GB1562769A

GB1562769A - Foamable resole resins

Info

Publication number: GB1562769A
Application number: GB52698/77A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Monsanto Co
Current assignee: Monsanto Co
Priority date: 1976-05-21
Filing date: 1977-12-19
Publication date: 1980-03-19
Also published as: SE7705915L; GB1582731A; NO771768L; DE2723235A1; CA1105250A; IT1078851B; LU77393A1; BR7703278A; IE771043L; ZA773013B; NL7705617A; DK222477A; BE854887A; FI771593A; FR2351667A1; JPS52148626A; FR2351667B1

Description

(54) FOAMABLE RESOLE RESINS (71) We, MONSANTO COMPANY, a corporation organised under the laws of the State of Delaware, United States of America, of 800 North Lindbergh Boulevard, St. Louis, Missouri 63166, United States of America, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement:- Foamable phenolic resole resin compositions are known comprising a resole resin, a blowing agent and a surfactant. U.S.

Patent 3,389,094 discloses such systems.

Such compositions have been optimized by the selection of the blowing agents and surfactants to improve foamability and the structure of the foams.

According to the present invention there is provided a foamable resole resin composition comprising a resole resin, a blowing agent and a surfactant, wherein said composition has present an aqueous solution of a resole resin having a pH of 3 to 8.5 said resole resin being present in amounts of from 60 to 99% by weight based on said aqueous solution comprising: A. a resole resin having a number average molecular weight of less than 300, a water tolerance greater than 50 /, a combined aldehyde to phenol molar ratio in the range of from 1.0:1 to 2.9::1, and B. a dispersion of insoluble oxalate salt particles, wherein said resole being prepared with a catalyst comprising an alkaline earth metal hydroxide which is magnesium, calcium, barium or strontium hydroxide said pH being adjusted with oxalic acid or ammonium oxalate providing a stable dispersion of insoluble oxalate salt particles of said alkaline earth metal ions in said solution, wherein said solution is stable to salt flocculation at a resole resin content of from 60 to 99% by weight.

According to a further feature of the invention there is provided a process for preparing a foamable resole resin composition comprising blending a resole resin, a blowing agent and a surfactant comprising blending an aqueous solution of a resole resin having a pH of 3 to 8.5 said resole resin being present in amounts of from 60 to 99" by weight based on said aqueous solution comprising: A. a resole resin having a number of average molecular weight of less than 300, a water tolerance greater than 50 a combined aldehyde to phenol molar ratio in the-range of from 1.0:1 to 2.9::1, and B. a dispersion of insoluble oxalate salt particles, wherein said resole being prepared with a catalyst comprising an alkaline earth metal hydroxide which is magnesium, calcium, barium or strontium hydroxide said pH being adjusted with oxalic acid or ammonium oxalate providing a stable dispersion of insoluble oxalate salt particles of said alkaline earth metal ions in said solution, wherein said solution is stable to salt flocculation at a resole resin content of from 60 to 99 / by weight.

The invention also relates to a process for foaming a foamable resole resin composition comprising adding an acid catalyst to the foamable resole resin composition and allowing said composition to foam forming a cellular material.

During the normal manufacture of single stage resole-type liquid phenolic resins a basic catalyst is utilized. To stabilize the finished resin, the base is usually neutralized at the end of the manufacturing process.

The neutralization results in the formation of either -a soluble or insoluble salt depending on the base catalyst and neutralizing acid employed. Since the presence of excess salt can be deleterious to certain end use properties, it is often removed from the resin by techniques such as insoluble salt filtration or ion exchange.

From both a cost and pollution criteria, it is desirable to avoid removing the salt from the resin. The aqueous resole resin solutions of the present invention have been neutralized so as to provide particular inert salts that do not need to be removed but enhance the properties of the aqueous resole resin solutions.

The resole resins are formed using bases containing polyvalent cations such as calcium and barium. The cation is converted to a highly insoluble oxalate salt at the end of the manufacturing process.

The cation so inserted does not interfere with key application properties of the resole resin.

The calcium or barium oxalate is formed in situ in the resin as very fine insoluble particles which results in very stable dispersions with no tendency to settle or coagulate. The highly insoluble nature of these salts make them, in principle, a highly inert dispersed filler with little tendency to adversely affect key properties, e.g.

moisture resistance. Because the dispersions are colloidal in nature. the resins can be pumped, sprayed and generally handled like salt free resins.

The combination of the fine particle calcium or barium oxalate dispersion with a phenolic resole resin produces an unexpected enhancement in the viscosity of the foaming composition. The use of the dispersed salt gives an alternative to viscosity control which is normally controlled by varying the molecular weight and solids content of the resin itself.

The present invention provides a foaming composition with a resole solution having particular dispersed inert salts that do not degrade the physical properties of the composition but enhance its properties.

Also, the present invention discloses a method for preparing said compositions having particular, stable, dispersed inert salts.

Aqueous resole resin solutions containing dispersed oxalate salts are preferably basically resole resins prepared using calcium or barium hydroxide and neutralized with oxalic acid or ammonium oxalate.

The base catalyzed reaction of preferably from 1.3 to 2.8 mols of formaldehyde with one mol of phenol is carried out in the presence of calcium or barium hydroxide.

Additional bases such as sodium hydroxide or organic amines may be added as cocatalysts and pH regulators for the resin system. Typically, between 0.02 and 0.30 mol equivalents of total base per mol of original phenol are utilized. The reaction is carried out at a temperature range of from 40 to 80"C.

The resole reaction is preferably carried out with aqueous formalin solution of between 3070', formaldehyde with completed reaction solids adjusted to 6O-99U by vacuum stripping to remove water or by addition of water.

Aqueous resoles containing dispersed salts can be used in the presence of a variety of formaldehyde scavengers and resole coreactants. Suitable formaldehyde scavengers and resole co-reactants include nitrogen containing organic compounds soluble in the resole, of molecular weight less than 300, containing at least on NH group per molecule reactive ',ith formaldehyde. Examples include ammonia, primary and secondary amines, urea.

substituted ureas, primary amides.

dicyandiamide, guanidines and aminotriazines such as melamine.

guanamine and benzoguanamine.

Depending on the advancement of the resole it may be preferable to add the scavengers and resole coreactants just prior to end use to avoid storage stability problems such as rapid loss of resole water tolerance or the precipitation of resin components. Alternatively, the formaldehyde scavenging reaction is carried out at the end of the resole reaction, prior to neutralization with oxalate, preferably at a temperature in the range of 20 to 600C., to minimize oligomerization of the resole. The amount of coreactant added can vary within very wide limits up to 1.0 mol per mol of phenol in the original reaction mixture. It is preferred to use between 0.5 and 1.5 mol equivalents of scavenger per mol of free formaldehyde present at the end of the resole reaction.

The preferred catalyst for resole stage is barium or calcium hydroxide.

Supplementary bases which can be used with the main catalyst include alkali metal hydroxides such as lithium hydroxide, sodium hydroxide and potassium hydroxide, alkali metal carbonates such as sodium carbonate and potassium carbonate, aqueous ammonia and amines of molecular weight less than 300. The process can be carried out wherein said catalyst comprises said alkaline earth hydroxide used in combination with a compound selected from the group consisting of lithium hydroxide, sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, sodium carbonate, potassium carbonate, organic amines, aqueous ammonia and mixtures thereof wherein about 0.02 to 0.30 mol equivalents of combined catalyst are used per mol of phenol charged, said alkaline earth catalysts constituting about 50 to 959:1 of the mol equivalents provided by said combined catalyst.

At the end of the reaction the barium and calcium hydroxide are neutralized with sufficient oxalate to yield a highly insoluble dispersed salt and adjust the pH within the range of 3.0 to 8.5. The supplementary bases are partially neutralized as necessary and function to control the resin pH between 3 and 8.5. Preferably, the pH is adjusted between 3.0 and 8.0 and most preferably 3.0 to 6.0.

The formation of the insoluble oxalate can conveniently be done by adding solid oxalic acid, (usually oxalic acid dihydrate).

ammonium oxalate or water solutions of these to the resole system. Factors such as agitation and temperature are important in obtaining a fine particle dispersion.

Neutralization is preferably carried out in the range of 25 to 75 C., more preferably 3060 C., wherein the precipitation of the inert salts occur. Generally, the higher the temperature the finer the precipitated particle. Agitation should be consistent with the mixing required for a given vessel and known engineering practices for stirred tanks. Generally, the higher the agitation the smaller the particle size and this can be adjusted to an intensity consistent with the particle size required by simple experimentation for a specific stirred tank.

The oxalate salts formed in water dispersion are characterized by excellent stability with regard to sedimentation and shear. Particle size is extremely small being preferably below 2,u and normally averaging from about 0.01 to 1.0,u, preferably 0.02 to 0.8,u.

The inert salts unexpectedly do not flocculate or precipitate and are stable in water solutions of the resole resins of this invention if the resole resin content is from about 40 to 98% by weight. If the solutions are diluted to lower than about 40% solids then flocculation and precipitation of the salts can occur. Hence, although the resole resins as resins are highly dilutable, and have a water tolerance greater than 500% the aqueous resole solutions containing the inert salts are not since the inert salts will flocculate in solutions containing less than about 40% by weight of resole resins solids.

The resole resin solutions having dispersed inert salts can be made dilutable by the addition of an anionic dispersing agent to inhibit the flocculation of the salts.

The preparation of the resole resin solutions used in the preparation of the present composition have been disclosed in U.S. Patent 4,011,186.

The resole resins then are solutions having varying amounts of water with a resin solids content of 60 to 99 ,,. However, in foamable compositions, the preferred resole resin solutions have water contents of less than 10 ". A water-content of more than 100;, in the resin is detrimental in that it absorbs too much exothermic heat in the acid catalyzed blowing step and thus less expansion takes place whereby undesirably high apparent density products of nonuniform texture and large voids are obtained. When cellular structures of very low apparent density (0.003 to 0.03 grams per cubic centimeter) are to be made, a water-content less than 50;, in the "A" stage reaction product is preferred.

The resoles may have a viscosity of from about 100 to 200,000 cps., preferably 1000 to 50,000 cps. If the viscosity is too low, there is a tendency for the foaming agents to volatilize in the form of large bubbles.

Foams thus produced are characterized by an open cellular structure and large voids which are not desired in foams used for insulating purposes. The viscosity range required for the particular foaming agent used can be determined by one skilled in the art. The size of the cells in the abovedescribed foaming materials is determined by a number of other factors: the size of the cells depends for one thing on the nature and quantity of the blowing agent used, the reaction temperature and the hardening characteristics of the resin. Thus. by changing the type and quantity of the foaming or interlacing agent, the temperature employed and the composition of the resin, it is possible to produce foams of different density, hardness and rigidity, i.e., foams having pores of different sizes.

The resoles used in the present composition are the reaction product of a phenol and an aldehyde. Generally, from about 1.3 to 2.9 mols of aldehyde per mol of phenol are employed. The lowest density foamed structures (0.003 grams per cubic centimeter) have been obtained when condensation products were used based on 1.3 to 1.6 mols of formaldehyde reacted per mol of phenol. Phenolic condensation products in which more than 1.6 mols and up to 3 mols of formaldehyde have been reacted with the phenol tend to release loosely bound formaldehyde during the acid-catalyzed reaction. Since this release of formaldehyde is an endothermic type of reaction, it correspondingly reduced the amount of exothermic heat of reaction caused by the acid catalyst.Therefore, there is less heat available for vaporizing the volatile matter in the reaction mixture whereby a lower degree of expansion occurs resulting in cellular structures of higher apparent densities, e.g., 0.03 to 0.3 grams per cubic centimeter. On the other hand.

"A"-stage condensation products having a reacted formaldehyde ratio between 1.0 R' and 1.2 mols per mol of phenol tend to harden before maximum expansion can occur and have less exothermic heat; this is reflected bv a somewhat higher density of the foamed structures made therefrom.

Typical of the phenols that are useful in producing suitable resole resins are those represented bv the formula

wherein at least two groups represented by are hydrogen atoms and the groups represented bn R and any remaining group represented bv R' are hydrogen atoms or groups which do not impede the condensation of the phenol with an aldehxde (e.g.. a substituent such as halogen atom or a hydroxy. alkyl or aryl group).

Illustrative of suitable phenols are phenol, resoles (particularly m-cresol), xylenols (particularly 3,5-xvlenol) and dihydroxybenzenes (particularly rescrcinol). Typical of the aldehydes that can be useful in producing suitable resole resins are formaldehyde (including the oligomers and polymers of formaldehyde such as trioxane). furfural, sugars and cellulose hydrolyzates. Such aldehydes can be employed without dilution or dissolved in suitable solvents including aqueous alcohols (e.g. aqueous methanol, n-propanol, isobutanol or n-butanol).

The manufacture of the foams is generally performed by thoroughly mixing a phenolic resole resin with acid hardeners, surface active substances, a blowing agent and foaming and hardening the mixture.

The foaming of the phenolic resin is performed after the individual components have been mixed together, the blowing agent being transformed to the gaseous state. Depending on the composition of the mixture to be foamed, the foaming takes place at temperatures between 0 and 100 C., preferably at 15 to 60"C. The resin can be foamed either in open or in closed molds to produce bodies of a shape corresponding to the shape of the open or closed mold selected.

It is also possible to perform the foaming process continuously in a double band press. In this case the components are proportioned and mixed by means of a known automatic proportioning and mixing apparatus and the mixture is fed continuously to the bands of a double band press by means of a charging device moving crosswise to the direction of movement.

Then the mixture is passed through a gap of selectable thickness formed between one roll and a support which may, if desired, also be a roll. The rolls can be preheated if desired. By this process boards of selectable thickness are obtained.

The hardening is generally so controlled that. as soon as the desired foam volume is reached, the foam structure has solidified to such an extent as to forestall collapse.

Prior to the foaming, fillers and/or pigments of the prior art can be added to the phenolic resole resin, examples being inorganic or organic substances in powder form.

Improvements in foam cell uniformity and size are secured by the use of a surface active agent. Particularly useful are the nonionic types such as polyethers and polyalcohols, such as condensation products of alkylene oxides (such as ethylene oxide and propylene oxide) with alkyl phenols. fatty acids, alkyl silanes and silicones and like materials, as is exemplified by such products as octadecyl phenol-ethylene oxide, decyl phenolethvlene oxide sulfate and the low polymers of such materials as polyoxyethylene dodecyl phenol, octyl phenol polyethylene glycol ether, ricinoleic acid polyethylene glycolate, stearic acid polyoxyethylene, glycolates, and similar polyoxyethylated fatty acids and vegetable oils as well as polyoxyethylated fatty acids esters such as polyoxyethylene sorbitan monolaurate, polyoxyethylene sorbitan tristearate, polyoxypropylene sorbitan monolaurate, polyoxy(propylene-ethylene) sorbitan monolaurate, and polyoxyethylene sorbitan pentaoleate; polyoxy ethylene sorbitan monopalmitate and siloxane-oxyalkylene block copolymers such as those containing a Si-O-C linkage between the siloxane and oxyalkylene moieties and those containing a Si-C linkage between the siloxane and oxyalkylene moieties. Typical siloxaneoxyalkylene block copolymers contain a siloxane moiety composed of recurring dimethylsiloxy groups end-blocked with monomethylsiloxy and/or trimethylsiloxy groups and an oxyalkylene moiety composed of recurring oxyethylene and/or oxypropylene groups end-blocked with alkoxy groups.Similarly useful are the quaternary ammonium compounds with at least 2 alkyl groups attached to the nitrogen atom like cetyl dimethyl benzyl ammonium chloride, octadecyl dimethyl benzyl ammonium chloride, octadecanol-9dimethyl ethyl ammonium bromide and diisobutylphenoxyethoxy ethyl dimethyl benzyl ammonium chloride and sorbitan fatty acid esters such as sorbitan monolaurate, sorbitan monopalmitate, sorbitan monostearate, sorbitan trioleate and like esters.

These surface active agents can be employed in any desired amount depending on what results are desired. They serve to aid the generation of smaller and more uniform cells. Best results seem to be secured in using amounts from 0.3 to about 5,' by weight of the agent based on the weight of resole resin with preferred results at between about 0.5 to 30, by weight.

Certain surfactants may cause collapse of the foam if employed in too great a concentration and optimum concentration may vary with the individual surfactant selected.

The foaming agents which may be used to foam the resins of this invention include carbon dioxide liberating materials, low boiling aliphatic hydrocarbons.

polyhalogenated saturated fluorocarbons and ether. Exemplary of carbon dioxide liberating compounds are alkali and alkaline earth metal carbonates such as sodium bicarbonate or calcium carbonate which, in the presence of an acid, liberate carbon dioxide. Another group of blowing agents comprises low-boiling organic compounds.

such as carbon-tetrachloride, ethylene dichloride, n-butyl ether, methylal, npentane, chlorofluoromethane or the like.

These latter materials are vaporized by the heat evolved in the condensation of the resin or by additionally supplied heat, thereby bringing about foaming of the liquid phenolic resin. Simultaneously with the foaming process, the hardener present in the mixture produces an increasing solidification and finally a hardening of the foam.

Fluorocarbon foaming agents which mav be used include dichlorodifluoromethane, I ,2-dichloro- 1,1 2,2-tetrafluoroethane. 1,1,1 - trichloro-2,2,2-trifiuoroethane, 1,2 di flu oroeth an e and tri ch loro fluoromethane. The compounds should preferably have boiling points ranging from about -30 to 1250C. The blowing agents are employed in an amount sufficient to give the resultant foam the desired bulk density which is generally between 0.008 and 0.16 and preferably between 0.016 and 0.08 grams per cubic cm. The blowing agent generally comprises from 1 to 30, and preferably comprises from 5 to 20, weight percent of the composition. When the blowing agent has a boiling point at or below ambient, it is maintained under pressure until mixed with the other components.Alternatively, it can be maintained at subambient temperature until mixed with the other components.

As hardeners both liquid and pulverulent substances may be utilized. The quantity required partially depends on the foaming agent used. If the foaming agent consists of a solid salt which evolves gases, part of the acid is used to release the gases. If lowboiling solvents are employed as foaming agent, the proportion of hardener is lower in accordance therewith. In addition to mineral acids such as HCI, H2SO4 and the like, water-soluble sulfonic acids are particularly well suited as water-soluble acids, i.e. those sulfonic acids where the sulfonic acid group is directly linked to an aromatic ring which may be substituted.

Examples thereof include benzene sulfonic acid, p-toluene sulfonic acid, phenol sulfonic acid, cresol sulfonic acid, and the like. The aqueous solutions of these acids are mainly utilized as 40 to 70 / by weight solutions. Some acids, such as p-toluene sulfonic acid, may also be used in the pulverulent form as hardener. The quantity of the hardener used preferably varies between about 1 and 15"" by weight, calculated as 100 " acid, based on phenol-resole resin.

The preferred sulfonic acid is a mixture of equal parts bv weight of toluene sulfonic acid and xylene sulfonic acid. as described in Mausner et al. U.S. Patent No. 3,458.449.

Another foaming catalyst which has been found to give excellent results are novolac sulfonic acids, described in British Patent No. 1,283,113.

The catalyst is generally present in the minimum amount that will give the desired cream times of 1 to 300 seconds and firm times of 50 to 1200 seconds to the reacting mixture. The catalyst, however, generally comprises from 0.5 to 20. and preferably comprises from 1.0 to 15, weight percent based on the weight of the resole resin.

The following examples will further illustrate the present invention, however. it is to be understood that the scope of the invention is not limited by the examples.

PREPARATIVE EXAMPLE 1 A base catalyzed aqueous resole resin solution is prepared by reacting 2.2 mol of aqueous formaldehyde (50) per one mol of phenol in the presence of .040 mol of calcium hydroxide initially below 60"C. to control reaction exotherm. The reaction is then conducted at 60--700C. range until the unreacted formaldehyde content drops to 4 0 n The reaction is cooled to 40"C. and 0.036 mol of oxalic acid dihydrate is added rapidly with agitation. The resin was dehydrated to about 780n solids and about 100/,, water with the resin having a viscosity of about 4460 cps.The resin was divided and one portion centrifuged to remove the inert oxalate salts and the viscosity was found to be about 1100 cps and designated as Resin B whereas the resin containing about 3.8In oxalate salts was designated Resin A. Resin solids and water content were about the same for Resins A and B. It is evident that Resin A has an enhanced viscosity due to the presence of the inert salts.

EXAMPLE 2 About 100 parts of Resin A and Resin B were mixed with 1 part of silicone surfactant (DC-193 from Dow Corning) and 10 parts of 1,1 2-trichloro- 1 2,2-trifluoroethane blowing agent (Freon 113 from DuPont) (Freon is a Registered Trade Mark) and placed in an oven at 60"C. to test the foamability of the Resin A and Resin B. It was found that Resin A foamed readily into a prefoam having small uniform cells giving a stable standing prefoam. Resin B, in contrast, gave large, nonuniform cells that collapsed giving an unstable prefoam. To show these differences in a cured system Example 3 was run.

EXAMPLE 3 Example 2 was repeated using 4 parts of xylene sulfonic acid (50"") in the composition mixture to cure the prefoam resin cell structure to a solid foam. It was found that Resin A prefoamed to a uniform fine cell foam that cured to a solid finecelled foam whereas Resin B prefoamed and cured to a much less uniform foam with larger cells. It is evident that the Resin A composition. containing the inert salts and enhanced viscosities. provided more stable foams with fine cell size than Resin B which is the same basic resole resin without inert salts.

EXAMPLE 4 Resin A of Example 1 was dehydrated to about 2"" water and found to have a viscosity of about 30,000 cps. Foaming tests, as in Example 3, with this resin gave a stable fine cell prefoam which were cured to solid foams having stable fine cell structures. It is evident that Resin A of the present invention. forms stable fine cell structures over a wide range of viscosities and water contents.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A foamable resole resin composition comprising a resole resin, a blowing agent and a surfactant, wherein said composition has present an aqueous solution of a resole resin having a pH of 3 to 8.5 said resole resin being present in amounts of from 60 to 99 by weight based on said aqueous solution comprising: A. a resole resin having a number average molecular weight of less than 300, a water tolerance greater than 50%, a combined aldehyde to phenol molar ratio in the range of from 1.0:1 to 2.9::1 and, B. a dispersion of insoluble oxalate salt particles, wherein said resole being prepared with a catalyst comprising an alkaline earth metal hydroxide which is magnesium, calcium, barium or strontium hydroxide said pH being adjusted with oxalic acid or ammonium oxalate providing a stable dispersion of insoluble oxalate salt particles of said alkaline earth metal ions in said solution, wherein said solution is stable to salt flocculation at a resole resin content of from 60 to 990,, by weight.

2. A foamable resole resin composition according to Claim I in which the aldehyde is formaldehyde.

3. A composition according to any of the preceding claims wherein said aqueous solution has present a formaldehyde scavenger which is ammonia, a primary or secondary amine, urea. a substituted urea, a primary amide. dicyandiamide, a guanidine or an aminotriazine.

4. A composition according to Claim 3 wherein said aqueous solution has said formaldehde scavenger present in amounts of from 0.5 to 1.5 mol equivalents per mol of free formaldehyde in said aqueous solution.

5. A composition according to any of the preceding claims wherein said aqueous solution has said dispersed oxalate salt particles with an average particle size of less than 2,u.

6. A composition according to Claim 5 wherein said aqueous solution has said dispersed oxalate salt particles with an average particle size ranging from 0.02 to 0.8u.

7. A composition according to any of the preceding claims having an aqueous solution wherein the resole resin has an average molecular weight of from 150 to 300 and wherein the oxalate salt is calcium or barium oxalate.

8. A process for preparing a foamable resole resin composition comprising blending a resole resin. a blowing agent and a surfactant comprising blending aqueous solution of a resole resin having a pH of 3 to 8.5 said resole resin being present in amounts of from 60 to 99 --' by weight based on said aqueous solution comprising: A. a resole resin having a number average molecular weight of less than 300, a water tolerance greater than 50%, a combined aldehyde to phenol molar ratio in the range of from 1.0:1 to 2.9::1, and B. a dispersion of insoluble oxalate salt particles. wherein said resole being prepared with a catalyst comprising an alkaline earth metal hydroxide which is magnesium, calcium, barium or strontium hydroxide said pH being adjusted with oxalic acid or ammonium oxalate providing a stable dispersion of insoluble oxalate salt particles of said alkaline earth metal ions in said solution, wherein said solution is stable to salt flocculation at a resole resin content of from 60 to 99 /', by weight.

9. A process for preparing a foamable resole resin composition according to Claim 8 in which the aldehyde is formaldehyde.

10. A process according to either of Claims 8 or 9 wherein said aqueous solution has present a formaldehyde scavenger which is ammonia, a primary or secondary amine, urea. a substituted urea, a primary amide, dicyamdiamide, a guanidine or an aminotriazine.

II. A process according to Claim 10 wherein said aqueous solution has said formaldehyde scavenger present in amounts of from 0.5 to 1.5 mol equivalents per mol of free formaldehyde in said aqueous solution.

12. A process according to any of Claims 8 to 10 wherein said aqueous solution has

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. differences in a cured system Example 3 was run. EXAMPLE 3 Example 2 was repeated using 4 parts of xylene sulfonic acid (50"") in the composition mixture to cure the prefoam resin cell structure to a solid foam. It was found that Resin A prefoamed to a uniform fine cell foam that cured to a solid finecelled foam whereas Resin B prefoamed and cured to a much less uniform foam with larger cells. It is evident that the Resin A composition. containing the inert salts and enhanced viscosities. provided more stable foams with fine cell size than Resin B which is the same basic resole resin without inert salts. EXAMPLE 4 Resin A of Example 1 was dehydrated to about 2"" water and found to have a viscosity of about 30,000 cps. Foaming tests, as in Example 3, with this resin gave a stable fine cell prefoam which were cured to solid foams having stable fine cell structures. It is evident that Resin A of the present invention. forms stable fine cell structures over a wide range of viscosities and water contents. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. A foamable resole resin composition comprising a resole resin, a blowing agent and a surfactant, wherein said composition has present an aqueous solution of a resole resin having a pH of 3 to 8.5 said resole resin being present in amounts of from 60 to 99 by weight based on said aqueous solution comprising: A. a resole resin having a number average molecular weight of less than 300, a water tolerance greater than 50%, a combined aldehyde to phenol molar ratio in the range of from 1.0:1 to 2.9::1 and, B. a dispersion of insoluble oxalate salt particles, wherein said resole being prepared with a catalyst comprising an alkaline earth metal hydroxide which is magnesium, calcium, barium or strontium hydroxide said pH being adjusted with oxalic acid or ammonium oxalate providing a stable dispersion of insoluble oxalate salt particles of said alkaline earth metal ions in said solution, wherein said solution is stable to salt flocculation at a resole resin content of from 60 to 990,, by weight.

said dispersed oxalate salt particles with an average particle size of less than 2,u.

13. A process according to Claim 12, wherein said aqueous solution has said dispersed oxalate salt particles with an average particle size ranging from 0.02 to 0.8U.

14. A process according to any of Claims 8 to 13 having an aqueous solution wherein the resole resin has an average molecular weight of from 150 to 300 and wherein the oxalate salt is calcium or barium oxalate.

15. A process for foaming a foamable resole resin composition comprising adding an acid catalyst to a composition according to Claim I and allowing said composition to foam forming a cellular material.

16. A process according to Claim 15 wherein said acid catalyst is hydrochloric, sulfuric, phosphoric, oxalic, sulfonic or fluoroboric acid.

17. A process according to either of Claims 15 or 16 wherein the acid catalyst is present in sufficient amounts to give a desired cream time of I to 300 seconds and a rise and firm time totalling from 50 to 1200 seconds.

18. A process according to Claim 15 wherein said acid catalyst is present in amounts of from 0.5 to 2004; by weight based on the weight of said cellular material.

19. A composition according to any of Claims 1 to 7 wherein said blowing agent is carbon dioxide, nitrogen an aliphatic hydrocarbon, a fluorohydrocarbon, a chlorohydrocarbon, or a chlorofluorohydrocarbon.

20. A composition according to any of Claims 1 to 7 and 19 wherein said blowing agent is present in amounts of from 1 to 200;, by weight based on said composition.

21. A composition according to any of Claims I to 7, 19 or 20 wherein said surfactant is a polyether, a polyalcohol, a siloxane-oxyalkalene polymer, a quaternary ammonium compound or a sorbitan compound.

22. A composition according to any of Claims 1 to 7 or 19 to 21 wherein said surfactant is present in amounts of from 0.3 to 5,, by weight based on said resole resin.

23. A foamed composition whenever prepared by a process according to Claim 15.

24. A process for preparing a foamable composition according to Claim 8 and substantially as hereinbefore described in and with reference to Example 2.

25. A foamable composition according to Claim 1 and substantially as hereinbefore described in and with reference to Example 2.

26. A process for foaming according to Claim 15 and substantially as hereinbefore described in and with reference to either of Examples 3 or 4.