Polyurethaneurea/vinyl polymer hybrid aqueous dispersions based on renewable material

Area of Science:

• Polymer Chemistry
• Materials Science
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Polyurethaneurea-vinyl polymer (PUA) hybrid aqueous dispersions offer tunable properties.
• Understanding the influence of polymer-polymer interactions on material characteristics is crucial for developing advanced materials.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize PUA hybrid aqueous dispersions using castor oil and/or difunctional poly(oxypropylene) polyol (GE-210).
• To investigate the effect of polyurethaneurea (PUU) and vinyl polymer (PA) hybridization on the morphology and mechanical properties of PUA films.
• To correlate the phase miscibility and morphology with the resulting material performance.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of PUA hybrid aqueous dispersions via free-radical polymerization.
• Characterization of PUA film morphologies using various techniques.
• Evaluation of mechanical properties (e.g., tensile strength, elongation) of the PUA films.

Main Results:

• PUA synthesized with GE-210 exhibited miscibility between PUU and PA phases, leading to reduced mechanical properties compared to pure PUU.
• PUA based on castor oil showed compatibility between PUU and PA phases, with a network structure and disappearance of particle-accumulation morphology.
• Castor oil-based PUA demonstrated significantly improved mechanical properties, especially those with high castor oil content and a cross-linked PUU phase.

Conclusions:

• The miscibility and morphology of PUA hybrids significantly impact their mechanical performance.
• Castor oil-based PUA systems, particularly those with cross-linked PUU, offer excellent comprehensive mechanical properties.
• These findings provide insights into designing high-performance hybrid polymer systems.