Fluorochemicals have been an integral component in polyurethane foams since the 1950s. The unique combination of boiling point, solubility, and thermal conductivity, inherent in these materials, has improved the insulation properties of rigid polyurethane foams. This improvement in insulation property has, in turn, reduced the energy consumption of various products which use rigid foam, such as domestic and commercial appliances as well as the buildings or homes that house those products. While there is a continued need for further reductions in energy consumption, fluorochemicals are also being challenged to have less impact on climate change by having a low Global Warming Potential (GWP). To meet these performance and environmental challenges, Arkema introduced the low GWP blowing agent, Forane® 1233zd, in 2008 (as AFA-L1). Since then, we have presented information on many different foam applications blown with Forane® 1233zd, demonstrating improved thermal properties over high GWP materials such as HFC-245fa. Applications include domestic appliance, spray foam, and most recently commercial cold chain systems. In addition to meeting those challenges, we will show here that adaptations to Forane® 1233zd based formulations can also be made to meet another necessary property; that of resin or B-side shelf stability. Each previous blowing agent change has required various processing or formulation changes to optimize performance. In this work, we will show Arkema's continued efforts to provide each application with the necessary shelf life requirements without sacrificing any of the physical properties necessary to make rigid polyurethane foam a valuable insulation material.
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