Segmented polyurethanes with a regular chain architecture exhibit very specific self -organizing properties, often leading to multiphase systems with special phase structures. The study of a series of relatively stiff, monodisperse polyurethane model compounds of various molecularly engineered structures and also multiblock copolymers consisting of an alternating sequence of highly flexible polyether and the above polyurethane segment has shown that extended chain crystallization and chain folding of hard segments and thus the size, shape and ordering of the hard domains can be created and rearranged at will. The molecular design, which can also be applied to graft copolymers, predetermines the possibilities of supramolecular organization. These thermoplastic elastomers exhibit very special properties which correlate systematically with the supramolecular structure.Paper presented at the meeting of the GDCh-Fachgruppe "Makromolekulare Chemie" on "Kautschukelastische

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Blowing agents are mainly responsible for the insulation properties of polyurethane rigid foams. Detailed knowledge about the vapor conductivity of blowing agents and their mixtures is essential for their basic understanding. In addition to their insulation properties, blowing agents to a large extent determine the mechanical properties of the foam. Today, blowing agent mixtures are often used in an attempt to combine both worlds, low thermal conductivity and high vapor pressure at low temperatures. Our investigations aim at a better understanding of the relevant practical properties of blowing agents and their mixtures and to focus on their meaning for actual and potential foam systems of interest to the rigid foam insulation market. A newly developed transient hot wire method was used to determine the vapor phase thermal conductivity of various blowing agents used in rigid polyurethane foam. Data for CFC-11, HCFC-141b, HFC-365mfc, HFC-356mffm, HFC-245fa, HFC-245ca, cyclopentane, isopentane, n-pentane, isobutane, n-butane, and carbon dioxide have been generated. In addition to measurements of the pure compounds, current market mixtures of cyclopentane with low boiling hydrocarbons have been investigated. Experiments have been performed at pressures between 0.2 MPa and 1.5 MPa and temperatures between 298 K and 421 K.

Multiphase polymer systems with special phase structures and properties can be achieved by the proper design of the polymer constitution and the appropriate sample treatment. Multiblock copolymers consisting of molecularly uniform polyurethane segments of various molecularly engineered structures and connected by highly flexible polyether segments have been synthesized. The segregation of the hard segments and the size, shape and perfection of the hard domains can be controlled by the hard segment's architecture in that either extended chain crystallization or chain folding occurs. The same superstructure and properties as of the above multiblock copolymers can be mimicked by specially designed graft copolymers with polyether backbone and polyurethane branches, again uniform and molecularly engineered. This study has shown that the morphology and superstructure of macromolecular systems can be precisely controlled by the molecularly designed chain architecture and the sample history, and is correlated with special material properties.