosslinking and/or curing of the silicone composition. Preferably, the vent(s) may be disposed on the bottom mold wall, and optionally on the top mold wall, which preferably define the larger surfaces of the molded article.

Such an embodiment is for example illustrated by FIG. 2D, the wall (14) is made of a rigid material, ensuring the mechanical strength of the mold, and provided with vents (15) ensuring gas permeability. To ensure impermeability to liquid, the wall is provided with plugs (16), adapted to the vents (15). When the silicone composition is introduced into the mold in liquid form, the plugs (16) are placed in the vents (15). When the crosslinking and/or curing reaction begins, the silicone composition will reach a freezing point beyond which it will no longer be sufficiently fluid to pass through the wall. From this moment, the plugs (16) are removed to allow the evacuation of gases during the remainder of the crosslinking and/or curing reaction. Alternatively, the removable device ensuring the impermeability to the liquid of the wall can be a removable counter-plate, an impermeable external adhesive film, etc...

The method according to the present invention finally comprises a step (c) consisting in leaving the said silicone composition to crosslink and/or harden to obtain the silicone foam. This step (c) may have a variable duration depending on the silicone composition and the temperature of step (b). Generally, a silicone foam with good properties is obtained after a few minutes or a few hours depending on the temperature and the concentration of catalyst and inhibitor in the silicone composition.

The crosslinking and/or hardening of the silicone composition is characterized initially by obtaining a gel. The freezing point of the composition is defined as the point at which the liquid begins to exhibit pseudo-elastic characteristics. In the technical field of polymers, the freezing point can be defined as being the inflection point of the viscosity-time curve. In practice, the gel point of the composition can be determined visually by a person skilled in the art. Beyond the gel point, the silicone composition continues to crosslink and/or harden to obtain the silicone foam.

In the method according to the present invention, the walls of the mold are preferably permeable to gas after the gel point of said silicone composition. Before the freezing point, the walls of the mold can be permeable or impermeable to gas, depending on the mold used. According to one embodiment of the present invention, the method for preparing a silicone foam comprises the following steps: a) preparing a silicone composition capable of forming a foam by releasing a gas; b) introducing said silicone composition into a closed mold whose walls of the mold consist of two adjacent materials: a rigid outer material to ensure the mechanical strength of the mold and permeable to gas, said outer material being for example a grid or a perforated plate , and a gas-permeable and liquid-impermeable inner material; c) allowing said silicone composition to crosslink and/or harden to obtain the silicone foam.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, the method for preparing a silicone foam comprises the following steps: a) preparing a silicone composition capable of forming a foam by releasing a gas; b) introducing said silicone composition into a closed mold whose walls of the mold consist of a rigid outer material to ensure the mechanical strength of the mold and the permeability to gas, and of a removable device ensuring the impermeability to the liquid of the wall; c) allowing said silicone composition to crosslink and/or harden to the gel point; c') remove the removable device ensuring the impermeability to the liquid of the wall; and c”) allowing said silicone composition to crosslink and/or harden to obtain the silicone foam.

Advantageously, the entire silicone foam manufacturing process is carried out under air or nitrogen flushing to avoid the risks associated with the release of hydrogen during the process. In addition, the silicone foam manufacturing process is preferably carried out at atmospheric pressure and at ambient temperature, also to avoid the risks associated with the release of hydrogen. The ambient temperature is generally between 15°C and 40°C, typically around 25°C. In addition to safety reasons, the fact of implementing the method at atmospheric pressure and/or at ambient temperature is a significant advantage in terms of technological simplification and implementation costs.

The method according to the present invention may optionally comprise an additional step (d) consisting in annealing the silicone foam obtained in step (c). This optional annealing step can consist of a heat treatment lasting from 1 to several hours, preferably from 1 to 4 hours, at a temperature between 50° C. and 200° C., preferably between 100° C. and 150° C. °C. It can improve, if necessary, the fire resistance and the mechanical properties of the silicone foam. However, this step is not essential, and a process for preparing a silicone foam according to the invention, characterized in that it does not include an additional annealing step, will be preferred.

After cross-linking and/or hardening, and optionally annealing, a silicone foam is obtained and it can be unmolded. Advantageously, the material of the inner face of the mould, that is to say the material in contact with the silicone composition before its crosslinking and/or its hardening, then in contact with the silicone foam after its crosslinking and/or its hardening (for example the material of the inner face (7) of the first embodiment or the first materials (9) and (12) of the second and third embodiments described above) is chosen so that demolding is easy. For this, the material is chosen from materials adhering little or not at all to the silicone foam after its crosslinking and/or its hardening. Preferably, the material of the inner face of the mold is made of polyester. Alternatively, the material can be surface treated to improve its non-adherence to silicone foam, for example with a fluorocarbon coating.

Another object of the present invention is a silicone foam article obtained by the method as defined above. This silicone foam article advantageously does not have any significant defect in shape. In particular, it has no deformation or depression on its underside. The foam advantageously reproduces the shape predefined by the hollow volume of the mold used.

Furthermore, the foam obtained by the process which is the subject of the present invention advantageously has a low density, preferably less than 0.20 g/mL, more preferably less than 0.17 g/mL, even more preferably less than 0.14 g/mL. It is visually uniform with a homogeneous distribution of the sizes of the bubbles within the foam and does not contain large bubbles whose diameter is greater than or equal to 2 mm.

Finally, the heat resistance and fire resistance properties of the silicone foam obtained by the process that is the subject of the present invention are excellent, due to the nature of the silicone composition used. The foam advantageously does not emit toxic fumes during its combustion.

The advantages presented above therefore make the silicone foam obtained by the process which is the subject of the present invention an ideal material for the manufacture of articles in the field of building, transport, electrical insulation or household appliances, particularly as upholstery material for seats in the field of transport. Thus, the silicone foam article is preferably at least one element of a seat in the field of transport.

Other details or advantages of the invention will appear more clearly in view of the examples given below for information purposes only.

Examples

A silicone composition, capable of forming a foam and crosslinking by polyaddition, was prepared by mixing at room temperature the compounds described in Table 1 below:

[Table 1]

Comparative example:

The silicone composition obtained after mixing was poured into a parallelepiped mold without lid, of dimension 27×17×11 cm, the side and lower walls of which are made of polypropylene (gastight). After 45 minutes at 23° C., the foam obtained was removed from the mold. As can be seen in Figure 3, the foam block has significant deformation, especially on its underside. The density of the foam is 0.150 g/mL.

Example according to the invention:

The same silicone composition was poured into a mold according to the invention consisting of a perforated steel frame measuring 55x20x20 cm, the internal walls of which were covered with a polyester fabric. A cover, also consisting of a perforated steel plate covered with a polyester fabric, was fixed to the frame so as to form a closed mold permeable to gas (figure 4).

After 45 minutes at 23°C, the resulting foam was demoulded. As can be seen in Figure 5, the foam block obtained according to the present invention does not show any major deformation. The shape of the block perfectly matches the shape defined by the mould. The foam density is

0.135g/mL.

Claims

1. Process for preparing a silicone foam comprising the following steps: a) preparing a silicone composition capable of forming a foam by releasing a gas; b) introducing said silicone composition into a closed mould; and c) allowing said silicone composition to crosslink and/or harden to obtain the silicone foam; the walls of said mold being permeable to gas at least during all or part of the crosslinking and/or curing step of said silicone composition. 2. Process for preparing a silicone foam according to claim 1, in which the silicone composition capable of forming a silicone foam is a polyaddition crosslinking composition comprising: - at least one organopolysiloxane A having, per molecule, at least two C2-C12 alkenyl groups bonded to silicon, - at least one organopolysiloxane B having, per molecule, at least two SiH units, - a catalytically effective amount of at least one hydrosilylation catalyst C, and - At least one blowing agent D comprising a hydroxyl group. 3. Process for preparing a silicone foam according to claim 2, in which the blowing agent D comprising a hydroxyl group is chosen from the group consisting of water, polyols, monofunctional alcohols, organosilanes containing at least a silanol group, organosiloxanes containing at least one silanol group, and mixtures thereof, preferably the blowing agent D is water. 4. Process for preparing a silicone foam according to claim 2 or claim 3, in which the silicone composition comprises (by weight relative to the total weight of the silicone composition): a. from 40% to 80% by weight of at least one organopolysiloxane A having, per molecule, at least two C2-C12 alkenyl groups bonded to silicon, b. from 1% to 20% of at least one organopolysiloxane B having, per molecule, at least two SiH units and preferably at least three SiH units, c. from 2 ppm to 400 ppm by mass of a hydrosilylation catalyst C chosen from platinum compounds (amount calculated by weight of platinum metal), d. from 0.3% to 2.5% by weight of a blowing agent D, e. at least 3% by weight of a fumed silica whose specific surface is between 100 m ² /g and 300 m ² /g, f. at least 6% by weight of at least one mineral filler which is ground quartz, and g. from 0.4% to 5% by weight of at least one heat resistance and/or fire resistance additive. 5. Process for the preparation of a silicone foam according to any one of claims 1 to 4, in which the walls of the mold consist of a rigid material to ensure the mechanical strength of the mold, permeable to gas and impermeable to liquid. 6. Process for preparing a silicone foam according to any one of claims 1 to 4, in which the walls of the mold consist of two adjacent materials: a rigid outer material to ensure the mechanical strength of the mold and permeable to gas, said outer material being for example a grid or a perforated plate to ensure gas permeability, and an inner material permeable to gas and impermeable to liquid. 7. Process for preparing a silicone foam according to claim 6, in which the gas-permeable and liquid-impermeable inner material is a flexible material, preferably a woven, knitted or non-woven fibrous material. 8. Process for preparing a silicone foam according to claim 6 or 7, comprising the following steps: a) preparing a silicone composition capable of forming a foam by releasing a gas; b) introducing said silicone composition into a closed mold whose walls of the mold consist of two adjacent materials: a rigid outer material to ensure the mechanical strength of the mold and permeable to gas, said outer material being for example a grid or a perforated plate to ensure gas permeability, and a gas-permeable and liquid-impermeable inner material; c) allowing said silicone composition to crosslink and/or harden to obtain the silicone foam. 9. Process for preparing a silicone foam according to any one of claims 1 to 4, in which the walls of the mold according to the invention consist of a rigid outer material to ensure the mechanical strength of the mold, provided with vents to ensure gas permeability, and a removable device ensuring liquid impermeability of the wall. 10. Process for preparing a silicone foam according to claim 9, comprises the following steps: a) preparing a silicone composition capable of forming a foam by releasing a gas; b) introducing said silicone composition into a closed mold whose walls of the mold consist of a rigid outer material to ensure the mechanical strength of the mold and the permeability to gas, and of a removable device ensuring the impermeability to the liquid of the wall; c) allowing said silicone composition to crosslink and/or harden to the gel point; c') remove the removable device ensuring the impermeability to liquid of the wall; and c”) allowing said silicone composition to crosslink and/or harden to obtain the silicone foam. 11. Process for the preparation of a silicone foam according to any one of claims 1 to 10, in which the process is carried out at atmospheric pressure. 12. Process for the preparation of a silicone foam according to any one of claims 1 to 11, in which the process is carried out at room temperature. 13. Silicone foam article obtainable by the process as defined in any one of claims 1 to 12. 14. Silicone foam article according to claim 13, characterized in that it is an article in the field of building, transport, electrical insulation or household appliances, preferably it is at least one element of a seat in the field of transport. 15. Use of a closed mold whose walls are permeable to gas for the manufacture of silicone foam.