Nitrogen‐containing products from the thermal decomposition of flexible polyurethane foams

Abstract

The thermal decomposition of a polyester and a polyether flexible foam in a nitrogen atmosphere has been studied by gas chromatography, mass spec‐trometry and elemental ultramicroanalysis. It is shown that the decomposition behaviours of the two foams are similar. At low temperatures (200 to 300 °C) there is a rapid and complete loss of the tolylene diisocyanate unit of each foam as a volatile yellow smoke leaving a polyol residue. The smoke has been isolated as a yellow solid (common to both foams) which contains virtually all of the nitrogen of the original foams and, under the conditions of test, is stable at temperatures up to 750 °C. Nitrogen‐containing products of low molecular weight (mainly hydrogen cyanide, acetonitrile, acrylonitrile, pyridine and benzonitrile) observed during the high temperature decomposition (over 800 °C) of the foams are shown to be derived from the yellow smokes. At 1000 °C, approximately 70% of the available nitrogen has been recovered as hydrogen cyanide.

Toxicity Assessment Of Products Of Combustion Of Flexible Polyurethane Foam

“…While Levin et al [24] studied the char in detail, they did not characterize the yellow condensate on the walls. This condensate is likely related to the yellow smoke reported by Woolley [30]. However, since Woolley's method did not cause the formation of a char, it is unlikely that the yellow residue in Levin et al's work is simply TDI or a polyurea derived from TDI.…”

“…There has been extensive study of the thermal decomposition of polyurethanes. The early work in this area was carried out by Woolley [30] (and numerous F.R. Notes) at the UK Fire Research Station.…”

Lung Injury after Experimental Smoke Inhalation: Particle-Associated Changes in Alveolar Macrophages

“…1) and Protocol. Pathogen-free CFW male mice, 7-9 wk old and weighing [25][26][27][28][29][30][31][32] Thus, the total fluid-lung contact time was 6-10 sec. Total cell counts and total protein determinations on the recovered fluid were performed (24).…”

“…The (24). The highly volatile isocyanates escape into the smoke affluent and rapidly become particulate on cooling (23,25,32), within seconds of heating in our system. Identical particles were recovered from the lungs of exposed mice.…”

Proceedings of the Annual Chemical Defense Bioscience Review (4th) Held at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland on 30 May-1 June 1984

“…Hydrogen cyanide is generated in fires by the thermal degradation of materials containing nitrogen such as wool, silk, polyurethane and polyacrylnitrile (Woolley, 1972;Sumi and Tsuchiya, 1973). Reports have been made showing that, indeed, the blood of fire victims contains cyanide (Wetherell, 1966;Mohler, 1975;Birky and Clarke, 1981).…”