Modified Phenol Formaldehyde Reactive Oligomers

Abstract

Polymeric heat-insulating materials based on casting phenolic foams have low thermal conductivity, reduced fire hazard, high operating temperatures, low cost of the starting components, and biostability. Due to these properties, they are superior in technical and economic indicators to mineral and other polymeric heat-insulating materials used in the construction industry. Low strength, tendency to smoldering, and high toxicity are significant limiting factors for the wider use of thermal insulation materials based on phenol formaldehyde oligomers. Modification of phenol-formaldehyde oligomers can improve the operational properties of materials and products based on them. One way is to introduce chemically active modified additives into the feedstock. As such compounds, metal chlorides of variable valence (FeCl3) and sodium hexafluorosilicate (Na2[SiF6]) were used in the work. It was established by studies that iron (III) salts of 2.0–2.6 wt.% are most effective in reducing toxicity. The simultaneous introduction of sodium hexafluorosilicate in an amount of 0.5 wt.% Allows to reduce the material consumption of products based on phenol formaldehyde oligomers.