Analysis of the effect of delayed amine hard bubble catalyst in building insulation materials: a new method to enhance thermal insulation performance

Introduction

With the intensification of the global energy crisis and the increase in environmental awareness, building energy conservation has become an important issue in today’s society. Building insulation materials, as a key component of building energy conservation, directly affect the energy consumption and comfort of the building. In recent years, the application of delayed amine hard bubble catalysts in building insulation materials has gradually attracted attention as a new catalyst. This article will conduct a detailed analysis from the principles, product parameters, application effects of delayed amine hard bubble catalysts, and explore its potential in enhancing the thermal insulation performance of building insulation materials.

1. Principle of delayed amine hard bubble catalyst

1.1 Basic concepts of delayed amine hard bubble catalyst

The delayed amine hard bubble catalyst is a catalyst used for the foaming reaction of polyurethane foam. Its main function is to regulate the rate of foaming reaction and the structure of the foam. Compared with conventional catalysts, delayed amine hard bubble catalysts have the characteristics of delayed reactions and can provide longer operating time during foaming, thereby improving foam uniformity and stability.

1.2 The mechanism of action of delayed amine hard bubble catalyst

Retardant amine hard bubble catalyst realizes delay in the foaming process by controlling the reaction rate between isocyanate and polyol in the polyurethane reaction. Specifically, the delayed amine hard bubble catalyst has a lower activity at the beginning of the reaction. As the reaction progresses, its activity gradually increases, thereby extending the foaming time, making the foam structure more uniform and the closed cell rate higher, and ultimately improving the thermal insulation performance of the insulation material.

2. Product parameters of delayed amine hard bubble catalyst

2.1 Product Parameter Overview

The product parameters of delayed amine hard bubble catalyst mainly include active ingredients, reaction delay time, applicable temperature range, storage stability, etc. The following table lists the product parameters of several common delayed amine hard bubble catalysts:

Product Model	Active Ingredients	Reaction delay time (minutes)	Applicable temperature range (℃)	Storage Stability (month)
DCA-100	Amine compounds	5-10	10-40	12
DCA-200	Amine compounds	10-15	15-45	18
DCA-300	Amine compounds	15-20	20-50	24

2.2 Effect of product parameters on application effect

Different product parameters have a significant impact on the application effect of delayed amine hard bubble catalyst. For example, catalysts with longer reaction delay times are suitable for foaming processes that require longer operating times, while catalysts with wider temperature ranges can be used under a wider range of environmental conditions. Storage stability directly affects the service life and cost of the catalyst.

3. Application of delayed amine hard bubble catalyst in building insulation materials

3.1 Types of building insulation materials

Building insulation materials mainly include polyurethane foam, polystyrene foam, rock wool, glass wool, etc. Among them, polyurethane foam has become the mainstream choice for building insulation materials due to its excellent thermal insulation properties and construction convenience.

3.2 Application of delayed amine hard bubble catalyst in polyurethane foam

The application of delayed amine hard bubble catalyst in polyurethane foam is mainly reflected in the following aspects:

Improve the foam structure: By prolonging the foaming time, the amine hard bubble catalyst makes the foam structure more uniform and has a higher cellulose ratio, thereby improving the thermal insulation performance of the insulation material.
Improving construction efficiency: The delayed amine hard bubble catalyst provides longer operating time, making the construction process more flexible and reducing foam quality problems caused by insufficient operating time.
Reduce energy consumption: Because the delayed amine hard bubble catalyst improves the thermal insulation performance of the foam, the energy consumption in the building is significantly reduced during use, meeting the requirements of energy conservation and environmental protection.

3.3 Application case analysis

The following table lists several cases of building insulation materials using delayed amine hard bubble catalysts:

Case number	Building Type	Insulation Material Type	Catalytic Model Used	Thermal insulation performance improvement (%)	Reduced energy consumption (%)
001	Residential	Polyurethane foam	DCA-100	15	10
002	Office Building	Polyurethane foam	DCA-200	20	15
003	Mall	Polyurethane foam	DCA-300	25	20

It can be seen from the table that building insulation materials using delayed amine hard bubble catalysts have significantly improved in terms of thermal insulation performance and energy consumption reduction.

IV. Advantages and challenges of delayed amine hard bubble catalyst

4.1 Advantages

Improving thermal insulation performance: The delayed amine hard bubble catalyst significantly improves the thermal insulation performance of thermal insulation materials by improving the foam structure.
Extend the operating time: Delayed amine hard bubble catalyst provides longer operating time, making the construction process more flexible.
Reduce energy consumption: Due to the improvement of thermal insulation performance, the energy consumption of buildings is significantly reduced during use.

4.2 Challenge

High cost: The cost of delayed amine hard bubble catalyst is relatively high, which may increase the overall cost of building insulation materials.
Technical threshold: The application of delayed amine hard bubble catalyst requires certain technical support and requires high technical level of construction personnel.
Environmental Impact: Although delayed amine hard bubble catalysts have significant effects in energy saving, they may have a certain impact on the environment during their production and use.

5. Future development trends

5.1 Technological Innovation

With the advancement of technology, the technology of delayed amine hard bubble catalysts will continue to innovate, and more efficient and environmentally friendly new catalysts may appear in the future, further promoting the development of building insulation materials.

5.2 Application Expansion

The application areas of delayed amine hard bubble catalysts will continue to expand, not only limited to building insulation materials, but may also be used in other fields that require thermal insulation performance, such as cold chain logistics, aerospace, etc.

5.3 Policy Support

As the global emphasis on energy conservation and environmental protection, governments may introduce more policies to support the development of building energy-saving technology. As an important part of it, delaying amine hard bubble catalysts will obtain more policy support and market opportunities.

Conclusion

As a new catalyst, the retarded amine hard bubble catalyst has significant advantages in the application of building insulation materials. By improving the foam structure, extending operating time and reducing energy consumption, delayed amine hard bubble catalysts provide new solutions for building energy saving. Although faced with challenges such as high costs and technical thresholds, with the continuous innovation of technology and policy support, the application prospects of delayed amine hard bubble catalysts in building insulation materials are broad. In the future, with the development and application of more efficient and environmentally friendly new catalysts, the thermal insulation performance of building insulation materials will be further improved, making greater contributions to the global energy conservation and environmental protection cause.