A low-emission catalyst for the preparation of flexible polyurethane (FPUR) foams was developed. Copper-amine complex solutions in ethylene glycol (EG), namely, Cu(OAc) 2 (en) 2 -EG and Cu(OAc) 2 (trien)-EG (en, ethylenediamine; trien, triethylenetetramine), were synthesized and used as catalysts for the preparation of FPUR foams. The synthesis of Cu(OAc) 2 (en) 2 -EG and Cu(OAc) 2 (trien)-EG is convenient because the synthesis of copper-amine complexes can be done in situ using ethylene glycol as a solvent and no purification step is needed. It was found that Cu(OAc) 2 (en) 2 -EG was a suitable catalyst for FPUR foam preparation. In comparison to Dabco EG (or triethylenediamine), which is a commercial catalyst for FPUR foam preparation, Cu(OAc) 2 (en) 2 -EG had a comparable catalytic activity in gelling reaction and a higher catalytic activity in blowing reaction. The FPUR foam prepared from Cu(OAc) 2 (en) 2 -EG had a lower density than that prepared from Dabco EG.
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