Synthesis and characterization of chitin/curcumin blended polyurethane elastomers

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Polymer Chemistry

Background:

• Polyurethane elastomers (PUEs) are versatile polymers with tunable properties.
• Incorporating natural compounds like chitin and curcumin can impart novel functionalities to PUEs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize novel chitin-curcumin based polyurethane elastomers (PUEs).
• To investigate the effect of chitin content on the structural, thermal, and swelling properties of PUEs.

Main Methods:

• Step-growth polymerization using hydroxy terminated polybutadiene (HTPB) and hexamethylene diisocyanate (HDI).
• Characterization via FTIR, NMR, SEM, TGA, XRD, and DSC.
• Assessment of water and DMSO absorption and swelling behavior.

Main Results:

• Successful synthesis of chitin-curcumin PUEs confirmed by FTIR and NMR.
• SEM revealed distinct surface morphologies.
• TGA indicated good thermal stability.
• XRD and DSC demonstrated increased crystallinity with higher chitin content due to enhanced ordered structures.

Conclusions:

• Chitin-curcumin PUEs were successfully prepared.
• Higher chitin content leads to increased elastomer crystallinity and improved ordered structures.
• These findings suggest potential for developing advanced functional elastomers.